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Womens Energy: The Background

About WEM

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Founder/Director of Womens Energy Matters describes her discoveries as a professional intervenor on behalf of the public interest at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), private utilities' resistance to energy efficiency, conservation and clean energy technologies in a state that already has an excess of power -- with­out nuclear reactors

Videos of the CPUC Hearing with public comments, also documents, and commentary >>>

About Community Choice

Community Choice is Energy Democracy

Community Choice is Energy Democracy

California's "Community Choice" law, passed in 2002, allows any city, county, or group of cities & counties to choose alternative electricity providers - and run their own energy efficiency programs. Cities & Counties Go Green Together!!

Community Choice page >>>

Basics of Marin Clean Energy >>>

Marin Clean Energy/Marin Energy Authority website >>>

 

Press Releases & Alerts!!!

WEM's Latest Press Release: Press conference at CPUC Jan. 8
WEM's Nuclear Information & Alerts,
WEM's Caring Communities

Press conference at CPUC Jan. 8, 2012

Californians seeking to forestall nuclear catastrophe on our coast will gather at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Tues. Jan. 8th for the first hearing in the San Onofre Investigation.

California Coastal Commission on 11-14-2012 >>>

denied PG&E's request for permission to conduct ocean-blasting seismic tests. They are unnecessary and incredibly harmful, destroying marine mammals and other sea creatures.

Alert: WEM CALLS FOR CPUC ACTION >>>

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) announced April 19th that it is proposing national standards to ensure grid-reliability of Energy Efficiency and Demand Response. Women’s Energy Matters welcomes standards that would demonstrate that clean resources can be substituted for nuclear power, and the lights will stay on! >>>

Alert: CPUC Support clean affordable resources to replace nuclear power >>>

SAN ONOFRE REACTORS MAY BE OFFLINE ALL SUMMER, MAYBE LONGER...! Barbara George testimony to California's power grid operator. March 22, 2012 - The Board of Governors of the California Independent System Operator discuss Summer 2012 without San Onofre nuclear powe.r
Videos of CPUC testimony and letter to send to CPUC Commissioners. >>>

WEM Press Release >>>

Women's Energy Matters announced that it is requesting CA energy agencies to require utilities to begin mapping solar and efficiency resources, because these are key to energy independence but are currently ignored in utility "demand forecasts." This is a serious barrier to cleaning up our energy system. For example, the Governor's plan for 12,000 MW of renewable 'distributed generation' would simply disappear. >>>

WEM's Nuclear Information >>>

The world is learning once again — the hard way — why nuclear power does not belong on this planet. The six nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi site have been running since the 1970s — meaning that the amount of radiation they contain is thousands of times more than the fallout from a nuclear weapon. 

  • WEM's Alternative Procurement Plan proposes to shut down California's nukes & replace with energy efficiency & renewables
  • Contamination Chronicle of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
  • Tell Congress to cancel loan guarantees for new nukes!
  • Fukushima news stories week-by-week since the disaster
  • World nuclear watchdogs and archives

CLEAN ENERGY — NOW! 

WEM'S Work in the California Power Procurement Policy

In CPUC's 2006-07 procurement proceeding, WEM opposed PG&E's request for 2300 MW of new gas fired power plants and proposed that all utilities use renewables and energy efficiency instead of fossil fuel and nuclear power. The Judge cut PG&E's request to 800-1100 MW, and told PG&E to use renewables instead of building more power plants.

WEM Proposes To Shut Down California's Nukes And Replace Them With Energy Efficiency And Renewable Power

WEM's Alternative Procurement Plan at the Long-Term Procurement Proceeding 2010 >>> Filed May, 2011
WEM's March 2006 Proposal >>>

energy efficiency

WEM is a public interest participant, advocating for more effective programs to increase energy savings

WEM proposed an administrative structure for energy efficiency like one in Texas which saved 40% more energy dollars than California's current system.

WEM's brief history of a very significant CPUC proceeding that created independent EE programs run by cities, non-profits & small businesses. Brief History >>>

Energy Efficiency & Community Choice >>>

Get the facts on PG$E green-washing -
PG$E is missing the state's targets for renewables and efficiency -
0% Solar, 2% Wind, 98% Hot Air

    2003: the state set a target of 20% by 2010 2003: PG$E 14% renewables 2008: PG$E 13% renewables! 2006 to 2007: PG$E met only 73% of EE goals! Source: CA Public Utilities Comm.) PG&E calls dams & nukes green energy

WEM's Caring Communities

"Theresa Coleman took custody of her niece's neglected children, but financial aid has been hard to come by..." Read the series in Bay Citizen/New York Times >>>
WEM is accepting donations to assist Theresa in her work with WEM's Caring Communities

environmental justice: Bayview Hunters Point

Power plants are almost all located in low-income, minority communities, causing serious health damage. WEM members in these communities are pushing for construction of clean energy systems with local jobs & economic benefits.

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Why does womens’s energy matter?

Starting around the time of the American Revolution, new forms of energy fueled an industrial revolution, first in England, then in America and Europe. Previously, energy was based on biology and natural processes.

Read more about why women's energy

WEM is a network of women & men who approach energy issues from a woman's point of view. WEM celebrates the ways women have used their energy through the ages to work for the public good.