Growing the Grid: A Plan to Accelerate California’s Clean Energy Transition

California is a global leader in climate and clean energy policy. The state has already achieved important clean energy milestones, and its future goals — including 100% zero-carbon electricity sales and economy-wide net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, among others — set the bar for ambition. The California Legislature and the Governor further cemented the state’s reputation as a climate vanguard in 2022 by requiring 90% zero-carbon electricity sales by 2035 and 95% by 2040. As measured by the time it takes to plan and build major clean energy infrastructure, the first of these milestones is just around the corner. The state now faces the difficult task of transforming these ambitions into reality.

This report identifies the challenges to achieving California’s clean energy transition through the lens of the new and repurposed electricity infrastructure needed to reach state climate and clean energy goals.

It recommends the state develop a Clean Energy Deployment Plan with specific quantities, locations, and timing of new resource development and infrastructure expansion to expedite clean energy deployment.