Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Agrivoltaics Student Research Project final presentations!
Over the past 12 weeks, 12 students from @bakersfieldcollege and @portervillecollege engaged in hands-on research under the guidance of Professor Jalisca Thomason, with support from partners at @americanfarmlandtrust , @farmlandcalifornia , @natlabrockies and @californiaharvest .
Their work explored:
• Agrivoltaics system designs, including elevated solar, crop-integrated, and grazing systems
• Environmental benefits such as water conservation, soil health, and microclimate impacts
• Economic feasibility and real-world opportunities for farmers and communities
We at CREL are incredibly grateful to all who attended, asked thoughtful questions, and supported our students. Your engagement plays a key role in preparing the next generation of leaders in clean energy and sustainable agriculture.
On April 23rd, Kern CCD’s California Renewable Energy Laboratory (CREL) partnered with @theaescorp and @sustainourfuturefoundation to host a dinner for the Kern County Sustainable Justice Scholars!
More than $50,000 were awarded to 8 students at Bakersfield College, Taft College, and Cal State Bakersfield pursuing careers in renewable energy and environmental justice. 6 awardees able to attend the dinner to receive their scholarship in person. Prior to the dinner, the Sustainable Justice Scholars went on a tour of AES’ Raceway solar energy and battery storage project near Rosamond.
Thank you to AES and SOFF for supporting Kern County students, and congratulations to the Sustainable Justice Scholars.
🚨Kern Community College District students!
CREL is looking for passionate students ready to lead, learn, and make an impact in energy, climate, and sustainability 🌍⚡
Benefits:
💼 Gain paid experience
🤝 Build your network
📣 Grow your leadership & communication skills
To be considered for the summer cohort you must apply by THIS Sunday, April 26th. Applications submitted after Sunday will be considered for the fall cohort! Join a community driving real change.
Scan the QR code to apply!
CREL would like to invite you to “The Future of Advanced Transportation: From Innovation to Workforce” — a hybrid event bringing together industry experts, researchers, and leaders shaping tomorrow’s mobility.
📅 April 30, 2026
🕚 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Porterville College (In-person) + Zoom option
Hear from top voices in engineering, mobility science, and clean transportation—and connect with others driving innovation forward. Link to register will be in our bio!
Join us for a Lunch & Learn featuring Dr. Sarah Kurtz from University of California, Merced! This event is geared toward students interested in exploring their future in engineering—don’t miss this chance to learn, ask questions, and connect! Lunch will be provided!
📍Location: Bakersfield College, SE 353
📅 Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
⏰ Time: 12:35–1:30 PM
Powering our future, one innovation at a time ⚡🌱
Meet our Tree Hugger Sponsor: The California Renewable Energy Laboratory at the @kernccd where education, innovation and sustainability come together to shape a cleaner tomorrow. From advancing clean energy and electric transportation to building resilient communities, @CRELKCCD is helping lead California toward a net-zero future.
Make sure to visit their booth at the @EarthDay661 Festival next Saturday! They’re bringing the future of energy right to YOU. Inspiring the next generation, creating opportunities and showing how we can all be part of the solution.
Let’s show some love for the innovators making a real impact.
🗓 Sat, April 18
🕑 10 am - 3 pm
📍 Beach Park
🎟 FREE - but RSVP in the bio so we know you're coming!
Tell us: What does a cleaner future look like to YOU?
Congratulations to our very own Paloma Lobos! 👏
Paloma, who is CREL’s Program Manager for K–12 Education and Outreach, was recognized with a 2025-2026 Excellence in Energy and Sustainability Award by the California Community Colleges’ Board of Governors. This prestigious award recognizes Paloma for her work in establishing the CREL Travelling Summer Academy, which brings hands-on STEM and clean energy learning opportunities to local students.
Your CREL team is so proud of you Paloma! Congratulations for earning this recognition 🎊
CREL had an excellent time at this year’s annual Kern County Career and STEM Expo! Thank you to all of those who stopped by our booth to hear about what we do. We love getting to hear from and talk with students! 🙌
If we missed you this year or you weren’t able to attend, we hope to see you next year! 🌟
We’re Hiring! ⚡ The California Renewable Energy Laboratory (CREL) at Kern Community College District is seeking a mission-driven Program Director to help lead California’s clean energy future.
Join us as we connect community colleges, industry, universities, DOE national labs & public agencies to advance innovation in:
⚡ Clean Energy & Grid Resilience
🚘 Advanced Transportation
🏢 High-Performance Buildings
🌱 Carbon Management
Ready to make an impact?
📩 Apply now by scanning the QR code
We wrapped up our 12-week Carbon Technologies Research Program with an incredible student research showcase!
15 students from Bakersfield College and Porterville College explored industrial decarbonization, analyzing emissions and the potential of carbon capture and storage (CCS) across key industries like Oil & Gas, Cement, and Steel.
From hands-on research to industry connections and engineering career exploration, this cohort delivered impactful work shaping the future of clean energy. 🌍
👏 Huge congratulations to our student researchers—stay tuned for our upcoming Spring Student Research Program!
Happy Holidays everyone!
In accordance with Kern Community College District, CREL will be closed for winter recess and will reopen January 5, 2026. See you next year!
On Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, CREL successfully hosted its Inaugural Fall Forum - an event where industry, government, community, and academia leaders and innovators from across the state of California came together to discuss the recent developments and future of clean energy.
CREL would like to thank everyone who made the event possible: our staff, volunteers, partners, speakers, and community members. We hope everyone enjoyed the event, and we can’t wait to do this again!
