Events

Upcoming events

10/29/25: Power Behind the Redwood Curtain

A new report from the Schatz Energy Research Center provides a detailed historical account of the energy infrastructure that serves Humboldt County. Power Behind the Redwood Curtain: A History of Electric Transmission and Natural Gas Infrastructure in Humboldt County is written by Schatz Center director Arne Jacobson, and based on analysis of archival newspaper articles and documents, historic aerial photographs, and literature sources.

Jacobson chronicles the close connection between Humboldt County’s existing energy infrastructure and the timber industry. His report then links that history with contemporary opportunities and challenges, ranging from regional economic development and electricity reliability to offshore wind deployment and the State of California’s climate and clean energy goals. 

Join us on Wednesday, October 29 from 5:30-7:00 pm in BSS 166 (next to the Native American Forum at Cal Poly Humboldt), for a presentation and discussion of this research. The event is free and open to the public. For questions or accessibility requests, please contact us at schatzenergy@humboldt.edu.

11/12/25: Offshore Wind Jobs: Preparing Northern California Tribes and Local Communities (webinar)

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Join the Pacific Offshore Wind Consortium for a discussion of current workforce development efforts to prepare Northern California Tribes and local communities for jobs in the offshore wind and related renewable energy sectors. Presentations will include findings from Humboldt County’s Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment and from a recent Schatz Center report on professional labor demand in California’s floating offshore wind industry. Presenters will also highlight workforce development programs helping to prepare community members for offshore wind jobs, including the Ta’m Resiliency Campus at Blue Lake Rancheria and the Humboldt Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) Apprenticeship Readiness Program.

Presenters:

  • Andy Logan, Head of Industry Development, US, Xodus – Humboldt County Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment
  • Tanner Etherton, Economic Analyst & Offshore Wind Extension Specialist, Schatz Energy Research Center, Cal Poly Humboldt – Professional Labor Report & POWC workforce initiatives
  • Heidi Moore-Guynup, Director of Tribal and Government Affairs, Blue Lake Rancheria – Ta’m Resiliency Campus and workforce development in renewable energy
  • Andie Rix, Workforce and Economic Development Specialist, University Advancement, Cal Poly Humboldt – Humboldt Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3) Apprenticeship Readiness Program

The webinar is free and open to the public. Learn more and register here.

For questions or accessibility requests, contact schatzenergy@humboldt.edu or call 707-826-4345.

Recent events

POWC Offshore Wind Webinar Series

Permitting for offshore wind port infrastructure projects (7/10/25)

For offshore wind energy projects to be developed in California, specialized port facilities—known as “staging and integration” sites—must be built to stage, assemble, and integrate massive floating offshore wind turbines before they are towed out to the designated offshore wind energy areas. This webinar will describe the key findings from our recently published report, Permitting for Port Infrastructure to Support Offshore Wind in California, and discuss permitting requirements for staging and integration sites, including those relating to Tribal consultation and public engagement. The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion with staff from the California State Lands Commission and California Coastal Commission to discuss each agency’s role in permitting these types of projects. 

Panelists: 

  • Moderator: Awbrey Yost, Senior Policy Analyst, Schatz Energy Research Center
  • Amy Vierra, Renewable Energy Specialist, California State Lands Commission
  • Catherine Mitchell, North Coast Harbor Analyst, California Coastal Commission 
  • Dani Ziff, South Coast District Supervisor, California Coastal Commission

What does it take to grid-connect offshore? Cable Laying and Monitoring at PacWave (5/12/25)

PacWave is a state-of-the-art, pre-permitted, grid-connected, wave energy test facility. It is being developed in partnership with the US Department of Energy, the State of Oregon, Oregon State University, and local stakeholders. The open ocean test site consists of four berths, which occupy two square nautical miles of ocean with a cable to shore of approximately 12 miles in length (for each berth). Drilling for cable conduits began in summer 2021 and cable laying was completed in fall 2024; however, permitting and cable procurement started long before that. This webinar will describe the cabling process, including pre-installation environmental surveys and post-installation monitoring. 

Dan Hellin is the Director of the PacWave wave energy test facility, and Sarah Henkel is the Associate Director of the Pacific Marine Energy Center at Oregon State University.

West Coast Perspectives on Ocean Renewable Energy (2/25/25)

What factors influence people’s different responses to proposed offshore wind and wave energy developments – and what might the implications for future siting and permitting processes be? In this talk, Hilary Boudet and Gregory Stelmach of Oregon State University shared insights from their ongoing studies of community perspectives toward marine renewables development.

Hilary Boudet is a Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in the School of Public Policy at Oregon State University. Her research interests include environmental and energy policy, natural resource sociology, social movements, and public participation in energy and environmental decision-making. Greg Stelmach is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the School of Public Policy at Oregon State University and the Pacific Marine Energy Center.

Recordings

Schatz Center Research & POWC webinars

California offshore wind

Microgrids and resiliency

Off-grid energy access

Sustainable Futures

Additional Sustainable Futures recordings are available here…

Schatz Energy news