Ben Paulos
@paulosanalysis.com
Consulting on energy policy, technology and trends at http://PaulosAnalysis.com. Affiliated with the Incentive Finder (govcentives.com), Ava Community Energy, Clean Energy States Alliance, and @solarunitedneighbors.org but posts are my own.
Reposted by Ben Paulos
Winter 2026 California Aggregator is here! ❄️⚡
⚡ Western Regionalization
🌱 21+ GW of PPAs signed
🎉 10 yrs of CalCCA Celebration
Read the full issue: cal-cca.org/wp-content/u...
⚡ Western Regionalization
🌱 21+ GW of PPAs signed
🎉 10 yrs of CalCCA Celebration
Read the full issue: cal-cca.org/wp-content/u...
February 12, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Winter 2026 California Aggregator is here! ❄️⚡
⚡ Western Regionalization
🌱 21+ GW of PPAs signed
🎉 10 yrs of CalCCA Celebration
Read the full issue: cal-cca.org/wp-content/u...
⚡ Western Regionalization
🌱 21+ GW of PPAs signed
🎉 10 yrs of CalCCA Celebration
Read the full issue: cal-cca.org/wp-content/u...
I gave a webinar talk today to over 100 state energy officials on plug-in solar. It's a very hot topic! So hot that the NYT covered it today (gift link). They didn't mention that bills passed one house in VA and VT this week with near-unanimous votes.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/c...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/c...
States Weigh Bills to Allow You to Make Your Own Electricity
www.nytimes.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:15 AM
I gave a webinar talk today to over 100 state energy officials on plug-in solar. It's a very hot topic! So hot that the NYT covered it today (gift link). They didn't mention that bills passed one house in VA and VT this week with near-unanimous votes.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/c...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/c...
Electrek tells it like it is. Mainstream reporters should study this kind of reporting.
EPA set to finalize illegal dirty air plan to hike fuel costs 76c/gal, despite outcry
EPA set to finalize illegal dirty air plan to hike fuel costs 76c/gal, despite outcry
In July, the US Environmental Protection Agency proposed a plan to delete its scientific finding recognizing that greenhouse gases are harmful to human health, with the goal of making cars less efficient, deadlier and more costly. Public comments widely opposed the plan, but now before the agency has barely even started reading those comments, it looks like it’s going through with its illegal plan anyway.
more…
electrek.co
February 10, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Electrek tells it like it is. Mainstream reporters should study this kind of reporting.
If you are wondering why rates are going up in California, here is a detailed analysis for PG&E, done by a community choice energy provider, Ava Community Energy. Ava manages generation procurement, and PG&E does delivery. Guess which rates are shooting up?
Ava just published "Evaluating the Drivers of PG&E Electricity Rate Growth," a white paper by our regulatory analysts Claire Huang and Michael Quiroz.
Read the report: AvaEnergy.org/insight/report-evaluating-the-drivers-of-pge-electricity-rate-growth
Read the report: AvaEnergy.org/insight/report-evaluating-the-drivers-of-pge-electricity-rate-growth
February 9, 2026 at 11:43 PM
If you are wondering why rates are going up in California, here is a detailed analysis for PG&E, done by a community choice energy provider, Ava Community Energy. Ava manages generation procurement, and PG&E does delivery. Guess which rates are shooting up?
Reposted by Ben Paulos
When sparks flew out of utility poles during #BadBunny 's #halftime performance yesterday, his message was clear: #PuertoRico 's grid has long been unstable.🇵🇷
February 9, 2026 at 10:03 PM
When sparks flew out of utility poles during #BadBunny 's #halftime performance yesterday, his message was clear: #PuertoRico 's grid has long been unstable.🇵🇷
Reposted by Ben Paulos
The Institute of Public Utilities provides continuing education courses for professionals in the utility sector, including regulators, consumer & environmental advocates, & industry staff. IPU's 2026 courses are open for registration including our spring offerings:
www.canr.msu.edu/ipu/programs/ 1/4
www.canr.msu.edu/ipu/programs/ 1/4
Programs
www.canr.msu.edu
February 6, 2026 at 3:42 PM
The Institute of Public Utilities provides continuing education courses for professionals in the utility sector, including regulators, consumer & environmental advocates, & industry staff. IPU's 2026 courses are open for registration including our spring offerings:
www.canr.msu.edu/ipu/programs/ 1/4
www.canr.msu.edu/ipu/programs/ 1/4
Reposted by Ben Paulos
The utilities want to stop you from using Plug-In solar with fees and red tape. You can help by asking your state rep to pass SB 868. SB 868 would let you use these panels without needing permission from the utility, so long as the panels meet electrical safety standards.
#pluginsolar
#pluginPV
#pluginsolar
#pluginPV
February 5, 2026 at 9:05 PM
The utilities want to stop you from using Plug-In solar with fees and red tape. You can help by asking your state rep to pass SB 868. SB 868 would let you use these panels without needing permission from the utility, so long as the panels meet electrical safety standards.
#pluginsolar
#pluginPV
#pluginsolar
#pluginPV
Here's a public service announcement from the Clean Energy Group. Solar can do more than just save the planet -- it can save lives.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A7o...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A7o...
Solar+Storage Microgrids for Community Resilience
YouTube video by Clean Energy Group / Clean Energy States Alliance
www.youtube.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Here's a public service announcement from the Clean Energy Group. Solar can do more than just save the planet -- it can save lives.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A7o...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A7o...
One thing I would do to nationalize elections is to abolish the electoral college. It’s an obsolete and harmful anachronism that divides our country.
February 5, 2026 at 4:00 PM
One thing I would do to nationalize elections is to abolish the electoral college. It’s an obsolete and harmful anachronism that divides our country.
Cato Institute says Trump is “doubling down on meaningless nonsense” on the economy. “Amateurish”! “Hoax”! Fun to watch the right wingers tear each other up.
flip.it/o-JcvB
flip.it/o-JcvB
Trump’s Eighteen Trillion Dollar Hoax
Yet this totally imaginary $18 trillion political talking point continues to be repeated endlessly in the hope that nobody in the public or press would ever be brave enough to rudely ask for some expl...
flip.it
February 4, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Cato Institute says Trump is “doubling down on meaningless nonsense” on the economy. “Amateurish”! “Hoax”! Fun to watch the right wingers tear each other up.
flip.it/o-JcvB
flip.it/o-JcvB
Power system reliability has almost everything to do with delivery, not generation, despite what you constantly hear from pols and the media. @grist.org has a good article setting the record straight. It's the grid, stupid!
grist.org/energy/winte...
grist.org/energy/winte...
The winter storm exposed the grid’s real weakness: Lots of old poles
Aging infrastructure is to blame for Winter Storm Fern’s weather outages — and for recent price spikes.
grist.org
January 30, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Power system reliability has almost everything to do with delivery, not generation, despite what you constantly hear from pols and the media. @grist.org has a good article setting the record straight. It's the grid, stupid!
grist.org/energy/winte...
grist.org/energy/winte...
Reposted by Ben Paulos
⚡️ New LBNL article out on interregional electric transmission ⚡️
We explore how interregional transmission has been operated in the U.S. (2014 – 2023) by tracking interregional trade and market prices. Open access, in The Energy Journal: doi.org/10.1177/0195... 🧵 👇️
We explore how interregional transmission has been operated in the U.S. (2014 – 2023) by tracking interregional trade and market prices. Open access, in The Energy Journal: doi.org/10.1177/0195... 🧵 👇️
Interregional Electricity Transmission in the United States: Realized Savings and Opportunities for Increased Value, 2014 to 2023 - Leila Safavi, Julie Mulvaney Kemp, Will Gorman, Dev Millstein, Ryan Wiser, 2025
Interregional electricity trade in the United States reduces total energy costs, but falls short of maximizing the economic potential of existing transmission i...
doi.org
January 28, 2026 at 8:12 PM
⚡️ New LBNL article out on interregional electric transmission ⚡️
We explore how interregional transmission has been operated in the U.S. (2014 – 2023) by tracking interregional trade and market prices. Open access, in The Energy Journal: doi.org/10.1177/0195... 🧵 👇️
We explore how interregional transmission has been operated in the U.S. (2014 – 2023) by tracking interregional trade and market prices. Open access, in The Energy Journal: doi.org/10.1177/0195... 🧵 👇️
Reposted by Ben Paulos
Electricity trades across regions can save money, but market inefficiencies can erode those savings. A new study from @BerkeleyLab finds $1.23 billion a year in gross savings were offset by $551 million of uneconomic transactions. 🧵 🔌 💡 1/x
January 28, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Electricity trades across regions can save money, but market inefficiencies can erode those savings. A new study from @BerkeleyLab finds $1.23 billion a year in gross savings were offset by $551 million of uneconomic transactions. 🧵 🔌 💡 1/x
Uh, this is an actual post by the Cato Institute. You really have to read the whole thing, it’s not too long.
I think Cato and Reason are jealous of Heritage, and are turning on them.
flip.it/vLopa7
I think Cato and Reason are jealous of Heritage, and are turning on them.
flip.it/vLopa7
January 28, 2026 at 6:28 AM
Uh, this is an actual post by the Cato Institute. You really have to read the whole thing, it’s not too long.
I think Cato and Reason are jealous of Heritage, and are turning on them.
flip.it/vLopa7
I think Cato and Reason are jealous of Heritage, and are turning on them.
flip.it/vLopa7
Straight talk from my people.
Iowa voter on Trump: “I voted for him first time around ... he got stupid... he thinks he’s God.. I’m not voting Republican again”
January 27, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Straight talk from my people.
Survivors of the SoCal wildfires want someone else to pay to connect their house to newly undergrounded power lines.
flip.it/EgHFg8
flip.it/EgHFg8
Altadena residents outraged over shouldering costs as SoCal Edison moves power lines underground
As Southern California Edison works to mitigate wildfire dangers by moving power lines underground, some Altadena residents are outraged over being asked to shoulder the costs, which could run tens…
flip.it
January 25, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Survivors of the SoCal wildfires want someone else to pay to connect their house to newly undergrounded power lines.
flip.it/EgHFg8
flip.it/EgHFg8
Reposted by Ben Paulos
There have been over 500 signatures on the Berkeley Hopkins bikeway petition already, within not even half a day. People care about this, a lot!
Add your voice here:
actionnetwork.org/letters/save...
Add your voice here:
actionnetwork.org/letters/save...
January 24, 2026 at 6:20 AM
There have been over 500 signatures on the Berkeley Hopkins bikeway petition already, within not even half a day. People care about this, a lot!
Add your voice here:
actionnetwork.org/letters/save...
Add your voice here:
actionnetwork.org/letters/save...
Reposted by Ben Paulos
We've just released the 2025 Annual Review and Q4 2025 edition of the 50 States of Solar! 🌞
A total of 386 state and utility level #distributedsolar policy and rate changes were proposed, pending, or decided in 2025.
Read the press release 👉https://buff.ly/IMRg1pq
#energysky #policysky
A total of 386 state and utility level #distributedsolar policy and rate changes were proposed, pending, or decided in 2025.
Read the press release 👉https://buff.ly/IMRg1pq
#energysky #policysky
January 22, 2026 at 4:45 PM
We've just released the 2025 Annual Review and Q4 2025 edition of the 50 States of Solar! 🌞
A total of 386 state and utility level #distributedsolar policy and rate changes were proposed, pending, or decided in 2025.
Read the press release 👉https://buff.ly/IMRg1pq
#energysky #policysky
A total of 386 state and utility level #distributedsolar policy and rate changes were proposed, pending, or decided in 2025.
Read the press release 👉https://buff.ly/IMRg1pq
#energysky #policysky
Reposted by Ben Paulos
California isn’t just leading on clean energy—it’s adding more all-clean hours to the grid every year.
More clean-energy hours = cleaner air, less reliance on older, high-emission resources, and a grid that shows up when demand is high.
Get more info at: bit.ly/3NoEAxY
More clean-energy hours = cleaner air, less reliance on older, high-emission resources, and a grid that shows up when demand is high.
Get more info at: bit.ly/3NoEAxY
January 22, 2026 at 6:05 PM
California isn’t just leading on clean energy—it’s adding more all-clean hours to the grid every year.
More clean-energy hours = cleaner air, less reliance on older, high-emission resources, and a grid that shows up when demand is high.
Get more info at: bit.ly/3NoEAxY
More clean-energy hours = cleaner air, less reliance on older, high-emission resources, and a grid that shows up when demand is high.
Get more info at: bit.ly/3NoEAxY
My theory is that Trump is being haunted by the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein. He’s fixated on Denmark because he is reminded of Macbeth and the ghost of Banquo.
#ProveMeWrong
youtu.be/rR7XS9pZoV0?...
#ProveMeWrong
youtu.be/rR7XS9pZoV0?...
Banquo's Ghost Haunts Macbeth | Rupert Goold's Macbeth | Great Performances on PBS
YouTube video by Great Performances | PBS
youtu.be
January 21, 2026 at 5:18 AM
My theory is that Trump is being haunted by the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein. He’s fixated on Denmark because he is reminded of Macbeth and the ghost of Banquo.
#ProveMeWrong
youtu.be/rR7XS9pZoV0?...
#ProveMeWrong
youtu.be/rR7XS9pZoV0?...
I know PG&E's rates are high, but it is still pretty shocking to see it in print. The solar revolution will continue, despite no tax credit, no net metering, and a monthly fixed charge.
January 20, 2026 at 1:27 AM
I know PG&E's rates are high, but it is still pretty shocking to see it in print. The solar revolution will continue, despite no tax credit, no net metering, and a monthly fixed charge.
Farmers understand the value of solar better than anyone.
“We’re looking at the third and fourth generations being able to continue farming because of this project.” 🔌💡
www.farmprogress.com/farm-busines...
“We’re looking at the third and fourth generations being able to continue farming because of this project.” 🔌💡
www.farmprogress.com/farm-busines...
Can farmers coexist with solar development?
Paved Over: Advocates say agrivoltaics can preserve farmland while generating income.
www.farmprogress.com
January 19, 2026 at 1:52 AM
Farmers understand the value of solar better than anyone.
“We’re looking at the third and fourth generations being able to continue farming because of this project.” 🔌💡
www.farmprogress.com/farm-busines...
“We’re looking at the third and fourth generations being able to continue farming because of this project.” 🔌💡
www.farmprogress.com/farm-busines...
"Made in China" has been synonymous with "cheap crap." But that's changing, especially in solar, batteries and consumer electronics, where they lead the world.
This report from a trade show found Chinese companies were "light-years ahead" of US companies.
www.pcmag.com/opinions/chi...
This report from a trade show found Chinese companies were "light-years ahead" of US companies.
www.pcmag.com/opinions/chi...
I Came to CES to Check Out Energy and Solar Power Innovations and Found That China Is Running Laps Around Us
In Las Vegas, I saw a tale of two nations’ energy priorities. The US needs to get its act together.
www.pcmag.com
January 15, 2026 at 6:35 PM
"Made in China" has been synonymous with "cheap crap." But that's changing, especially in solar, batteries and consumer electronics, where they lead the world.
This report from a trade show found Chinese companies were "light-years ahead" of US companies.
www.pcmag.com/opinions/chi...
This report from a trade show found Chinese companies were "light-years ahead" of US companies.
www.pcmag.com/opinions/chi...
My leftist plan about population:
- Continue to empower women
- Let people make their own decisions
- Make plans for declining populations
- Continue to empower women
- Let people make their own decisions
- Make plans for declining populations
leftist plan to increase the birthrate:
- universal health care
- free child care
- better paid family leave
- better workforce protections so they can't lay you off while you're pregnant and be like "no it was for something else i swear"
ok i did it
www.npr.org/2026/01/12/n...
- universal health care
- free child care
- better paid family leave
- better workforce protections so they can't lay you off while you're pregnant and be like "no it was for something else i swear"
ok i did it
www.npr.org/2026/01/12/n...
As birthrates tumble, some progressives say the left needs to offer ideas and solutions
The US and other countries face aging, shrinking populations. Conservatives have shaped debate over the issue. Some liberals say it's time for progressives to weigh in.
www.npr.org
January 13, 2026 at 10:47 PM
My leftist plan about population:
- Continue to empower women
- Let people make their own decisions
- Make plans for declining populations
- Continue to empower women
- Let people make their own decisions
- Make plans for declining populations