From HVAC training, electrician programs, and construction certifications, there are countless trade paths that can lead to the energy industry. With the opportunity to expand our workforce, we must also recognize that the way we go about hiring and recruiting must also expand. In my own personal experience, there is an associated stigma around vocational/trade school and I am here to tell you why that is not only wrong but why it is so important for our industry to encourage these programs to better our workforce.

Over this last weekend, as wildfires continue to blaze through the majority of California, our first responders are fighting tirelessly to save the communities that we love and cherish. Amongst this group of people, are inmates throughout counties in California.

Before we get going on this topic, let’s talk a bit about what a membrane is. It is a “thin layer of semi-permeable material that separates substances when a driving force is applied across the membrane.” Membrane filtration can be used for a number of different processes. Namely, for the removal of particles that are too fine for ordinary filtration techniques from liquids. These particles include proteins, bacteria, viruses, and dissolved salts.

Let’s talk favorites. But not music. People. In the spirit of September being my birthday month, I wanted to use the playlist as a chance to appreciate mine.

In any normal year, heading into the Labor Day weekend would have us thinking about barbecue, picnics, and all the delicious foods we consume in celebration of the 3-day weekend. If you are like me, you are still thinking about these things, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Amid a global pandemic, California has been ignited by countless wildfires across the state, mostly in the northern region. Even walking out the front door of my home in the Central Valley, there is a layer of smoke that has settled in the skies enhancing the poor air quality that residents of the valley often face. As of Sunday afternoon, the fires have scorched up to 1,000,000 acres as a result of the triple-digit heatwave and up to 12,000 lighting strikes in California.

Time-of-Use rate plans are based on how much energy you use and when you use it. By shifting some electricity usage to times when costs are less and demand is down, you can lower your bill and support a healthier environment.

Some of my favorite movies of all time are stories about how artificial intelligence (AI) goes wrong. Movies such as I Robot, The Matrix, Eagle Eye, and The Terminator, in no particular order, are loads of fun to watch. The central theme in all of them is that technology becomes so advanced that it insists upon thinking for us for the betterment of the world as a whole; the conflict lies in their inadequate and nonhuman moral code. Fun stuff, right?

“Summer, summer, summertime
Time to sit back and unwind”
--Will Smith

Through the last year, we have reiterated how vast the opportunity for workforce growth and development is in the energy sector. With the number of jobs at a constant rise, we will need to expand our resources and grow even more in order to support a clean energy economy for our country and the world. The increase in optimism and drive at the beginning of the year began to fade with the outbreak of COVID-19 and all the changes that accompanied it. However, as we continue to work towards a clean energy future, it is imperative that we continuously address our workforce issues and opportunities to result in an even stronger outcome in the end.

Before a few short weeks ago, I had never heard the acronyms VTB, V2B, or VTG. However, it is a wonderful, common-sense concept and I am excited to share it with you!

Taking control of your energy usage and costs is more important now more than ever! With Time of Use coming to some California communities at the end of this year, we want to make sure you are ready and prepared for the transition!

Time is an odd concept these days, seeing that I blinked and it is practically August! With the days going by alarmingly fast (for some), we are months away from one of the most pinnacle events that occurs in our country, the presidential election of 2020. A few weeks back, Democratic candidate and Former Vice President Joe Biden, released a “Clean Energy Revolution” Proposal addressing the various topics that we encounter in the energy industry daily.

Anaerobic wastewater treatment is both an energy efficient process as well as a low-odor method of treating wastewater. So, what is anaerobic wastewater treatment and why is it important?

“A powerful and indispensable book for anyone who cares about a just and healthy future for all Americans. Harriet Washington asks the critical questions that get at the heart of racism and inequality in health, income, social welfare, and power in twenty-first America.” - Gerald Markowitz