Challenge & Opportunity
California is on a trek for a 100% clean, renewable energy portfolio by 2045 and has made significant progress in planning, but there remain several hurdles in implementation–reliability, affordability, permitting, procurement, and interconnection, to name a few. Abundant amounts of cheap, clean energy and significant growth in battery storage prompt the State for a divorce from fossil fuels, but the cost of electricity remains high due to private utility financing, wildfire hardening, load growth, and expensive emergency backup generation. Additionally, the burden of high electricity bills and pollution from fossil fuel generation disproportionately impacts communities located in California’s hottest regions, which often includes communities of color and/or low-income. California’s energy fatigue is quickly impacting public confidence in renewables. Our success hinges on proving reliability and affordability can go together by providing accurate, evidence-based advocacy to push meaningful change.