RPS Legislative History

California's Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) is one of the most ambitious renewable energy standards in the country and has seen various changes acceleration to RPS targets through legislation. A complete list of RPS legislation and related CPUC rulemakings can be found below. Previous RPS decisions can be found here.

Legislation, Executive Orders, Energy Action Plans

  • Senate Bill 1078 (2002) established the RPS program, requiring 20% renewable energy by 2017. 
  • Energy Action Plan I (2003) accelerated the 20% RPS target to 2010. 
  • Senate Bill 107 (2006) codified the accelerated new RPS targets into law. 
  • Energy Action Plan II (2005) examined a further goal of 33% by 2020. 
  • Assembly Bill 200 (2005) modified some requirements for electric corporations that serve customers outside of California and have 60,000 or fewer customer accounts in California. 
  • Executive Order S-06-06 (2006) established targets to increase the production and use of bioenergy. 
  • Assembly Bill 1969 (2006) requires electrical corporations to purchase, at a CPUC set price, renewable energy output from public water and wastewater facilities up to 1 MW. 
  • Senate Bill 1036 (2007) modifies the Supplemental Energy Payments process. 
  • Assembly Bill 380 (2007) amends P.U. Code 399.20 to make the feed-in tariff established by AB 1969 applicable to all eligible renewable generators (previously limited to water and wastewater facilities) and increases the program cap to 500 MW (previously set at 250 MW).
  • Assembly Bill 3048  (2008) makes minor technical changes to clarify code to provide conformity in the Public Utilities Code.
  • Executive Order S-14-08 (2008) sets a target of 33% renewable energy by 2020.
  • Executive Order S-21-09 (2009) directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to adopt regulations increasing California’s RPS to 33% by 2020.
  • Senate Bill X1-2 (2011) codified the 33% renewable electricity goal by 2020.
  • Senate Bill 350 (2015) accelerated the RPS target to 50% renewable energy by 2030 and added multi-year compliance periods and required 65% of RPS procurement to come from long-term contracts (10+ years).
  • Senate Bill 100 (2018) increased the 2030 RPS goal to 60% and established a goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045.

CPUC Rulemakings

The RPS program is implemented through Commission decisions within the RPS rulemakings. The RPS program is currently implemented through one proceeding. See the RPS Decisions and Proceedings website for more information.

R.24-01-017 is the current RPS proceeding and continues implementation and administration, and considers further development, of the California RPS program.

Previous RPS Proceedings: 

  • R.18-07-003  - Continues implementation and administration of the California RPS for 60%.
  • R.15-02-020  - Continues implementation and administration of the California RPS.
  • R.11-05-005  - Continues implementation and administration of the California RPS.
  • R.08-08-009  - Continues implementation and administration of the California RPS.
  • R.06-02-012  - Develops additional methods to implement the California RPS.
  • R.06-05-027  - Continues implementation and administration of the California RPS.
  • R.04-04-026  - Implemented the California RPS.
  • R.01-10-024  - Established policies and cost recovery mechanisms for generation procurement and renewable resource development.

Related Programs

Related Divisions