THE NET-ZERO BLOG
Climate policy analysis and updates from Sacramento
Great ideas and glaring omissions: Analyzing BCG’s California climate report
Although California has made significant climate progress, there is growing evidence of implementation barriers such as financing, procurement and permitting bottlenecks that are slowing clean energy deployment. In this blog we summarize recommendations from a recent Boston Consulting Group report to overcome these barriers and highlight three overlooked policies, including: the role of IOUs in slowing transmission deployment and ideas to overcome this delay; how increasing competition for transmission can increase speed and reduce ratepayer costs; and how alternative financing and deployment models such as public-private partnerships may be more effective for facilitating rapid and low-cost clean energy infrastructure delivery in California.
California’s carbon removal opportunity
SB 308 (Becker) would establish a world-first framework to deliver carbon dioxide removal at scale. In this blog post we highlight the key elements of the bill, how it could facilitate hundreds of millions of dollars in new federal clean energy investments and enable the state’s climate goals.
Barriers and opportunities to transmission in California
California’s ambitious goals to achieve 90% clean electricity by 2035 and 100% by 2045 hinge on whether the state can rapidly develop new transmission. In this blog post we analyze six key barriers and opportunities to developing this infrastructure, including siting and permitting, public financing, competitive solicitation, grid-enhancing technologies and advanced reconductoring, interregional transmission and issues related to offshore wind.
How clean firm power can enable California’s climate goals
California has set goals of 90% retail electricity sales to be carbon-free by 2035 and 100% by 2045. Solar and wind will provide the majority of this generation, but non-intermittent resources capable of meeting electricity demand on a 24/7 basis have also been identified as key to ensure grid reliability and lower ratepayer costs. These are known as “clean firm” resources. In this blog post we analyze the role for clean firm power in decarbonizing California’s power sector.
Call to Action on a Direct Air Capture Hub in California
California has identified the deployment of carbon dioxide removal, including direct air capture and biomass carbon removal, as necessary to achieving the state’s climate goals. To support these newer technologies, the federal Department of Energy is awarding four grants of up to $700 million each to establish Regional Direct Air Capture Hubs across the U.S. Without deliberate action California risks missing out on this key opportunity to establish a foundation and attract major private investment in support of its carbon removal goals.
Reflections on the inaugural California Biomass Workshop
Last week Conservation Strategy Group and the UC Davis Policy Institute for Energy, Environment and Economy co-hosted the inaugural California Biomass Workshop to address the key challenges and opportunities in delivering a sustainable bioeconomy to California. Over 200 attendees met in Sacramento for a deep dive on an issue that is critical to reaching our Scoping Plan goals while protecting California's natural and working lands. In this blog post we summarize the main takeaways from the day.