CPUC adopts plan to add 56 GW of renewables over next decade

CPUC adopts plan to add 56 GW of renewables over next decade

(The Big Beau solar and storage project in California. Photo: Masdar)

In a new decision in its Integrated Resource Planning proceeding, The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted a plan that mandates the construction of more than 56 GW of renewable generation by 2035, including 4.5 GW of offshore wind, as part of an to reduce statewide annual GHG emissions from the electric sector to 25 million metric tons (MMT) in the same timeframe.

The GHG reduction plan, which CPUC says represents the “most aggressive end” of the range identified by the California Air Resources Board, aims to achieve a nearly 60% reduction compared to 2020 levels.

CPUC aggregated data from individual Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) filed by LSEs about the electricity resources they plan to rely on through 2035. The aggregated portfolio was then compared against reliability and GHG constraints and used to determine whether the collective portfolio contained any gaps requiring action. The LSEs included a “diverse” set of resources in their IRPs, CPUC said, including in-state land-based wind, offshore wind, out-of-state wind, geothermal, long-duration storage, and solar + storage.

“Our decision solidifies California’s global leadership in addressing climate change through accelerating the progress toward clean energy for all, with a keen attention to affordability to


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