California

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) established formal energy savings targets for the state’s investor-owned utilities in September 2004. Publicly owned electric utilities must identify their own savings and targets and report them to the California Energy Commission (CEC). Public power utilities must also report each year – to both its customers and the CEC – on its investments, programs, expenditures, cost-effectiveness and results of energy-efficiency and demand-reduction programs. In procuring energy to serve its customers, publicly owned electric utilities must first acquire all available, cost-effective energy-efficient and demand-response resources.

The CPUC released a 2010-2012 Plan with revised savings targets because utilities outperformed earlier targets. The new targets reflect an updated assessment of energy savings potential available to utilities that is equivalent to 2.6% of total retail electric sales in California.

On September 15, 2009, Executive Order S-21-09 was signed directing the state's Air Resources Board (ARB) to adopt regulations increasing California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of 2006 to 33 percent by 2020. The executive order allows renewable energy imported from "resources and facilities" in states throughout the Western Interconnection, the power grid in the West, to count towards the RPS target. Sources of energy that count toward the standard include biomass, solar thermal, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, fuel cells using renewable fuels, small hydroelectric, digester gas, municipal solid waste conversion, landfill gas, ocean wave, ocean thermal, and tidal current.

The RPS will now apply to ALL load serving entities, including investor-owned utilities, publicly-owned utilities, direct access providers and community choice aggregators. The ARB is directed to adopt these regulations by July 31, 2010.

Relevance to Public Power: As described above, publicly owned electric utilities must identify its own savings and targets and report them to the CEC. All utilities in California, regardless of ownership type, are subject to the state’s RPS.

California’s 2009 Appliance Efficiency Regulations apply to the following types of new products not currently pre-empted by Federal law:

• Consumer audio and video products
• Pool pumps
• General service incandescent light bulbs
• Water dispensers
• Hot tubs (portable electric spas)
• Commercial hot food holding cabinets
• Under cabinet fluorescent lamps
• Vending machines

On June 1, 2005, Executive Order S-3-05 established statewide GHG emission reduction targets to 2000 levels by 2010, 1990 levels by 2020, and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. On Sept. 27, 2006, the Global Warming Solutions Act, AB 32, was signed which capped the state’s GHG emissions at 1990 levels by 2020.

Learn more about the Climate Protection Agreement!

Learn more about Green Power Communities!

APPA Public Power Partners

• Northern California Power Agency
• Northwest Public Power Association
• Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems

• Alameda Power & Telecom
• Anaheim Public Utilities
• Banning Electric Department
• Burbank Water and Power
• Glendale Water and Power
• City of Healdsburg
• Hercules Municipal Utility
• IID Energy
• Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
• Lassen Municipal Utility District
• Lodi Electric Utility
• City of Lompoc Utilities
• Modesto Irrigation District
• City of Palo Alto Utilities
• Pasadena Water and Power
• Redding Electric Utility
• Riverside Public Utilities
• Roseville Electric
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District
• Truckee-Donner Public Utility District
• Turlock Irrigation District
• City of Ukiah

• City of Palo Alto
• Sacramento Municipal Utilities District

• Alameda Municipal Power
• Anaheim Public Utilities
• Burbank Water & Power
• East Bay Municipal Utility District
• Glendale Water & Power
• City of Gridley Utilities
• Imperial Irrigation District
• Lodi Electric Utility
• Lompoc City Electric
• City of Palo Alto Utilities
• City of Redding Utilities

Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Resource Standards

• Burbank Water and Power: In June 2007, the city council approved the utility’s recommendation to increase the target of its renewable portfolio standard, established in 2004, to 33% by 2020.
• Glendale Water & Power: In 2004, the utility adopted a Renewable Portfolio Standard that sets a goal of 20% of the utility’s annual energy requirements from renewable energy sources by 2017, with the additional goal of 23% if it can be reached at reasonable cost. In 2005, Glendale Water & Power established an energy efficiency goal of one percent of annual sales.
• Los Angeles Department of Water & Power: The utility has committed to providing 20% of its electric sales from renewable energy by 2010. There is also a long-term goal of achieving 35% from renewable energy by 2020.
• Riverside Public Utilities: In July 2003, the City of Riverside adopted a renewable portfolio standard for the utility. The goal is to increase its supply of electricity from renewable resources to 20% by December 31, 2025. More recently, the City of Riverside adopted the “Green Riverside Action Plan.” One of its goals is to implement a policy to increase the use of renewable energy to meet 33% of the City’s electric load by 2020.
• Roseville Electric:  The utility’s strategic plan calls for a reduction in peak demand and total energy requirements of 5% by 2012; this is to be accomplished through the use of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and load management programs. In September 2007, the City Council adopted annual energy efficiency targets of 0.6% of total annual consumption.
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District: SMUD, in May 2007, board approved energy efficiency goals to reduce energy consumption by 15% over 10 years (to 2017).
• Silicon Valley Power: In November 2008, the City of Santa Clara approved a renewable standard policy that sets a new goal in line with the new standards contained in the governor’s executive order. The standard is to use 33 percent renewable resources to meet electric demand by 2020. There are also interim standards: renewable resources shall meet 20% of retail load in 2008-2013; 24% in 2014-2016; and 28% in 2017-2019.Silicon Valley Power is required to spend 2.85% of its electric sales revenues on cost effective energy efficiency, new renewable generation, low income energy programs, and new electric technologies research and development.