Policy and Progress: Implementing California's Climate Vision

Blades of grass with wind turbines and the sun shining in the background.

How the California Public Utilities Commission delivers real-world progress on scaling clean energy, helping customers decarbonize, and meeting emissions reductions goals in the 4th largest economy in the world. 

37,000 megawatts (MW) of new clean energy installed since 2019, and contracts to procure an additional 22,000 MW by 2030.

California has the most ambitious climate and energy agenda in the country, which rests on the goal of achieving a 100 percent clean energy grid and a carbon neutral economy by 2045. As the economic regulator of the state’s investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) plays a critical role in the state’s clean energy transition.

Our ongoing proceedings and regulatory programs are key venues for bringing California’s climate and energy agenda to life. Our work spans clean energy and battery storage deployment, modernizing grid infrastructure, customer generation and energy efficiency, building and transportation electrification, water conservation, and more. The CPUC works in close partnership with our sister agencies, including the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) delivering real-world outcomes for California.

Over 1,200 operating community solar projects, totaling approximately 560 MW, with an additional 430 projects totaling 165 MW currently under construction.

Regulation Meets Real World

Community Solar

Director Kerry Fleisher stands in front of a rooftop solar array, gesturing toward the panels.

Community Solar projects funded by the CPUC’s Community Solar Green Tariff Program, like the Ava Community Energy project in Oakland, deliver customer savings while adding to California’s renewable energy portfolio. Learn more.

Energy Storage

CPUC staff cut a ribbon in front of battery storage units.

A historic expansion of energy storage resources is underway in California. The Tumbleweed Energy Storage facility is the first 8-hour battery storage project developed under the CPUC’s Integrated Resource Planning process. Learn more about this project and the CPUC's energy development tracking effort. 

Making Conservation a Way of Life

Morris Reservoir Dam in the San Gabriel Mountains

The CPUC supports the California State Water Resources Control Board by ensuring that regulated utilities comply with water efficiency practices, helping communities adapt to climate-related water challenges. Learn more.

Rebuilding Cleaner & Safer Homes

A construction worker wears safety gear while framing a house.

In April 2026, the CPUC launched RISE Homes, a $50 million statewide initiative that provides financial assistance for Californians whose homes have been destroyed or red-tagged due to natural disasters to rebuild all-electric. Learn more.

Helping Rideshare Drivers Go Electric

A rideshare driver plugs in an electric vehicle.

The CPUC implemented the Clean Miles Standard to reduce rideshare emissions and increase zero-emission vehicle use, and approved RIDE incentives to help eligible rideshare drivers afford zero-emission vehicles and charging costs. Learn more about RIDE and the Clean Miles Standard.

 

More than 21,000 MW of installed energy storage capacity – over one third of what’s estimated to be needed to reach our 2045 clean energy goal.

Articles

 

Animated image of the electric grid powering everyday devices.

The “Meeting California’s Climate Goals” series explores the CPUC’s role in the statewide transition to a carbon-free economy. We highlight the regulatory levers and programs that help position the state on the least-cost path to net zero emissions across the electric, buildings, transportation, and industrial sectors.  

Electricity  Buildings  Transportation  
 
Over 200,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers installed.

Current Climate Policy Implementation Activities

Updated September 2026

Bill Summary & Requirements Implementation Venue
SB 100 (De León, 2018): California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program 

Increases California Renewables Portfolio Standard to 60% by 2030 and requires all the state's electricity to come from renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045. The CPUC administers the state’s Renewables Portfolio Standard in coordination with the Integrated Resource Planning proceeding, which authorizes the procurement of renewable energy resources to meet the 2030 and 2045 goals.   
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking to Continue Oversight of Electric Integrated Resource Planning and Procurement Processes (R.25-06-019) 
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking to Continue Implementation and Administration, and Consider Further Development, of California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program (R.24-01-017) 
AB 2316 (Ward, 2022): Community Renewable Energy Program 

Requires the CPUC to establish a community renewable energy program. This legislation has led the CPUC to streamline and improve the market-rate Green Tariff offerings and subsidized Disadvantaged Communities Green Tariff and Community Solar Green Tariff. 
  • Application of Pacific Gas & Electric for Review of the Disadvantaged Communities—Green Tariff, Community Solar Green Tariff and Green Tariff Shared Renewables Programs [Now Consolidated with A.22-05-022, A.22-05-023 and A.22-05-024] (A.22-05-022)
SB 355 (Stats. 2023, Ch. 393): Multifamily Affordable Housing Solar Roofs Program 

Extends the CPUC’s Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing program (SOMAH) to 2032.
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking on Customer-Generated Renewables for Priority Communities (R.25-01-005) 
AB 209 (Committee on Budget, Stats. 2022, Ch. 251)/AB 102 (Ting, Stats. 2023-24, Ch. 38): Self Generation Incentive Program 

Amends the CPUC’s Self-Generation Inventive Program (SGIP) to provide funding for combined solar and storage incentives (AB 209) and allocates $208 million in funding from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to provide SGIP incentives to low-income residential customers who install solar paired with storage. The CPUC oversees the administration of this funding through the Residential Solar and Storage Equity (RSSE) program.  
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking Regarding Policies, Procedures and Rules for the Self-Generation Incentive Program and Related Issues (R.20-05-012) 

Bill Summary & Requirements Implementation Venue
SB 1221 (Min, 2024): Priority Neighborhood Decarbonization Zones  

Requires the CPUC to create a cost-effective voluntary neighborhood decarbonization program to allow gas utilities to replace aging gas infrastructure in targeted areas with zero-emissions alternatives. 
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking to Establish Policies, Processes and Rules to Ensure Safe and Reliable Gas Systems in California (R.24-09-012)
SB 1477 (Stern, 2018): TECH and BUILD  

Requires the CPUC to create and administer the TECH and BUILD programs to support the adoption of heat pumps in existing buildings and new constructions. 
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking Regarding Building Decarbonization (R.19.01.011) 
SB 1383 (Lara, 2014) /SB 1440 (Hueso, 2018): Biomethane Standards  

Requires California to reduce emissions of methane by 40 percent below 2013 levels by 2030 (SB 1383) and authorizes the CPUC to adopt biomethane procurement targets or goals for the gas utilities it regulates (SB 1440), leading to the creation of the CPUC’s biomethane procurement program. 
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking to Adopt Biomethane Standards and Requirements, Pipeline Open Access Rules and Related Enforcement Provisions (R.13-02-008) 

Bill Summary & Requirements Implementation Venue
SB 410 (Becker, 2023)/AB 50 (Wood, 2023): Powering Up Californians Act  

Directs the CPUC to determine criteria for timely electricity service for new or upgraded service connections (AB 50) and establish reasonable average and maximum target energization time periods for utilities (SB 410) to expedite the process for connecting new loads, such as electric vehicle charging stations, to the grid. Pursuant to this legislation, the CPUC has directed utilities to establish a standard offering for flexible service connections for customers impacted by distribution capacity constraints. 
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking to Establish Energization Timelines (R.24-01-018) 
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking Regarding Transportation Electrification Policy and Infrastructure (R.23-12-008) 
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking to Modernize the Electric Grid for a High Distributed Energy Resources Future (R.21-06-017) 
SB 1014 (2018): Clean Miles Standard 

Through California’s Clean Miles Standard, the CPUC is working with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to reduce emissions from rideshare services by accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles. The program targets 90 percent of transportation network company vehicle miles to be zero-emission and zero greenhouse gas emissions from the sector by 2030. 

The CPUC’s Rideshare Incentives for Driving Electric (RIDE) program supports these goals by helping eligible low- and moderate-income, high-mileage rideshare drivers transition to zero-emission vehicles.  
  • Order Instituting Rulemaking to Implement Senate Bill 1014-the California Clean Miles Standard Program. (R.21-11-014) 
  • Center for Sustainable Energy’s initial implementation plan & handbook for the Clean Miles Standard Drivers Assistance Program Resolution. (TL-19156) 

Related Divisions