AI Governance
Data Centers
Drones
Climate
Privacy
2026 Maine Senate
Bob Dylan
Last Update: 10/26/2026 at 11:33 PM EST
California Climate and Energy Policy
Coverage from ABC 10News San Diego, Daily Bruin, and others
California’s climate and energy transition combines state regulation and clean-energy goals with decisions about how the electricity system is built, operated, and paid for.
The California Public Utilities Commission oversees investor-owned utilities, while measures such as SB 913 address how batteries, electric vehicles, and other customer resources can support grid reliability; SB 905 focuses on grid use, utility incentives, and infrastructure costs. Solar, storage, transmission, and building electrification are part of the wider transition. Affordability, wildfire-related utility costs, and the political choices surrounding climate policy also shape its direction.
Key Articles5 of 166 articles
If you read one thing
This broad overview connects California’s climate goals to utility regulation, clean-energy procurement, electrification, and incentives.
Best explainer
It places state climate action amid federal retrenchment and explains how costs and deployment barriers constrain progress.
Latest development
This story-driver article covers recent California measures affecting distributed grid resources, electrification, and transmission delays.
The evidence
It details how household adoption costs, gas-network expenses, and rising electricity demand complicate the transition.
The evidence
Its reported grid outcomes offer concrete evidence of how battery storage can support reliability during peak demand.
Key Issues
State climate action persists amid political and target pressure
California and other states continue using climate targets, clean-energy measures, and electrification policy amid federal retrenchment. Progress is constrained by difficult emissions pathways, affordability concerns, and uncertainty over durable program funding.
Battery storage anchors grid reliability and renewable integration
California’s expanded battery fleet shifts solar generation into evening and peak-demand periods, with reporting associating storage with stronger reliability and fewer emergency conservation needs. Duration, siting, and deployment constraints limit how much additional load storage can serve.
Affordability and infrastructure costs constrain the transition
High electricity bills and upfront electrification costs weigh on clean-technology adoption, while wildfire mitigation and renewable procurement add costs for customers and public services. As households electrify, the allocation of gas-network costs among remaining customers is also a concern.
Regulatory and siting barriers slow clean-energy deployment
Community-solar valuation rules, permitting and interconnection hurdles, and land-use restrictions continue to impede projects and household upgrades. Proposed statewide permitting changes could reduce some friction, but the evidence does not show that these barriers are resolved.
Key Numbers
More than 17,000 megawatts
battery storage added
“According to CAISO, peak grid capacity often reached just over 50,000 megawatts five years ago. Today, peak capacity has reached nearly 70,000 megawatts. More than 17,000 megawatts of battery storage have been added during the same period.”
roughly 600 jurisdictions
jurisdictions covered by the existing permitting patchwork
“The bill would replace a patchwork of permitting requirements across roughly 600 jurisdictions with a simpler statewide standard. Cities of at least 5,000 people and counties of at least 150,000 would have to offer expedited or instant permitting for heat-pump projects by July 1, 2028.”
$40 billion dollars
wildfire-related costs recovered from ratepayers
“Between 2019 and 2024, regulators authorized the state’s three private electric companies to recover $40 billion in wildfire-related costs from ratepayers. Only one-third involved liability-related costs such as insurance premiums and payments into a fund for victim settlements. The rest covered mitigation.”
14% to 19% percent of average customer bill
wildfire-related share of electricity bill
“The state Public Advocate’s office recently found that the wildfire-related share of the average customer’s bill is 14% to 19%, or $21 to $41 per month.”
2035
deadline for net-zero operations
“State law requires net-zero operations by 2035. Meeting that goal would require roughly four more solar plants of this size within nine years, although the current project took four to five years to move from its initial request for proposals to completion.”
Looking Back
284 Day Timeline
Jan 5
Feb 23
Apr 6
May 25
Jul 13
Aug 24
Oct 12
The Story So Far
New development
California adds new grid and electrification implementation rules
California has added concrete mechanisms to its clean-energy transition: aggregated distributed resources can qualify as resource-adequacy capacity, the CPUC must monitor transmission and interconnection delays, and eligible households can be incentivized to replace planned gas service with electrification. Implementation remains constrained by short-term program funding and unresolved utility wildfire liability reform.
Previously
State governments, especially California, are advancing climate and clean-energy measures across electricity, transportation, and buildings while federal climate policy faces retrenchment. California’s actions include expanding renewable power and storage, changing utility rules, and reducing barriers to EV charging and electrification. Progress is tempered by grid reliability, affordability, permitting, and equitable-access concerns, which shape how quickly these policies can be implemented.
History
10/23/2026
The update adds concrete evidence of California’s grid performance during extreme heat and a new regulatory pathway for aggregated customer resources to count toward resource adequacy. It also shows that community-solar expansion remains stalled over compensation rules.
All Articles166 articles
Important
SDG&E and other operators used battery storage in San Diego, California, during recent heat and peak-demand periods to support grid reliability without rotating outages.
9/12/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
UCLA researchers found that California regulators' valuation rules have constrained community solar development statewide, while Assembly Bill 1813 awaited Governor Gavin Newsom's signature by September 30, 2026.
9/11/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California is expanding clean electricity, heat pumps, and electric vehicles statewide as part of a 2045 clean-energy target, while households and utilities face affordability and infrastructure challenges.
9/2/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California’s State Water Project is adding dedicated solar and battery capacity near Arvin to reduce emissions from Edmonston pumping operations by 2035.
8/31/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Assemblymember Petrie-Norris introduced the California Grid Manufacturing Initiative in February 2026 to cut grid equipment costs and delays hindering renewable and storage deployment.
6/4/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California's grid and state agencies met 50,335 megawatts of electricity demand on September 9, 2026, in California, without emergency measures.
10/13/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Kevala found in an August study that front-of-meter solar and storage could serve approximately 17.5 GW of summer peak load across California investor-owned utility distribution substations.
9/9/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Ed Smeloff of GridLab describes how California batteries are supplying evening peak power while tax-credit and transmission constraints shape 2035 energy-transition planning.
5/5/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
The California Independent System Operator has avoided issuing a Flex Alert for nearly four years because expanded battery storage increased evening grid capacity across California.
9/10/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Los Angeles and California policymakers are advancing renewable power and green-hydrogen projects in Southern California to improve reliability and reduce emissions from electricity, ports and heavy transport.
8/31/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
CAISO reported early-2026 utility-scale solar generation exceeding natural gas generation as solar capacity and battery storage expanded and electricity imports doubled.
6/16/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California utilities increased solar and utility-scale battery deployment during 2023 to 2025, reducing daytime gas generation while data center-driven load growth supports continued evening gas reliability needs.
6/4/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
At San Francisco Climate Week, E3 panelists discussed California power-sector decarbonization solutions focused on permitting, grid equipment procurement, and resilient solar and battery storage.
4/23/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Palo Alto officials in California outlined a new Sustainability/Climate Action Plan on January 9, 2025, emphasizing heat pump HVAC and water-heater programs to reach 2030 emissions goals.
1/15/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California lawmakers approved a $450 million climate-funding package in Sacramento after carbon-market rule changes threatened revenue for transit, clean-air, water, and other programs.
9/2/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
During California's 2026 legislative session, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 913, establishing a regulatory pathway for aggregated distributed energy resources to provide resource-adequacy capacity in California.
10/6/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California lawmakers passed two bills in late August to standardize clean-energy permitting and expand virtual inspections statewide before Governor Gavin Newsom's September 30 decision.
9/15/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
The California Legislature approved Assembly Bill 1156 during the final hours of the legislative session in California, creating a solar development pathway for landowners in critically overdrafted groundwater basins.
9/1/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
The 2024 International Energy Conservation Code requires US homebuilders to install efficient lighting and electrification-ready infrastructure, with optional readiness credits available under R408.
9/1/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California lawmakers passed a 2026 bill requiring investor-owned utilities to offer electrification incentives when gas service lines need replacement, pending Governor Gavin Newsom's decision by September 30.
8/31/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Central Coast Community Energy approved its Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget in California, allocating approximately $500 million for clean electricity, local energy projects, electrification, and demand management.
9/20/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California Public Utilities Commission denied SoCalGas ratepayer cost recovery for the Angeles Link hydrogen pipeline next phase, citing lack of constructed and proven public-use capability.
5/2/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Kern County, California, officials announced a 105-megawatt Pastoria solar deal by DWR to help power State Water Project pumps as California targets carbon-neutral operations by 2035.
4/20/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
In the 2020s, governors and state policymakers across the United States are advancing emissions cuts through clean-power, grid, battery and EV measures despite federal retrenchment.
9/28/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California lawmakers approved two bills to reduce permitting costs and inspection delays for residential clean-energy projects before a potential Gavin Newsom signature by the end of September.
9/21/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Several US states, including New York, weakened climate targets in 2025 as rising energy costs, limited low-cost reductions, and reduced federal support complicated emissions cuts.
9/4/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
The California Legislature passed AB 1156 during its legislative session to facilitate solar development on groundwater-constrained farmland across California.
9/2/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
CAISO in California launched Interconnection Process Enhancement 3.0 in response to a growing interconnection queue that slowed clean energy projects.
4/17/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Energy Innovation and GridLab published a California electricity affordability roadmap Thursday, recommending reforms to wildfire mitigation financing and responsibility before the state's upcoming governor's race.
9/10/2026 • Adaptation & Resilience • General
In January 2026, California State Senator Scott Wiener introduced a heat pump bill as federal and local lawsuits over gas infrastructure intensified in California and New York.
1/13/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
In 2026, New York, Virginia, Hawaii, and California adjusted climate commitments amid mid-transition grid constraints, reduced federal incentives, and rising energy cost pressures.
6/17/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 795 in California, directing state regulators to advance E15 ethanol fuel sales while permanent CARB approval remains pending.
9/19/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California and New York are using coordinated climate targets, regulations, clean-energy funding, and equity requirements to reduce emissions during federal policy retrenchment.
9/16/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
The Bay Area Air District and California Air Resources Board are directing potential 2024 settlement grants to Benicia and its schools after Valero closed the California refinery.
9/2/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
CARB adopted Cap-and-Invest Program updates in May 2026 in California, tightening allowance budgets and expanding consumer and industry support as the program extends to 2045.
5/29/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
On January 1, 2026, Berkeley, California, began enforcing updated BESO rules that require energy-saving and electrification upgrades, including heat pumps, when homes are sold.
1/22/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California's power grid maintained reliability during a record heat wave in the Los Angeles region as expanded capacity and battery storage met high electricity demand.
9/11/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Los Angeles County released draft Renewable Energy Ordinance amendments on August 3, 2026, proposing tighter zoning and permitting for utility-scale solar, batteries, and green hydrogen projects.
9/15/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California lawmakers passed permitting and inspection reforms in September 2023 for household heat pumps, solar systems, batteries, and related upgrades across California.
9/14/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1153 in Sacramento after January 2025 Los Angeles wildfire lawsuits, clarifying public water agencies' wildfire duties and requiring preparedness planning.
9/8/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Berkeley, California, implemented a Building Emissions Saving Ordinance in January requiring single-family home sellers to disclose and meet low-carbon upgrade credits for electrification.
5/20/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California Public Utilities Commission will vote June 11 on community solar administration after a proposed decision rejected changes tied to load-modifying status and avoided-cost compensation.
5/14/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island consider weakening climate mandates as affordability pressures and renewable project delays hinder emissions progress.
4/11/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
CARB requires large California based firms to report Scope 1 and 2 emissions starting in 2026 under the Climate Accountability Package.
2/28/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Following the January shutdown of the federal American Climate Corps, states including California and Washington in 2024-2025 continued or expanded climate corps programs using their own funding.
1/13/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
In California, state senator Scott Wiener introduced SB 222 in early 2026 to streamline residential heat pump permitting, cap fees, and prohibit local bans.
1/1/1900 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California grid planners backed the Southwest Intertie Project-North in Nevada in September to expand access to western wind power and support California's clean-electricity goals.
9/23/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Starlight Solar Project near Boulevard on Wednesday after hearing more than 60 public comments.
9/20/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
San Diego County supervisors unanimously approved Empire II's Starlight Solar Project near Boulevard, California, allowing a 100-megawatt solar facility and 217.4-megawatt battery system subject to environmental and community conditions.
9/18/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
The Institute for Energy Research and Always On Energy Research reported in 2025 that California's average retail electricity price reached 27.63 cents per kilowatt-hour, second-highest among states.
9/18/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California lawmakers passed Senate Bill 905 to improve grid utilization and electricity affordability in California, with Governor Gavin Newsom considering whether to sign it.
9/17/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission hosted Hanyang University visitors in San Francisco for discussions on renewable power, grid infrastructure, and municipal solar deployment.
9/14/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Manteca city leaders are considering a Wildan Energy solar and battery project at the California wastewater treatment plant to reduce electricity costs before a potential 2027 completion.
9/12/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Invenergy acquired the proposed Seahawk battery storage project near Watsonville on August 26 while the California Energy Commission reviews its contested state permitting application.
9/3/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Lora Anguay is leading Sacramento Municipal Utility District's renewable energy, battery storage and grid modernization efforts in Sacramento toward carbon-free electricity by 2030.
9/2/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
The Institute for Energy Research and Always On Energy Research reported in the 2020s that US states with clean-energy mandates often had higher electricity prices, especially in California and other high-cost states.
9/2/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California passed SB 913 to let customer-owned batteries, electric vehicles, and smart thermostats compete in resource adequacy and provide least-cost reliability.
5/28/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced ahead of Climate Week NYC in 2025 that statewide greenhouse gas emissions fell 3.9% in 2024 while the economy grew 3.2%.
9/21/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
CPUC-led California storage policy expands battery deployment and refocuses storage dispatch to support renewable energy and peak-demand reliability.
7/10/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
In California, lawmakers consider extending Diablo Canyon nuclear operations beyond 2030 up to 2045, weighing CPUC clean-energy planning benefits against seismic safety and NRC oversight concerns.
5/21/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
In 2026, California officials, local governments, utilities, and energy companies advanced solar, geothermal, storage, and microgrid projects across California and southwest Utah.
9/22/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Arevon Energy began constructing the 250 MW Cormorant battery storage project in March 2026 in Daly City, California, for expected 2027 grid operations.
9/17/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
In California during 2026, Mark Z. Jacobson reported that wind, water, and solar generation supplied 56.2% of CAISO electricity demand and exceeded demand during 18.5% of hours.
9/15/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Santa Cruz County officials and SolarWAVE Action are promoting distributed solar, battery storage, and Assembly Bill 1104 to reduce emissions and strengthen local energy resilience in California's Central Coast.
8/29/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California recorded a battery discharge record above 12,000 megawatts in late March, supplying over 40% of demand and strengthening evening peak power as solar output declines.
5/8/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
PG&E, Rewiring America, and Google launched the SHARE virtual power plant in the San Francisco Bay Area, with customer enrollment planned for fall 2026.
9/7/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
PG&E, Rewiring America, and Google announced SHARE in the Bay Area to coordinate household energy devices for grid support beginning as early as fall 2026.
9/4/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California lawmakers passed two solar-access bills in 2024 in Sacramento, proposing stronger community solar and certified plug-in solar programs for residents without rooftop systems.
8/31/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
The California Legislature passed community and balcony solar bills in Sacramento in 2023, sending measures to Governor Gavin Newsom amid utility concerns about safety and customer cost shifts.
8/31/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
PG&E announced reduced 2027 investment after California lawmakers declined to alter utility wildfire liability rules during the state's legislative session.
9/6/2026 • Adaptation & Resilience • General
Interesting
As AB 2313 reached Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk, California proposed redirecting some gas service-line replacement spending to voluntary home electrification across the state.
9/22/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Governor Gavin Newsom signed California's SB 905 and SB 913 into law to reform utility incentives and expand customer energy resources across California.
10/15/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California lawmakers enacted grid and clean-energy measures during the 2025-26 legislative session to expand distributed resources, address transmission delays, and support home electrification.
10/13/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California lawmakers approved bills in 2026 to standardize heat-pump requirements and permit remote inspections, with Governor Gavin Newsom considering the measures statewide.
9/21/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Byron Sher, a former California legislator and Stanford professor, died Saturday near Placerville after helping establish state greenhouse gas measurement and renewable electricity requirements.
9/14/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
The California legislature allowed Assembly Bill 467 to die on July 31, 2026, in Sacramento after the measure to codify a Los Angeles climate education center was held in committee.
9/1/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
San Diego Gas & Electric customers face higher electricity bills as California climate mandates, reliability backup requirements, and rate-base cost recovery expand mandated charges.
4/28/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
CARB revised California Cap-and-Invest updates in 2020s amid market volatility, increasing decarbonization incentives to $4 billion and adjusting allowance allocations while keeping emissions caps through 2045.
4/15/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
CARB approves initial regulation in california to require large entities to report ghg emissions and disclose climate related risks beginning in 2026
2/26/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California Energy Commission adopted the 2025 Title 24 Energy Code effective Jan 1, 2026, encouraging heat pumps and electric-ready infrastructure across California buildings.
1/18/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
In 2024 in California, lawmakers unveiled climate Superfund and insurance recovery bills to shift wildfire and disaster costs onto major fossil fuel companies.
1/1/1900 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
The California Public Utilities Commission has advanced clean-energy deployment and electrification programs in California since 2019 to support 2030 targets and the state's 2045 climate goals.
9/24/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
During Climate Week NYC in New York City, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a climate cooperation agreement with Spain and discussed clean-energy and resilience partnerships with international leaders.
9/23/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Disneyland will convert Autopia to electric vehicles by October 2026 following a California Air Resources Board enforcement settlement in August 2024.
5/13/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California legislators introduced SB 222 to streamline automated permitting for standard heat pump installations in California.
1/12/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Governor Gavin Newsom certified California's Berkeley ferry project for expedited judicial review in 2020s-era infrastructure planning, connecting Berkeley with San Francisco and Larkspur through an all-electric route.
9/16/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
The California Energy Commission's 2025 California Energy Code took effect statewide on January 1, 2026, prioritizing electric heat pumps for space and water heating in new and renovated buildings.
1/13/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
In the U.S. during the 2020s, New York delayed a binding 40 percent emissions cut deadline to 2040 amid federal-state climate policy conflicts and energy cost arguments.
6/19/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
In California, state senator Scott Wiener introduced SB 222 in early 2025 to streamline residential heat pump permitting, fee structures, and siting rules across local jurisdictions.
1/19/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
In 2024 in California, lawmakers, advocates, and utilities advanced dynamic industrial electricity rates to cut costs and enable adoption of industrial heat pumps and other electric process-heat technologies.
1/1/1900 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Tumbleweed, a 125 MW and eight-hour lithium-ion battery project, began operating June 1, 2026 in Kern County, California, supporting evening clean power delivery.
6/17/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
IBEW Local 595 and Northern California electrical contractors are delivering airport and port electrification projects through Powering Alameda County in Oakland, California.
8/31/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
US Energy Information Association reported that California utility-scale solar outpaced natural gas on 82% of days through May as solar and storage capacity grew.
6/18/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
PG&E and California stakeholders in the 2020s dispute Diablo Canyon relicensing after safety, marine impacts, and long-lived spent fuel concerns.
5/4/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Clean energy and business groups launched Diablo Canyon 2045 in California, urging laws to extend Diablo Canyon nuclear operation to 2045 after NRC license renewal.
4/23/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Federal regulators renewed Diablo Canyon nuclear plant licensing in the 2020s, extending operation until at least 2045 in California's San Luis Obispo County.
4/1/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California regulators approved a $115 million fund in January 2026 to scale plug-in electrification technologies, including heat pumps, improving renter access.
1/14/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California legislators advanced five clean-energy and environmental bills to Governor Gavin Newsom in Sacramento at the close of the 2026 session.
9/1/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced instant zero-emission vehicle rebates and reported record solar and battery deployment across California in 2026.
8/7/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
In California, the Energy Commission approved Levy Alameda, LLC for a 400 MW battery energy storage system in eastern Alameda County using Opt-In Certification, with construction planned to start May 2027.
5/26/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California Energy Commission updates California's Clean Energy Journey with renewable progress, efficiency savings, and equity and tribal grant funding toward 100% clean electricity by 2045.
4/17/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
NRC approved Diablo Canyon operating license renewals in California, completing the SB 846 federal licensing process to keep the plant operating through 2030.
4/1/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed six electric-vehicle laws in 2026 to expand charging access and transparency across California.
9/21/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Governor Gavin Newsom signed six California laws in 2026 to streamline electric-vehicle charging deployment, expand consumer access, and support zero-emission vehicle incentives statewide.
9/20/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California has expanded grid-scale battery storage, including at California Flats in central California, to store excess solar electricity for later use.
9/16/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
In 2026, CAISO reports California utility-scale solar outproduced natural gas on 82% of days from January through May, aided by 16 GW batteries and reduced gas generation.
6/22/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
EIA reported in 2026 that CAISO utility-scale solar outgenerated natural gas on 82% of days, amid rising solar capacity, faster battery growth, and doubled imports.
6/17/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Kern County, California, brought Tumbleweed online in 2024 as a 125-megawatt eight-hour battery designed for longer-duration clean power delivery.
6/8/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Two California utilities sought to end Ivanpah solar tower contracts after underperformance since 2014, but the California Public Utilities Commission rejected termination proposals.
5/6/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
PG&E, Rewiring America and Google announced SHARE in the San Francisco Bay Area to coordinate household energy devices for grid support beginning in fall 2026.
9/3/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
PG&E launched SHARE in the Bay Area to aggregate household energy devices and battery-enabled heat pumps, with grid support expected as early as fall 2026.
9/3/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Vacaville residents opposed NextEra Energy Resources' proposed 300-megawatt Corby lithium-ion battery facility at a California Energy Commission meeting in Vacaville on September 1, 2026.
9/3/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California Energy Commission officials heard opposition Tuesday in Vacaville to the proposed Corby lithium-ion battery storage project before a planned November 18 approval vote in Sacramento.
9/2/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
The California Energy Commission held a Tuesday hearing in Vacaville on the proposed Corby battery facility, while residents challenged its safety and environmental risks before a November decision.
9/1/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California legislators approved Senate Bill 868 on August 26 to establish safety standards for plug-in solar systems, with Governor Gavin Newsom now deciding whether to sign the measure.
8/28/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California's 2025 Energy Code took effect Jan. 1, 2026, in Sacramento, encouraging heat pumps and electric-ready construction statewide.
1/19/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California implements the 2025 energy code update effective January 1, 2026 to require energy efficient heat pumps in new and renovated buildings statewide.
1/16/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Senator Scott Wiener advanced SB 222 on January 15, 2025 in Sacramento to standardize and accelerate heat pump permitting across California.
1/15/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California State University, Long Beach's Office of Sustainability director is leaving after twelve years of campus climate planning and program development in Long Beach, California.
9/2/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation announced Rachel Sheinberg's appointment in Los Angeles to research utility affordability and equity during the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's renewable-energy transition.
9/1/2026 • People & Justice • General
California lawmakers identified implementation failures in AB 2316 and introduced proposed reforms during the Assembly's first-year Outcomes Review program in Sacramento on August 17.
8/31/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Napa Sierra Club supported Bay Area Air District Rule 9-6 in July and August 2026 while highlighting sea-level-rise risks and climate activities in Napa and the wider Bay Area.
8/1/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
CARB released draft SB 905 rules in Sacramento, California, governing permitting and monitoring for carbon capture and removal projects amid disputes over technology scope and reporting.
6/12/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Rachel Sheinberg and UCLA collaborators assess equity impacts of LADWP's LA100 renewable transition in Los Angeles, proposing program and planning changes to reach underserved communities.
6/2/2026 • People & Justice • General
Berkeley, California implemented BESO in January to require credit-scored electrification and energy-audit disclosure for single-family home sales.
5/19/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Scott Wiener advanced California Senate Bill 1097 on CEQA exemptions for transmission upgrades after opposition from environmental groups.
4/16/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Climate and Community Institute supports a California Grid Manufacturing Initiative introduced in California by Assemblymember Petrie-Norris to address transformer supply shortages.
4/6/2026 • Markets & Industry & Innovation • General
During Climate Week NYC, California officials advanced Cap-and-Invest expansion and climate partnerships while reporting clean-energy and storage growth across California.
9/25/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
At a Los Angeles environmental forum, City Councilmember Nithya Raman and Mayor Karen Bass debated second-term climate plans covering heat, energy, transit, water, and oil drilling.
9/5/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
U.S. governors Kathy Hochul and Dan McKee report revisions to 2030 climate targets in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island as renewable economics worsen and federal clean-energy support declines.
4/25/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Democratic candidates could gain unified control in several U.S. states through upcoming governor and legislative elections, potentially expanding renewable-energy and emissions policies.
9/17/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Stanford professor Mark Z. Jacobson reported that CAISO wholesale electricity prices were lowest in the U.S. for 2025-26 as wind, water, and solar met demand for many 2026 days.
5/30/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California lawmakers advanced data-center and clean-energy legislation during the 2026 session in Sacramento, with measures awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom's signature.
9/3/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California lawmakers advanced Senate Bills 886 and 887 in Sacramento to protect ratepayers and require local and environmental review of data center projects before Governor Gavin Newsom acts.
9/1/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
New Leaf Energy shifted a Santa Cruz County battery storage proposal to California Energy Commission review on June 8, while county supervisors shelved a local ordinance.
7/1/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California energy agencies project improved summer 2026 grid reliability, citing battery storage expansion, contingency reserves, and the California ISO Extended Day-Ahead Market launched May 1.
5/5/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget revision cuts 2027 funding for DSGS and proposes moving enrolled customers to CPUC-run ELRP to handle acute grid stress.
5/20/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California’s Demand-Side Grid Management program could lose state funding after 2026 as Governor Gavin Newsom proposes shifting participants to a CPUC program.
5/14/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
At the California Climate Policy Summit in Sacramento, advocates and state officials debated expanding virtual power plants to support grid reliability amid energy-transition pressures.
4/15/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California's AB 2313 would give PG&E customers incentives to stop using gas by installing electric appliances, shifting spending away from pipeline replacement.
6/23/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
California Air Resources Board developed a white paper on toxic air contaminant emissions from gas space and water heaters to inform zero-emission standards in the state.
7/12/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
Pasadena Water and Power announced Wednesday that it is seeking Los Angeles County banks and credit unions to provide subsidized loans for residential solar panels and battery storage in Pasadena.
9/2/2026 • Economy, Business & Innovation • General
Chevron’s refinery role shapes California’s governor’s race as candidates debate Newsom-era climate regulation while voters focus on gasoline prices and supply reliability.
5/26/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
The Los Angeles Times reports in February 2026 from California on Democratic gubernatorial candidates' differing views on energy costs, fossil fuels, taxation, and broader policy priorities.
2/2/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California Air Resources Board considers a proposal for up to $4 billion in free emission permits for refineries, amid disputes over 2030 emissions and carbon-market revenue impacts.
5/18/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
CARB-administered California programs including cap-and-trade, low carbon fuel standards, and zero-emission vehicle rules aim to reduce state greenhouse gas emissions and transport-related carbon intensity.
5/26/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Governors in the US Northeast and mid-Atlantic cut clean-energy charges and efficiency spending to lower electricity bills as climate policy faces affordability pressure in 2020s midterms.
3/29/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Newsom and European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera reaffirm EU California climate cooperation, linking net-zero targets and carbon-market signals to clean energy investment.
3/23/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Additional
North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center reported April 2025-to-April 2026 electricity price increases and growing energy burdens alongside 362 state affordability actions.
7/7/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
In 2023 to 2025, groups like Deploy Action expanded clean-energy advocacy through state permitting and affordability messaging in California and Virginia.
7/7/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California’s CARB approved Cap-and-Invest updates through 2045 as the SEC proposed rescinding federal climate disclosure rules during a 60-day public comment period.
6/4/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California and New York policy changes weaken state climate regulation in 2024-2028 while Texas expands utility-scale wind and solar buildout under a different regulatory environment.
6/4/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Virginia, California, New York, Oregon, and Washington tighten state and regional carbon markets as federal legal pressure and affordability disputes intensify in 2026.
5/15/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Canary Media organized rural clean energy discussions at Climate Week NYC as battery, nuclear microreactor, transmission, and utility rate issues advanced in several U.S. states.
6/8/2026 • Clean Energy & Emissions • General
The California Energy Commission approved replacement tire efficiency standards in California on Monday to reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions, despite opposition from tire manufacturers and Goodyear.
8/19/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California Attorney General Rob Bonta settled an antitrust case last week, clearing the way for the Ellison family's Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition and raising concerns about climate journalism and environmental initiatives in the United States.
9/23/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
350 Bay Area Action endorsed Berkeley councilmember Igor Tregub for reelection in Berkeley, California, citing his clean-energy and climate-justice platform.
9/3/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
Bay Area residents Jennifer Normoyle and Abhinaya Manickavasagan urged greater polluter accountability and building electrification in letters addressing climate policy and air quality.
7/31/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara sought penalties against State Farm in 2025 after regulators alleged claim delays and underpayment for Los Angeles-area wildfire damage.
5/5/2026 • Economy, Business & Innovation • General
California Earthquake Authority issued a report in 2026 estimating wildfire risk costs add $41 monthly to PG&E bills and calls for statewide wildfire response and insurance reform.
4/10/2026 • Economy, Business & Innovation • General
In California, the insurance commissioner election is increasingly focused on wildfire-related insurance market failures as insurers raise rates and limit coverage, raising claims and governance concerns in 2025 election cycle campaigns.
3/18/2026 • Economy, Business & Innovation • General
California climate leadership is urged to expand under next governor priorities, building on AB 32, cap and trade, methane action, and battery acceleration programs.
4/5/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California gubernatorial candidates discussed wildfire insurance affordability in a debate on Tuesday night, debating climate-driven fire risk pricing, vegetation governance, and insurance regulation.
4/29/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
California legislators introduced bills in the 2020s to tighten CEQA review, water reporting, and utility tariff rules for data centers supporting AI development.
4/9/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is seeking delays for cap-and-invest implementation as consumer affordability concerns rise and Northeast states reassess clean-energy targets in 2020s regulatory debate.
4/16/2026 • Economy, Business & Innovation • General
California energy regulators approved phased replacement-tire efficiency rules that begin in 2029 and tighten in 2033 to reduce energy use and emissions.
8/19/2026 • Policy, Politics & Governance • General