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Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission
Public Utilities Commission 505 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102

Renewable Energy

 

 
Skip Navigation LinksPUC > Energy > Electric Regulation > Renewable Energy > Renewable Portfolio Standards - Introduction
Renewable Portfolio Standards 
 




Introduction

Established in 2002 under Senate Bill 1078 and accelerated in 2006 under Senate Bill 107, California's Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) is one of the most ambitious renewable energy standards in the country. The RPS program requires electric corporations to increase procurement from eligible renewable energy resources by at least 1% of their retail sales annually, until they reach 20% by 2010.

Program Highlights, Recent Documents

California is now considering an even higher goal of 33% renewable energy by 2020.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Energy Commission jointly implement the RPS program. The CPUC's responsibilities include:

  1. Determining annual procurement targets and enforcing compliance.
  2. Reviewing and approving each IOU's renewable energy procurement plan.
  3. Reviewing IOU contracts for RPS-eligible energy.
  4. Establishing the standard terms and conditions used by IOUs in their contracts for eligible renewable energy.
  5. Calculating market price referents (MPRs) for non-renewable energy that serve as benchmarks for the price of renewable energy.

For a more comprehensive look at the RPS program, please explore the rest of the website. A description of the Energy Commission's roles can be found on the CEC's RPS website. For information about the renewable energy tracking system, visit the WREGIS website.

The CPUC's glossary is helpful for understanding the many acronyms and terms used on this website.

Read about the California Solar Initiative and the CPUC's Self-Generation Incentive Program.


Last Modified: 5/15/2008














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