"Climate change will decrease California's ability to make electricity while creating heavier demands for it, and the state needs to ramp up planning now, energy leaders warned yesterday."

"As temperatures increase, there's likely to be growing demand for electricity to run air conditioners. At the same time, changes in rainfall could affect the ability to use hydropower. And the risk of wildfires is expected to increase, which could threaten transmission lines.

The state needs to pursue continued efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions while pursuing more renewable energy that can supply power, said Robert Weisenmiller, chairman of the California Energy Commission. There need to be adaptation measures to prepare for the impacts of warmer temperatures. There also needs to be more research on "what are the impacts of climate and how do we focus our energy in other areas to address those impacts," he said."

Anne C. Mulkern reports for ClimateWire January 16, 2014. [2]