Low-Carbon Grid

CEERT’s Low-Carbon Grid Program promotes the integration of large amounts of renewable energy on the grid by tracking and intervening in crucial proceedings at the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and other agencies. We also seek to foster joint operating agreements between the CAISO and the state’s municipal and investor-owned utilities, and promote coordination and consolidation of the Balancing Areas in our state and region as a low-cost means of integrating renewable power. The issues are often highly technical, but have enormous impact on the price of renewable energy projects and their access to the transmission and distribution system.

Recent Developments:

Western Grid Integration

CEERT Executive Director V. John White has participated in discussions with Vijay Satyal of Western Resource Advocates and other Western Grid Group (WGG) affiliates on expansion of the Enhanced Day Ahead Market (EDAM) and its implications for renewable energy integration. John reviewed WGG’s comments in the EDAM process and is evaluating how proceedings at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) may affect EDAM, especially on resource adequacy (RA) concerns. John will coordinate with WGG on future comments on the EDAM, notably on accurate real-time greenhouse-gas (GHG) accounting for out-of-state resources.

CEERT has been participating in biweekly Western Clean Energy Advocates (WCEA) meetings on regional markets, as well as the newly formed WCEA Resource Adequacy (RA) Working Group, which is made up of clean energy, public interest, and industry leaders from across the West and aims to accelerate the clean energy transformation while improving the reliability and economic performance of the Western grid. The WCEA RA Working Group will help CEERT keep up to date on RA issues and events in the West and further our advocacy for more effective RA. CEERT Policy Analyst Carleigh Osen is co-facilitator of the WCEA RA Working Group, which had its first meeting on May 26.

Clean Energy and Economic Recovery

CEERT convened the Alliance for a Clean Economy, a broad group of clean-energy companies, organizations and advocates to develop a campaign to put forward clean-energy projects and investments as crucial underpinnings for California’s economic recovery. With excellent facilitation by Arthur Haubenstock and Gridworks, the Alliance developed the attached letter to the Governor, policymakers, and the Steyer Commission on Economic Recovery. The group includes many CEERT affiliates, but also other organizations. Next steps are to develop an op-ed calling for the Governor to take action to remove bureaucratic barriers to clean-energy investments, and a follow-up letter with specific recommendations.

Depending on how the next few weeks of the legislative session play out, legislative proposals or initiatives by the Governor may emerge to accelerate investment in clean-energy infrastructure as part of the state’s economic recovery from the pandemic, including a possible “green recovery” bond issue that could go before the voters in November.

Discussions with the Governor’s Office

We have not had much contact with the Governor’s office so far this year, given their preoccupation with the PG&E bankruptcy and wildfire power system shutoffs. We have kept them informed of our views and filings at the CPUC on flaws in the IRP assumptions and the need for reform of resource adequacy.