GREENING UCSB: DEVELOPMENT OF AN ASSESSMENT ...

California Energy Supply17% 1% coal30%nuclearlarge hydro29%renewable23%otherFigure 4-1. Sources of California’s energy supplyAt the same time, energy demand has increased considerably throughout the WesternU.S. over the past few decades due to increases in population and the growth of thehigh-tech industry. However, generating plants and distribution lines have notincreased at the same rate. Energy in California is now being consumed at themaximum rate that it can be supplied. The combination of economic consequences ofderegulation and a lack of sufficient production and distribution capacities havethrown California into an energy crisis. The number of emergencies declared by theCalifornia Independent Operating System (CAISO) can illustrate the degree of crisis.Emergencies indicate that the state is operating at close to full capacity, with only avery small reserve of electricity.Table 4-1. CAISO declared emergenciesYear Stage 1 days Stage 2 days Stage 3 days1998 7 5 01999 4 1 02000 55 36 12001 (as of 2/13) 36 35 31Stage 1 indicates that power supplies are below Minimum Operating ReliabilityCriteria.Stage 2 indicates that operating reserve is less than 5%.Stage 3 indicates that operating reserve is less than 1.5%.Source: Wetherall, 2000When reserves fall below 1.5%, the state is at risk of rolling blackouts. The presenceof sensitive research equipment on college campuses such as UCSB makes themvulnerable to such losses in power. College campuses are large consumers of energy,which is required for virtually all campus functions. Therefore, Governor Gray Davis28