Estimating Agricultural Groundwater Withdrawals with Energy Data

Diagram showing well pump, groundwater, and water level components for energy efficiency.

Agricultural water use is the leading cause of groundwater overdraft in California. However, agencies tasked with managing groundwater resources do not have access to accurate and reliable measurements of groundwater extraction. Previous studies identified a relationship between pump energy consumption and groundwater extraction and indicated that the efficiency lift method (ELM) can produce reliable estimates […]

The Biden Administration Increases the Social Cost of Carbon

Industrial plant emitting smoke with American flag, highlighting carbon emissions.

…Last month, economists Nicholas Stern and Joseph Stiglitz suggested a value around $100 per ton by 2030; Carleton and a colleague set it at about $125 per ton of carbon in a paper published in January; and Frances Moore, an environmental economist at the University of California at Davis, put it at $220 per ton in the estimate she and […]

Residential Solar Water Heating: California Adopters and their Experiences

Cover of Renewable Energy journal featuring energy research.

Solar water heating provides domestic hot water with lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to more typical natural-gas water heating. Solar water heating has a long history, particularly in places where the climate is favorable, such as California where state-backed incentive programs have been successful in creating small bursts of adoption. However, widespread adoption of solar […]

UC Davis Energy Industry Expert Explains Texas Power Outages

UC Davis energy expert explains Texas power outages and grid challenges.

As many as 4.2 million Texans have suffered this week as a winter storm unplugged their power grid and the Lone Star State seemed unable to cope. Sonseeahray spoke to Keith Taylor, an expert in the energy industry from U.C. Davis, to talk about how Texas seemed so unprepared and how utilities in California may […]

Low-Cost, Large-Diameter Shallow Ground Loops for Ground-Coupled Heat Pumps

Ground-coupled heat pump ground loop with large diameter, shallow installation.

This project developed and validated modeling tools for simulating a ground heat exchanger technology that provides a less expensive method for implementing ground-source heat pumps and significantly reduces energy use in many California climate zones, furthering attainment of California’s energy goals. It is well documented that properly sized and installed ground-source heat pumps enjoy higher […]