To stave off rolling blackouts during a record heat wave, California relied on dramatic conservation by households and a growing renewable energy sector.

Renewable energy commitments aren’t to blame for the strain on California’s power grid, writes Jonathan Thompson in a piece for High Country News. Rather, the warming climate—caused by burning fossil fuels—is the real culprit, and shifting to renewables is one of the only ways to fight it.
On September 6, California utilities urged households to conserve energy to avoid rolling blackouts, even as temperatures across the state hit record highs. “Still, for most of that afternoon, all went smoothly on the California grid because solar and wind output was so high, offsetting about 30% of the total demand.”
In fact, Thompson writes, thanks in large part to a dramatic reduction in demand by California residents that day, “There were no statewide rolling outages, the grid stood up to extreme weather, and fossil fuel advocates’ attempt to politically weaponize the predicted blackouts fell flat.”
Thompson lists some key points to remember, “especially when you hear rhetoric about this near-miss being the result of green energy policies.” For example, California’s growing battery storage capacity and the more widespread adoption of electric vehicles, which can put power back into the grid, will enhance the stability of the state’s power supply. Ultimately, Thompson notes, the success of the state’s efforts to keep the lights on on September 6 hinged on the willingness of individual Californians to conserve during a crucial time.
FULL STORY: The Green New Deal didn’t crash California’s grid

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)