City Resilience & Climate
Check out these reports, studies and guides on topics related to city resilience & climate!
Energy Efficiency | Outages | Bills & Economics | Renewables | Utility Regulation | Health | Housing
Energy Storage for Winter Grid Reliability
By Applied Economics Clinic (AEC) & Clean Energy Group (CEG) |
December 2021 |
The report found that customer-sited battery storage is by far the lowest priced new winter peaking resource now available to Massachusetts utilities.
Winter electric peaking capacity (called “winter reliability” in New England) provides an important value to the electric grid by helping to avoid winter blackouts. As heating and transportation are increasingly electrified to meet climate goals, winter peak energy needs will grow; and as fossil-fueled generators are phased out due to emissions caps, new, clean sources of winter peaking capacity will need to be found.
Although winter peaking capacity has traditionally been provided by gas and oil peaking generators (peaker plants), it can also be provided by cleaner, “behind-the-meter” customer resources such as battery storage.
Currently, this service is undervalued in the Massachusetts programs that provide battery customers with performance payments to supply power back to the grid at times of high demand. These customer performance payments should be adjusted to reflect the true value of winter electric peaking capacity in the region
Download the report here.
Winter electric peaking capacity (called “winter reliability” in New England) provides an important value to the electric grid by helping to avoid winter blackouts. As heating and transportation are increasingly electrified to meet climate goals, winter peak energy needs will grow; and as fossil-fueled generators are phased out due to emissions caps, new, clean sources of winter peaking capacity will need to be found.
Although winter peaking capacity has traditionally been provided by gas and oil peaking generators (peaker plants), it can also be provided by cleaner, “behind-the-meter” customer resources such as battery storage.
Currently, this service is undervalued in the Massachusetts programs that provide battery customers with performance payments to supply power back to the grid at times of high demand. These customer performance payments should be adjusted to reflect the true value of winter electric peaking capacity in the region
Download the report here.
Powerless in the Pandemic: After Bailouts, Electric Utilities' Chose Profits over People
By Jean Su, Center for Biological Diversity, & Christopher Kuveke, Bailout Watch |
September 2021 |
Press Release: The Center for Biological Diversity and BailoutWatch released Powerless in the Pandemic, a report showing that some of the nation’s top utilities received a collective $1.25 billion from last year’s government bailouts while shutting off families’ electric service nearly 1 million times.
The report shows that utilities wielded political power to secure beneficial tax-code changes in the CARES Act but defied calls to grant their own customers temporary relief. Instead, 16 utilities suspended or canceled electric service to nearly 1 million households between February 2020 and June 2021, leaving people without hot water, refrigeration, air conditioning and medical devices.
“It’s appalling that utility companies cut power to countless families throughout the pandemic while raking in taxpayer bailout money,” said Jean Su, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s energy justice program. “This greedy, heartless practice hurts low-wealth communities and communities of color most of all. It needs to stop. Complicit state regulators who fail to make shutoff data public should stop cowering and start shedding light on utilities’ bad behavior.”
Other key findings:
The report shows that utilities wielded political power to secure beneficial tax-code changes in the CARES Act but defied calls to grant their own customers temporary relief. Instead, 16 utilities suspended or canceled electric service to nearly 1 million households between February 2020 and June 2021, leaving people without hot water, refrigeration, air conditioning and medical devices.
“It’s appalling that utility companies cut power to countless families throughout the pandemic while raking in taxpayer bailout money,” said Jean Su, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s energy justice program. “This greedy, heartless practice hurts low-wealth communities and communities of color most of all. It needs to stop. Complicit state regulators who fail to make shutoff data public should stop cowering and start shedding light on utilities’ bad behavior.”
Other key findings:
- Nine companies received tax bailouts totaling $1.25 billion. It would have cost just 8.5% of that bailout total to prevent every shutoff reported.
- For what taxpayers spent bailing them out, 15 companies (all but NextEra) could have forgiven all unpaid accounts — hundreds of times over in some cases.
- A six-member Hall of Shame — NextEra Energy (parent of Florida Power & Light and others), Duke Energy, Southern Company, Dominion Energy, Exelon, and DTE Energy — perpetrated 94% of all shutoffs documented. NextEra alone accounted for nearly half. Duke Energy and DTE Energy together received $845 million, more than 75% of the tax bailout money the report identified in the utilities sector. They cut off customers’ power more than 203,000 times. Their tax bailouts provided enough unexpected revenue to forgive the underlying unpaid bills more than 150 times.
Indigenous Resistance Against Carbon
By Indigenous Environmental Network & Oil Change International |
August 2021 |
Indigenous Resistance Against Carbon seeks to uplift the work of countless Tribal Nations, Indigenous water protectors, land defenders, pipeline fighters, and many other grassroots formations who have dedicated their lives to defending the sacredness of Mother Earth and protecting their inherent rights of Indigenous sovereignty and self- determination.
In this report, they demonstrate the tangible impact these Indigenous campaigns of resistance have had in the fight against fossil fuel expansion across what is currently called Canada and the United States of America. More specifically, they quantify the metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions that have either been stopped or delayed in the past decade due to the brave actions of Indigenous land defenders. Adding up the total, Indigenous resistance has stopped or delayed greenhouse gas pollution equivalent to at least one-quarter of annual U.S. and Canadian emissions.
Download the report here.
In this report, they demonstrate the tangible impact these Indigenous campaigns of resistance have had in the fight against fossil fuel expansion across what is currently called Canada and the United States of America. More specifically, they quantify the metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions that have either been stopped or delayed in the past decade due to the brave actions of Indigenous land defenders. Adding up the total, Indigenous resistance has stopped or delayed greenhouse gas pollution equivalent to at least one-quarter of annual U.S. and Canadian emissions.
Download the report here.
2020 Energy Efficiency Jobs in America
By E4The Future |
November 2020 |
From 2015 to 2019, the energy efficiency sector became one of the biggest, fastest-growing, and most beneficial sectors for both our economy and our environment. The EE workforce was projected to grow 3% in 2020. Instead, it shrank 13.5%. The Energy Efficiency sector continues to be impacted by COVID-19 and the related economic slowdown, with over 320,000 skilled and valued workers still jobless in this historically fast-growing industry. Check out the full report for details in all 50 states and DC.
Energy Efficiency Jobs in America provides an in-depth look at the industry that still employs over two million Americans and has vast potential for growth. Energy efficiency addresses the public health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, while tackling climate change and saving money. Efficiency & weatherization can reduce energy costs by 25%. Furthermore, Efficiency is the most cost-effective solution to reduce emissions in the power sector and can account for nearly half of emissions reductions needed.
View a brief summary or take a deeper dive
The report provides new data for all states on:
How does EE compare in Louisiana? Energy efficiency is the third largest energy sector in Louisiana. However, it was heavily impacted by COVID-19. Louisiana’s energy efficiency industry lost as many as 5,335 jobs since its onset, a 22.9% decrease compared to total jobs in December 2019—wiping out the last 3 years of gains. The energy efficiency workforce has the skills and expertise to meet this moment. Historically the Louisiana EE workforce grew steadily, gaining 18.3% since 2016. As the U.S. advances our economic recovery, policy solutions must create conditions to return to work laid- off/furloughed EE workers and to create a pathway for new workers to join this vital sector.
Energy Efficiency Jobs in America provides an in-depth look at the industry that still employs over two million Americans and has vast potential for growth. Energy efficiency addresses the public health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, while tackling climate change and saving money. Efficiency & weatherization can reduce energy costs by 25%. Furthermore, Efficiency is the most cost-effective solution to reduce emissions in the power sector and can account for nearly half of emissions reductions needed.
View a brief summary or take a deeper dive
The report provides new data for all states on:
- COVID-19 impact on EE employment
- Potential for industry recovery and growth
- Demographic and wage data
- Energy sector size comparison
How does EE compare in Louisiana? Energy efficiency is the third largest energy sector in Louisiana. However, it was heavily impacted by COVID-19. Louisiana’s energy efficiency industry lost as many as 5,335 jobs since its onset, a 22.9% decrease compared to total jobs in December 2019—wiping out the last 3 years of gains. The energy efficiency workforce has the skills and expertise to meet this moment. Historically the Louisiana EE workforce grew steadily, gaining 18.3% since 2016. As the U.S. advances our economic recovery, policy solutions must create conditions to return to work laid- off/furloughed EE workers and to create a pathway for new workers to join this vital sector.
Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan
By Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority (CPRA) |
2017 |
The goal of Louisiana's Coastal Master Plan is to create a Resilient Coastal Economy. The coast’s intrinsic value, as a working coast, home to millions of citizens, and natural habitats makes it one of the nation’s most unique and valuable landscapes.
What’s At Stake
Learn more about Louisiana's Working Coast here!
Link to downloadable version: 2017 Coastal Master Plan Project Development Program
What’s At Stake
- Nearly 2 million people reside in the area we call America’s Wetland, many of whom have made their lives and livelihoods in close proximity to Louisiana’s coast. Our wetlands act as a buffer to protect these citizens and their cherished communities from storm surge.
- Additionally, Louisiana plays a vital role in the economic infrastructure of America, with our ports carrying 20 percent of all US waterborne commerce, providing 26 percent (by weight) of commercial fisheries landings, and supplying 18 percent of our nation’s oil. The impact to our nation’s energy and economic security will be devastating if we fail to act.
- Louisiana’s wetlands also provide winter habitat for more than five million migratory waterfowl and offers stopover habitat for millions of neotropical migratory birds.
Learn more about Louisiana's Working Coast here!
Link to downloadable version: 2017 Coastal Master Plan Project Development Program
- The PDF includes information on the types of projects that can be proposed for the 2017 Coastal Master Plan, screening guidelines, and submittal details.
Making Sense of Outages, Reliability, & Resilience
By The Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE) |
September 2017 |
The Alliance for Affordable Energy has taken an in-depth look into Entergy outages, reliability, and resilience for all of New Orleans.
This paper aims to clarify the distinctions among
1) regular outages that are currently impacting the city,
2) potential reliability concerns related to future demands on the system, and
3) resilience in the face of storms, and to highlight connections among various Council energy decisions.
You can read more in our whitepaper: New Orleans has been Kept in the Dark
This paper aims to clarify the distinctions among
1) regular outages that are currently impacting the city,
2) potential reliability concerns related to future demands on the system, and
3) resilience in the face of storms, and to highlight connections among various Council energy decisions.
You can read more in our whitepaper: New Orleans has been Kept in the Dark
Climate Action for a Resilient New Orleans
By the Mayor's Office of Resilience & Sustainability |
July 2017 |
Mayor Mitch Landrieu joined City and State officials and community stakeholders to unveil New Orleans’ climate action strategy, Climate Action for a Resilient New Orleans , a strategic road map for the City of New Orleans to combat climate change. Climate Action for a Resilient New Orleans proposes 11 strategies and 25 actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50 percent by 2030. At the event, Mayor Landrieu signed an Executive Order to adopt Climate Action for a Resilient New Orleans as guiding policy and to commit to the principles and goals of the Paris Agreement. The strategy will help New Orleans become a more equitable, adaptable and prosperous place for all of its residents as the city approaches its tricentennial in 2018.
Link to Downloadable Version: Climate Action PDF
Link to Downloadable Version: Climate Action PDF
AAE 2016-2017 Annual Report
By The Alliance for Affordable Energy |
2016-2017 |
In this issue - a note from our Executive Director, Summary of Successes, Policy Update, Partner Spotlight, Funding & Expenses, Leadership & Staff, a thank you to our donors.
Download the report here!
Download the report here!
Oil and Gas Industry Infrastructure in Coastal LA
By The New Orleans Geological Society |
November 2015 |
The New Orleans Geological Society proposes the oil and gas industry assess its costal infrastructure in southeast Louisiana. This is a proposal to assess the impacts of relative sea level rise due to subsidence using industry knowledge base, data, and technology.
Some of the most vital infrastructure of the oil and gas industry is located in the major port facilities along the southeast Louisiana coast, and it is likely to be impacted by the progression of subsidence and rising sea level in the coming decades.
Link to downloadable version: NOGS -Faulting and Subsidence in Coastal Louisiana
Some of the most vital infrastructure of the oil and gas industry is located in the major port facilities along the southeast Louisiana coast, and it is likely to be impacted by the progression of subsidence and rising sea level in the coming decades.
Link to downloadable version: NOGS -Faulting and Subsidence in Coastal Louisiana
City Resilience Framework
By ARUP, funding provided by The Rockefeller Foundation |
April 2014 |
This report details exactly what urban resiliency is, especially how it applies to sustainable urban development in the coming years. How can resilient communities come together to create a resilient city, using this framework to begin solving the environmental, economic and social issues plaguing urban centers today?
Read here to find out!
Read here to find out!
The Economic Impacts of Risk, New Orleans
By Swiss Re |
February 2013 |
This report explores the economic side of risks associated with natural disasters, focusing in New Orleans.
Read here to find out more!
Read here to find out more!
AAE 2012-2013 Annual Report
By Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE) |
2012 - 2013 |
In this issue - A letter from the CEO, meet our board and staff, learn about our programs, a policy update, and a financial breakdown of the year.
In the policy update:
Download our Annual Report here!
In the policy update:
- The passage of the energy efficiency rules
- Integrated Resource Planning starts in New Orleans
- Protecting net metering
Download our Annual Report here!
AAE 2008-2009 Annual Report
By The Alliance for Affordable Energy |
2008-2009 |
In this issue - A letter from the board President, an update on the Energy Smart Program, a push for a Renewable Portfolio Standard for LA, a win for the “Say No to Coal, Say Yes to Clean Energy” coalition - work suspended on the Little Gypsy Plant, the Louisiana Green Corps Workforce Training Program and a Testimony from Jordan Walters, our new website, and a shoutout to our new staff and partners.
Download and read our report: Smart Ideas
Download and read our report: Smart Ideas
Danger & Opportunity: Implications of Climate Change for Louisiana
By Legislative Study Group, HCR 74 |
May 1999 |
A report for the Louisiana State Legislature to fulfill House Concurrent Resolution 74, Regular Session, 1996. This report reviews evidence for Global Climate Change from the IPCC Report and examines five areas of risk for Louisiana - extreme weather, human health, agriculture, forestry, and coastal impacts. The report outlines and examines policy solutions and actions that could reduce or mitigate this risk. While many of these solutions take a step in the right direction towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reports released more recently have raised the bar, highlighting problems with some of these ideas and suggesting better avenues to pursue. The report's focus on promoting natural gas, nuclear, and biomass energy (without limitations) are key missteps. However, many of their other suggestions including reducing overall energy demand, increasing energy efficiency, and promoting renewable energy are still viable.
A view from the 90s: Check out the report to learn about the outlook on opportunities for improvement and growth in the Energy Sector and the Study Group's conclusions and recommendations for actions to address climate related risks in Louisiana.
Downloadable PDF of report
Link to online version of report
A view from the 90s: Check out the report to learn about the outlook on opportunities for improvement and growth in the Energy Sector and the Study Group's conclusions and recommendations for actions to address climate related risks in Louisiana.
Downloadable PDF of report
Link to online version of report