California Energy Commission

Last updated
California Energy Commission
California Energy Commission Logo.jpg
Agency overview
Formed1974
Jurisdiction California
Headquarters715 P Street, Sacramento, California 95814
Employees700
Annual budget$1.32 billion (2021) [1]
Agency executives
  • David Hochschild, Chair
  • Siva Gunda, Vice Chair
  • J. Andrew McAllister, Commissioner
  • Patty Monahan, Commissioner
  • Noemi Gallardo, Commissioner
Parent agency California Natural Resources Agency
Website www.energy.ca.gov

The California Energy Commission, formally the Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, is the primary energy policy and planning agency for California.

Contents

Created in 1974 and headquartered in Sacramento, [2] the commission's core responsibilities include advancing state energy policy, achieving energy efficiency, investing in energy innovation, developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, overseeing energy infrastructure, and preparing for energy emergencies. [3]

The commission is a division of the California Natural Resources Agency, which is under the direction of Cabinet Secretary Wade Crowfoot. One of its prominent responsibilities is maintenance of the California Energy Code.

History

The interior of the California Energy Commission's facility, the Warren-Alquist Energy Building in Sacramento California Energy Commission facility.jpg
The interior of the California Energy Commission's facility, the Warren–Alquist Energy Building in Sacramento

Charles Warren and Al Alquist, California politicians, co-authored the 1974 Warren–Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Act that created the commission. [4] The act required that, prior to constructing or modifying an electric generating plant, the commission was to certify the need for the plant and the suitability of the site of the plant.

In 1976, the California legislature amended the Warren–Alquist Act to require the commission, prior to any new nuclear generating plants being built, to certify that there is sufficient capacity to store spent fuel rods, and to establish a moratorium on the certification of any new nuclear generating plants until the federal government has approved and established a means for the disposal of high level nuclear waste. A legal challenge to this amendment by two electric utilities resulted in the United States Supreme Court case Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission , which upheld the amended act. [5]

Arthur H Rosenfeld was a member of the U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu's Energy Advisory Board and a commissioner of the Energy Commission from 2000 to 2010.

On 17 January 2001 a state of emergency declared during the California electricity crisis allowed the state to buy electricity for the financially strapped utility companies. The emergency authority allowed Davis to order the California Energy Commission to streamline the application process for new power plants. Alongside this, the California Energy Commission introduced an emergency load management program that supplied upwards of 1,000 businesses with fast responding electricity control systems. This allowed these businesses to reduce cumulative electricity loads during the California electricity crisis within 15 minutes of receiving an emergency alert.

On 21 August 2006, the Governor signed Senate Bill SB 1, which directs the California Public Utilities Commission and the CEC to implement the California Solar Initiative program consistent with specific requirements and budget limits set forth in the legislation.

In 2013, these efforts were tested in a near worst-case scenario of high temperatures, and reduced hydroelectric and nuclear power. Thanks to a combination of clean energy and conservation, the state suffered no shortages. [6]

Current activities

The front entrance of the California Energy Commission's Warren-Alquist Energy Building in Sacramento Warren-Alquist State Energy Building.jpg
The front entrance of the California Energy Commission's Warren–Alquist Energy Building in Sacramento

In 2007, the commission set up relatively strict laws that forbid the signing of new energy supply contracts between utilities and coal-fired power plants. This was a major initiative to stem greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. [7]

In 2013, the commission embarked on a program to expand Ethanol E85 retail distribution throughout the state of California. This project will install E85 dispensing equipment at 19 existing gasoline stations to take advantage of the existing fueling infrastructure. The $1.35 million contract was awarded to Pearson Fuels of San Diego. The commission expects the E85 vehicle fuel market in California eventually to be the largest in the United States, with approximately 55,000 new flex-fuel vehicles purchased in the state each year. [8]

In 2015, California legislation passed a bill (SB 350) that sets a goal of having 33% of electricity produced from renewable resources by 2020, and 50% by 2030. The California Energy Commission was given the task of monitoring and enforcing regulation on utility companies, to help them meet this goal. [9] Since the passing of the bill, The Energy Commission has been tracking the changes made by the state overall, and providing updates on the progress. As of June 2017, California has increased its consumption of renewable electricity generation to 29%, and the commission states that California is on track to meet the goal of 50% by 2030, if not exceed it. [10] In a Fortune news article, Tony Early, the CEO of PG&E, predicts that the usage of renewable energy will be closer to 70% by 2030, and so the challenge these experts predict we will face is the storage of this immense amount of renewable energy. The co-founder of Opower Alex Laskey describes the need to design a new grid system, and the need for policies to determine the rules and regulation of the market for innovated grid, as well as the "need to make energy efficiency and power grid plans simple enough for consumers to understand them.” [11] Since the nature of energy generated from renewable resources such as wind and solar power do not produce the amount needed to meet peak demand times, the NREL suggests several energy storage and regulation options that could increase the flexibility of renewable energy sources to meet the country's needs efficiently. [12]

Organization

Projects

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Distributed generation</span> Decentralised electricity generation

Distributed generation, also distributed energy, on-site generation (OSG), or district/decentralized energy, is electrical generation and storage performed by a variety of small, grid-connected or distribution system-connected devices referred to as distributed energy resources (DER).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy Policy Act of 1992</span>

The Energy Policy Act of 1992, effective October 24, 1992, is a United States government act. It was passed by Congress and set goals, created mandates, and amended utility laws to increase clean energy use and improve overall energy efficiency in the United States. The Act consists of twenty-seven titles detailing various measures designed to lessen the nation's dependence on imported energy, provide incentives for clean and renewable energy, and promote energy conservation in buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electricity sector in India</span> Power generation and distribution

India is the third largest producer of electricity in the world. During the fiscal year (FY) 2022–23, the total electricity generation in the country was 1,844 TWh, of which 1,618 TWh was generated by utilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act</span>

The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act is a United States Act passed as part of the National Energy Act. It was meant to promote energy conservation and promote greater use of domestic energy and renewable energy. The law was created in response to the 1973 energy crisis, and one year in advance of a second energy crisis.

Energy demand management, also known as demand-side management (DSM) or demand-side response (DSR), is the modification of consumer demand for energy through various methods such as financial incentives and behavioral change through education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy policy of the United States</span> Where and how the United States gets electrical and other power

The energy policy of the United States is determined by federal, state, and local entities. It addresses issues of energy production, distribution, consumption, and modes of use, such as building codes, mileage standards, and commuting policies. Energy policy may be addressed via legislation, regulation, court decisions, public participation, and other techniques.

Silicon Valley Power (SVP) is a not-for-profit municipal electric utility owned and operated by the City of Santa Clara, California, USA. SVP provides electricity service to approximately 55,116 residential and business customers, including large corporations such as Intel, Applied Materials, Owens Corning and NVIDIA. SVP also owns and maintains a dark fiber network named SVP Fiber Enterprise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power plants in the Mojave Desert</span> Supplies power to the electricity grid using excellent solar radiation

There are several solar power plants in the Mojave Desert which supply power to the electricity grid. Insolation in the Mojave Desert is among the best available in the United States, and some significant population centers are located in the area. These plants can generally be built in a few years because solar plants are built almost entirely with modular, readily available materials. Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) is the name given to nine solar power plants in the Mojave Desert which were built in the 1980s, the first commercial solar plant. These plants have a combined capacity of 354 megawatts (MW) which made them the largest solar power installation in the world, until Ivanpah Solar Power Facility was finished in 2014.

The electricity policy of Ontario refers to plans, legislation, incentives, guidelines, and policy processes put in place by the Government of the Province of Ontario, Canada, to address issues of electricity production, distribution, and consumption. Policymaking in the electricity sector involves economic, social, and environmental considerations. Ontario's electricity supply outlook is projected to deteriorate in the near future due to increasing demand, aging electricity supply infrastructure, and political commitments, particularly the phase-out of coal-fired generation. Policymakers are presented with a range of policy choices in addressing the situation, both in terms of overall system design and structure, and specific electricity generating technologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renewable energy in the United States</span>

According to data from the US Energy Information Administration, renewable energy accounted for 8.4% of total primary energy production and 21% of total utility-scale electricity generation in the United States in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy law</span> Law governing the use and taxation of energy

Energy laws govern the use and taxation of energy, both renewable and non-renewable. These laws are the primary authorities related to energy. In contrast, energy policy refers to the policy and politics of energy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 California Proposition 7</span> 2008 California ballot proposition

California Proposition 7, would have required California utilities to procure half of their power from renewable resources by 2025. In order to make that goal, levels of production of solar, wind and other renewable energy resources would more than quadruple from their current output of 10.9%. It would also require California utilities to increase their purchase of electricity generated from renewable resources by 2% annually to meet Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements of 40% in 2020 and 50% in 2025. Current law AB32 requires an RPS of 20% by 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in California</span>

Solar power has been growing rapidly in the U.S. state of California because of high insolation, community support, declining solar costs, and a renewable portfolio standard which requires that 60% of California's electricity come from renewable resources by 2030, with 100% by 2045. Much of this is expected to come from solar power via photovoltaic facilities or concentrated solar power facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in New Mexico</span> Overview of solar power in the U.S. state of New Mexico

Solar power in New Mexico in 2016 generated 2.8% of the state's total electricity consumption, despite a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) projection suggesting a potential contribution three orders of magnitude larger.

In Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. State Energy Resources Conservation & Development Commission, 461 U.S. 190 (1983), the United States Supreme Court held that a state statute regulating economic aspects of nuclear generating plants was not preempted by the federal Atomic Energy Act of 1954. The case provides a framework that has guided other cases involving preemption of federal authority.

There is a large array of stakeholders that provide services through electricity generation, transmission, distribution and marketing for industrial, commercial, public and residential customers in the United States. It also includes many public institutions that regulate the sector. In 1996, there were 3,195 electric utilities in the United States, of which fewer than 1,000 were engaged in power generation. This leaves a large number of mostly smaller utilities engaged only in power distribution. There were also 65 power marketers. Of all utilities, 2,020 were publicly owned, 932 were rural electric cooperatives, and 243 were investor-owned utilities. The electricity transmission network is controlled by Independent System Operators or Regional Transmission Organizations, which are not-for-profit organizations that are obliged to provide indiscriminate access to various suppliers to promote competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Hawaii</span> Overview of energy resources in Hawaii, US

Energy in the U.S. state of Hawaii is produced from a mixture of fossil fuel and renewable resources. Producing energy is complicated by the state's isolated location and lack of fossil fuel resources. The state relies heavily on imports of petroleum. Hawaii has the highest share of petroleum use in the United States, with about 62% of electricity coming from oil in 2017. As of 2021 renewable energy made up 34.5% on Oahu, Maui and the island of Hawaii.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in California</span> Overview of the use of energy in California, U.S.

Energy in California is a major area of the economy of California. California is the state with the largest population and the largest economy in the United States. It is second in energy consumption after Texas. As of 2018, per capita consumption was the fourth-lowest in the United States partially because of the mild climate and energy efficiency programs.

California produces more renewable energy than any other state in the United States except Texas. In 2018, California ranked first in the nation as a producer of electricity from solar, geothermal, and biomass resources and fourth in the nation in conventional hydroelectric power generation. As of 2017, over half of the electricity (52.7%) produced was from renewable sources.

References

  1. "Natural Resources Budget Summary". lao.ca.gov. California Legislative Analyst's Office. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  2. "Contact Us." California Energy Commission. Retrieved on November 19, 2009.
  3. "Core Responsibility Fact Sheets" . Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  4. Full text of the Warren–Alquist Act
  5. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Comm'n , 461 U.S. 190 (1983).
  6. "California Keeps Its Energy Cool in Summer Scorcher."
  7. State acts to limit use of coal power. May 24, 2007. Retrieved on 27 May 2007.
  8. Pearson to Expand California E85 Archived 2013-10-14 at the Wayback Machine . Jan 13, 2013. Retrieved on 16 Mar 2013.
  9. Commission, California Energy. "Clean Energy & Pollution Reduction Act (SB 350) Overview". www.energy.ca.gov. Retrieved 2017-11-30.
  10. "California Energy Commission – Tracking Progress" (PDF). California Energy Commission. August 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-06-20. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  11. Fehrenbacher, Katie (May 17, 2016). "Will California Reach Its 50% Clean Energy Goal? No Problem". Fortune. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  12. "ENERGY STORAGE Possibilities for Expanding Electric Grid Flexibility" (PDF). nrel. February 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2017.