Tag Archives: Energy

SB 32 and AB 197: Future GHG Reduction Targets and Oversight

The Legislature enrolled SB 32 and AB 197 on August 25, 2016.  These bills create both the future target that will govern GHG emission reduction programs and a higher level of legislative oversight over the California Air Resources Board (CARB).  … Continue reading

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Tracking GHG Emissions in a Regional ISO: California Stands Alone in the West

When the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) released its original Proposed Principles of Governance for a regional independent system operator (ISO), it included a proposal for the development of a methodology to track and account for emissions that are attributable … Continue reading

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AB 2188 Implementation Report: A Review of Ordinances Adopted by Local Jurisdictions in California

This post follows the release of the first statewide assessment of AB 2188 in the form of a AB 2188 Implementation Report.  This assessment provides a snap shot in time of AB 2188 implementation across the state of California based … Continue reading

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GHG Emission Targets v. Limits: The Constitutionality of Executive Orders S-3-05 and B-30-15

Recently, Legislative Counsel Dian F. Boyer wrote an opinion answering questions from State Senator Jean Fuller of California’s 16th Senate District regarding California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (commonly known as AB 32) and Executive Branch Authority. The nonbinding … Continue reading

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Supreme Court Issues Hughes v. Talen Marketing Decision With Limited Effect on California and the West

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a very narrow 8-0 decision in Hughes v. Talen Marketing finding that Maryland Public Service Commission’s program for in-state long-term capacity procurement set an interstate wholesale rate that interfered with the Federal Power Act’s … Continue reading

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Constitutional Reform of the California Public Utilities Commission

Assembly Members Gatto, Levine, and Wilk introduced a bipartisan State Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 11 on March 9, 2016 to reform the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). What does this proposed constitutional amendment mean for California and for the CPUC?

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Achieving Mandatory GHG Reduction under a Regional Independent Systems Operator

A structural question arises when evaluating the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) expansion. What will drive the greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in a regional independent system operator (ISO) or regional transmission operator (RTO) that spans multiple states and out of … Continue reading

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Role of Renewable Energy Credits and Carbon Offsets

(Many thanks to Cameron Bernhardt for his research for this post) This second post continues the discussion of the role of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and Carbon Offset Credits in California policies started in the last post. In the next … Continue reading

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Renewable Energy Credits and Carbon Offset Credits

(Many thanks to Cameron Bernhardt for research and writing for this post) While EPIC has written about renewable energy credits in California in the past, this constitutes the first of a series of blog posts related to renewable energy credits … Continue reading

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Estimating the GHG Emissions Impacts of Reducing or Displacing Electricity: Is it time for a standard method in California?

California has adopted legislation and has executive orders in place laying out aggressive, long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. There are also specific energy policies including those to increase efficiency, generate more renewable electricity, and to reduce fossil fuel use … Continue reading

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