Solar power provides 10 percent of California's energy supply, which meant electric-grid operators had to be prepared for potentially disastrous effects during Monday's solar eclipse. To the surprise of many, there were no serious repercussions as the moon blocked a significant source of energy for many California utility companies. California renewable energy solar MORE

California continues to lead the United States, and in some ways the world, in efforts to reduce and eliminate harmful emissions from road vehicles. California electric utilities plug-in cars Charging station state laws charging infrastructureFollowing the lead of Governor Jerry Brown, the state legislature and regulatory agencies have set aggressive goals to reduce emission of climate-change gases, primarily carbon dioxide. That will be. MORE

California incentives plug-in cars transportation policyPurchase rebates and tax credits have been a major factor in the growth of electric cars over the past few years. By easing the price gap between electric and internal-combustion models--and providing the allure of a cash handout--they've helped get more people into electric cars. But for some consumers, price is less of a concern than it is for. MORE

California's latest tactic to promote electric-car adoption is to involve electric utilities in the installation and operation of charging infrastructure. Utilities in other states were previously allowed to own and operate electric-car charging stations, but that wasn't the case in California until a state Public Utilities Commission ruling in. California energy policy electric utilities plug-in cars charging charging infrastructure MORE

Ricardo Strategic Consulting is collaborating with the California Fuel Cell Partnership to provide economic modeling tools that will enable the assessment of total cost of ownership (TCO) of future fuel cell trucks, and hydrogen stations necessary to support commercial operation. Medium- and heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks will play a crucial role in reducing vehicle emissions in California, but are at the beginning stages of introduction. MORE

But one California utility is now taking direct action. California electric utilities plug-in cars Utility Companies Incentives and RebatesIn certain states, electric utilities are getting into the business of installing and operating electric-car charging infrastructure. They may build public charging stations, or work with other entities that operate them, but that's usually as far as their efforts to promote electric cars go. MORE

California has always been a bellwether for automotive trends, and it leads every other state by far in the volumes of plug-in electric cars sold. sales California New car sales plug-in carsIt also led in national sales of hybrid cars for many years. In fact, for several years running, the Toyota Prius was the single most popular passenger car sold in the state—setting it well apart. MORE

On the first day of a two-day board meeting—the second day of which (Friday 24 March) will consider the Advanced Clean Cars Midterm Review—the California Air Resources Board (ARB) took a number of climate and air quality actions. MORE

Of California's many incentives for green cars, one of the most popular is solo access to the state's carpool lanes for drivers of electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and certain other vehicles. But while California will distribute an unlimited number of "white stickers" for electric cars—as well as vehicles using hydrogen fuel cells and. carpool Plug-In Hybrids California incentives plug-in cars transportation policy MORE

California already offers generous incentives to get consumers into electric vehicles, but now the electric utility Southern California Edison has joined in. rebates California incentives Used Cars Southern California Edison electric utilities plug-in carsSCE has announced what it calls the Clean Fuel Rewards Program to offer a $450 purchase rebate for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle owners. The utility company isn't limiting the. MORE

states, California is by far the most enthusiastic when it comes to electric cars. But Mary Nichols--the chair of this agency since 2007--isn't satisfied with having just a few electric cars on California roads. DON'T MISS: California Approves Aggressive. emissions California California Air Resources Board plug-in cars transportation policyAmong U.S. And that's largely due to regulations overseen by the state's Air Resources Board. MORE

It's no secret that California is considerably more enthusiastic about electric cars than the rest of the nation. But how do California electric-car sales actually compare. sales California incentives New car sales plug-in cars state lawsPolicies put in place to promote plug-in cars--and a population willing to embrace new technology--make the Golden State the friendliest place for electric cars in the nation. MORE

Long a leader in the push to reduce vehicle emissions and switch to renewable energy, California marks another milestone this week. The last of three battery energy-storage sites will come online in Southern California, providing storage and buffering for unpredictable renewable energy. Batteries California renewable energy energy energy storage MORE

Plug-In Hybrids California plug-in carsPorsche is moving forward with plans to produce and sells its first electric car, but the German automaker is already seeing success with plug-in hybrids. Over the past few years, Porsche has launched three plug-in models, including the Panamera S E-Hybrid sedan, Cayenne S E-Hybrid SUV, and the now-defunct 918 Spyder supercar. And it seems Porsche. MORE

The car was delivered at Roseville Toyota, north of Sacramento, one of eight California dealers that will sell the Mirai initially. sales California hydrogen hydrogen fuel cellThe first 2016 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell car in the U.S. was delivered to its owner November 9. The keys went to Glenn Rambach, a 70-year-old engineer specializing in--what else?--hydrogen hydrogen fuel cells. DON'T. MORE

The resuscitated Fisker Automotive has signed a lease deal for what is expected to become a new vehicle assembly plant in California. Manufacturing California plug-in cars Range-Extended Electric Vehicle Fisker Automotive WanxiangThe announcement marks a significant milestone in the luxury electric carmaker's return from bankruptcy. As previously discussed by Fisker, the plant will be located in Moreno Valley--not far from the company's. MORE

California already aggressively promotes electric cars, and has among the most developed networks of charging stations of any state. In Southern California, electric utilities are about to undertake projects that will significantly expand charging infrastructure in the. California energy infrastructure electric utilities plug-in cars charging infrastructure MORE

headquarters in Torrance, California. Green California charging charging infrastructure plug-in carsHonda currently doesn't offer any plug-in electric cars, and has only sold a small number over the past several years. But the Japanese carmaker isn't quite done with cars with plugs. It's installing a remarkable 120 charging stations at its U.S. DON'T MISS: Honda To Offer New Electric Car, Plug-In Hybrid. MORE

There are only a handful of hydrogen fueling stations currently operating in California, but that number is set to grow in the very near term. That's the assessment of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CAFCP), which issued an update on station construction in the Golden State yesterday, in recognition of "National Hydrogen Day." California was. Infrastructure California hydrogen energy infrastructure hydrogen fuel cell MORE

rebates California incentives California Air Resources Board CARB plug-in carsIt's clear that incentives to buy specific cars work best when they can be applied directly at the time of sale. That's why purchase rebates are widely preferred by electric-car advocates to tax credits, which may take up to 15 months to be usable, depending on the timing of the purchase and tax filing. While the federal electric-car incentive is. MORE

Green California Manufacturing Wanxiang plug-in carsWhile all 2012 Fisker Karma extended-range electric luxury sedans were built in Finland, the company always intended to assemble cars in the U.S. Before its collapse and bankruptcy, Fisker had bought a former General Motors plant in Delaware. A pledge to use this facility was one factor in the successful bid for Fisker by Wanxiang, China's largest. MORE

It's long been obvious that California is the epicenter of emission reduction and electric-car adoption in the United States. sales California CARB New car sales plug-in cars Zero Emission VehicleAnd its outsize influence on U.S. environmental policy has global ramifications as well. Of the 1.25 million plug-in vehicles estimated to be on global roads by the end of this year, fully one-fifth are in the Golden State. MORE

The California Air Resources. EPA TDI VW California Air Resources Board Volkswagen diesel scandalIt seems owners of Volkswagen diesel cars equipped with illegal "defeat device" software will have to wait longer for a recall to update their cars. The plan submitted by VW in November to modify its 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI diesel models has been rejected by the regulatory agencies that must approve those fixes. MORE

Last week, the California state legislature approved a $52 billion transportation-funding package. California Gas Tax state laws transportation policyUnlike the practice in previous years, this one is to be used only for improvements to the transportation infrastructure, to begin cutting into an estimated $ 130 billion backlog of repairs and expansions. As a result of the new bill, owners of. MORE

California, with its pioneering zero-emission vehicle sales requirements, has always occupied an outsize place in the sales charts. sales California New car sales plug-in cars Zero Emission Vehicle state lawsSales of plug-in electric cars are not evenly distributed across the U.S. by any means. Not only is it the most populous state in the union, with 39 million residents, but it accounts for a large share of all electric. MORE

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) today approved the first of four plans by VW to invest $800 million over 10 years in zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure, public outreach, and access to these ultra-clean vehicles for residents of disadvantaged communities. MORE

California is very different from the rest of the United States. emissions zero emissions California California Air Resources Board CARB plug-in cars Zero Emission Vehicle smog state lawsAll by itself, it's the sixth largest economy in the world. One eighth of all Americans live there. It's home to Silicon Valley, as well as much of the global entertainment industry, and it produces a large proportion of the nation's fruit and vegetables. DON'T MISS: A Brief History. MORE

California already leads the nation in promoting zero-emission vehicles, but the Golden State may soon take that policy a step further. DON'T MISS: Will California. emissions California California Air Resources Board CARB plug-in cars transportation policyWhat if gasoline and diesel cars and light trucks were simply eliminated altogether from the new vehicles sold in a state? Residents of one state in the U.S. may, eventually, find out. MORE

The federal income-tax credit of $2,500 to $7,500 has long been supplemented by various state programs, including a purchase rebate in the crucial California market. Now the California Clean Vehicle. rebates California incentives plug-in cars state lawsIncentives for the purchase of a plug-in battery-powered vehicle continue to be a powerful motivation to get new buyers to consider electric cars. MORE

California continues to lead the way in all things green, now with new legislation that calls for dramatic cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions over the next few decades. emissions Politics California climate change state lawsBills passed by the state Senate seek to formalize energy-efficiency goals set by Governor Jerry Brown in his inaugural address earlier this year. They include targets for reductions. MORE

When it comes to green cars, California leads the nation—and has done so for decades. California residents buy more hybrids and electric cars than those of any other state, and it is also the only state with fueling infrastructure to support the sale of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. emissions California plug-in cars transportation policy federal government Donald Trump MORE

Los Angeles California Car Sharing plug-in cars Bolloré BlueCar BlueIndy BlueLAFirst there was AutoLib, a French electric-car sharing service operated by the Bolloré Group. Then came BlueIndy, the first U.S. franchise of the service, which put the same BlueCars onto the streets of Indianapolis. Now Bolloré is expanding its car-sharing operations to a second U.S. city, one that may be much more in the public. MORE

California plug-in cars charging Charging station charging infrastructureAs the market for electric vehicles continues to grow, electric-car infrastructure will need to keep up with the growing population of them. To solve the problem, companies are looking at a variety of new and innovative ways to charge more cars without actually taking up more space. Enter the ebee Smart Technologies streetlight charging. MORE

California leads the way when it comes to electric-car adoption in the U.S. government California plug-in cars transportation policyThat's due in large part to a zero-emission vehicle mandate that requires the largest-volume automakers to sell cars without tailpipes, combined with a generous state purchase incentive that encourages residents to buy them. But local governments have also played an. MORE

California has long been the nation's leader in zero-emission vehicles, with initiatives dating more than two decades. China California hydrogen fuel cell Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) Zero Emission Vehicle state lawsNow the Golden State is partnering with China, the world's largest car market, to accelerate that country's zero-emission goals. The state announced a new initiative with China, in which they will work together to accelerate the. MORE

Well after Hyundai and Toyota launched their own fuel-cell cars in California, the first 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sedans to be leased to retail customers were delivered yesterday in a small ceremony. California hydrogen hydrogen fuel cellThere's a new hydrogen fuel-cell kid in town. MORE

California drivers generate 40 million used tires every year, and everyone from sellers to policymakers has struggled to figure out what to do with them. But California lawmakers want more tires to be recycled--and created an elaborate infrastructure to see that they were. Green California China Tires air pollution emissions energy MORE

California leads the nation in policies that promote reductions of carbon emissions from road vehicles. emissions zero emissions EPA California California Air Resources Board CARB transportation policyIt is unique in having a federal waiver that allows it to set its own, stricter emissions standards, along with a zero-emission vehicle mandate that requires automakers reaching certain sales volumes to sell a certain number of cars without. MORE

California may soon expand a program aimed at helping lower-income individuals switch to more efficient cars. Plug-In Hybrids California incentives Used Cars plug-in cars gross pollutersThe Golden State previously launched "cash for clunkers" programs that incentivized the retirement of older, higher-polluting cars. But last year it also introduced the Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program Plus-Up pilot, which provides. MORE

Elon Musk California mass transit HyperloopTesla's Powerwall home batteries have grabbed headlines recently, but another of Tesla CEO Elon Musk's many big ideas could be reaching an important stage in its development. That would be the "Hyperloop," a system of tubes and windowless pods that's unlike any current form of mass transportation. Elon Musk first proposed the Hyperloop in the. MORE

California continues to lead the country in adoption rates for cars that plug in, both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models. sales zero emissions California New car sales plug-in cars Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV The state offers numerous local and statewide incentives, and many utility companies reward customers for choosing an electric car over a fossil-fuel powered vehicle. Combined, it's made for a very electric-car. MORE

During its latest business meeting, the California Energy Commission approved more than than $17 million was approved for nine new hydrogen stations that will expand the refueling infrastructure network in California. Five of those will be located in Southern California: in Huntington Beach, Irvine, San Diego, Santa Monica, and Sherman Oaks. MORE

California energy policy renewable energy energy energy storageFrom the perspective of both renewable-energy advocates and electric utilities, grid-scale energy storage offers many potential benefits. By storing energy in battery packs for later use, energy storage can make intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind into more reliable forms of power. It also helps utilities "balance" the gird by. MORE