At one of our recent TCCAN meetings, we were discussing the variety of energy-producing technologies that could help support a locally-sourced energy grid in the Lake Tahoe Basin. To put it simply, there are a LOT of options. Biomass, wind production, solar power, hydropower production from existing wastewater pipelines, not to mention to various energy storage opportunities (batteries, peak-use pricing incentives, an air-filled balloon stored deep in Lake Tahoe…more on that later). Why not just pick one of these technologies and use that to replace carbon-producing energy sources?

Turns out there is no silver bullet to addressing energy production sustainably. It is with the combined transition to multifaceted, diverse, renewable local energy production that we will build an energy-rich, carbon-neutral future. Think many pieces of a puzzle coming together to create a unified image.

Burning fossil fuels was the direct line that led us into the climate crisis we now find ourselves facing, and the reality is that there is no one single solution to turn to which will lead us out of this situation. We need to focus on locally-produced energy systems that are diverse, equitable, and reliable. 

How can TCCAN support programs to develop this local energy grid when there are so many options to invest in? Some newly elected local government officials are pushing for progressive solutions to address the energy transition and we are here to support them. We are talking about underground power lines to prevent forest fires, about public EV charging stations to reduce reliance on petroleum, about increasing solar, wind, and hydro power using naturally occurring sources in the Tahoe basin. 

This will be an all-hands-on-deck transition into a carbon-neutral future - stay tuned for more exciting developments and please reach out with any creative solutions that you are familiar with in similar mountain towns.