Solar drives renewables milestone in California

Your guide to the political forces shaping the energy transformation

Apr 23, 2024 View in browser   By Francisco "A.J." Camacho Grid Alternatives employee Tony Chang installs no-cost solar panels on the rooftop of a low-income household on Oct. 19, 2023, in Pomona, California. | Mario Tama/Getty Images On most days for the past month, renewable energy has powered 100 percent of California’s main grid for at least 15 minutes. That’s largely thanks to solar power, according to an analysis from Mark Z. Jacobson, a Stanford University civil and environmental engineering professor. California installed 2,300 megawatts of solar in 2023, an increase of 18 percent over 2022. “It’s never happened before to this scale,” Jacobson said in an interview with POLITICO’s Power Switch. “In past years, California has occasionally met 100 percent of demand, but only on a weekend day.” Jacobson used data from California’s grid operator to calculate that on 38 of the past 46 days, renewables have met the state’s full energy demand for part of the day. The California Independent System Operator said the grid broke two records in April for renewable energy supply, but it couldn’t confirm Jacobson’s findings without doing a similar analysis. The record-breaking streak comes as the Biden administration prepares to distribute $7 billion in grants for rooftop and community solar projects. EPA estimates that the Solar for All program will deliver the benefits of 4 gigawatts of new solar power to low-income households, writes Jean Chemnick. Too much of a good thing? The Solar for All grants include $250 million for California to expand residential solar in low-income and disadvantaged communities. But California’s solar panels sometimes make more energy than the grid can handle, leading state regulators to shift away from rooftop solar rebates and toward incentives that encourage homeowners to invest in home batteries. State lawmakers are also grappling with their constituents’ high electric bills — partly driven by solar programs (as well as spending to prevent utility-sparked wildfires and upgrade grid infrastructure). California state Rep. Joe Patterson, a Republican, told POLITICO’s Power Switch that the state’s solar success “comes on the shoulders of insanely high increases in utility rates for every Californian.” Even though solar is usually the cheapest long-term energy source, Patterson says “there's a big upfront cost” to install solar panels. And when the grid operator has to curtail — or, essentially, throw away — excess solar power, that can also lead to increased electricity bills. California's average residential energy price has risen 11 percent since 2023 while the nationwide average fell, according to DOE data. Despite the price tag, Patterson is happy with California’s record renewable output: “It's nice to see renewable energy infrastructure continue to increase. I mean, nobody's really against that. How could you be?”   It's Tuesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Francisco "A.J." Camacho. Arianna will be back soon! Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to acamacho@eenews.net. Listen to today’s POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy’s podcast: Marie French and Ry Rivard break down the cancellation of three major offshore wind projects in New York and what it means for President Joe Biden’s energy agenda.   THE GOLD STANDARD OF ENERGY POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries, like energy, equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists. Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other. Our energy reporting team—including Ben Lefebvre, Alex Guillen and Kelsey Tamborrino—is embedded with the market-moving legislative committees and agencies in Washington and across states, delivering unparalleled coverage of energy policy and the energy industry. We bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY.     This is climate change A public health worker fumigates an area of Buenos Aires, Argentina, earlier this month as part of a campaign against mosquitoes that can transmit dengue, a potentially fatal disease. | Natacha Pisarenko/AP Five million: That’s how many people have contracted dengue fever this year, according to the Pan American Health Organization. Climate-driven epidemics of dengue fever are sweeping the Americas, with more people falling ill in the first three months of 2024 than all of 2023 — which was previously the worst year on record. Public health experts say an unseasonably warm winter is the main culprit. These numbers are only expected to grow in the coming years as climate change expands the breeding grounds of the mosquitoes that carry the potentially fatal disease. A 2023 University of Michigan paper projected climate change will increase average annual dengue infections in Brazilian cities by 20 percent over the next 30 years. Power Centers Ruben Gomez takes a break after clearing away some of the mud and flood debris that engulfed his parents' home in San Diego earlier this year. | Gregory Bull/AP Flood(proof)ing the market The Department of Housing and Urban Development is now requiring that homes built or repaired with federal aid be constructed at least 2 feet above flood levels, Thomas Frank writes. HUD and the industry agree that the policy, designed to protect against future flooding damages, will increase building costs. Warden of the wetlands The White House pledged Tuesday to restore and protect a total of 8 million acres of wetlands over the next six years, Miranda Willson writes. A Supreme Court decision last year dumped Clean Water Act protections for 60 percent of the nation’s wetlands. The vow is part of a flurry of environmental goals and actions the Biden administration is undertaking during Earth Week. In Other News Speed racing: Formula E, Formula 1’s all-electric counterpart, is a low-volume, high-speed car race that highlights the challenges — and potential — of the electric vehicle transition. Accepting the future: A report from multidisciplinary experts and politicians recommends evacuation routes and relocation procedures for future climate refugees. Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. The Marshall Steam Station coal power plant operates March 3 near Mooresville, North Carolina. | Chris Carlson/AP As coal use declines and supporters like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell retire, the industry is hoping to keep its influence in Congress — especially with the GOP. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday approved its proposed rule to streamline the environmental review process for advanced nuclear reactors. The Department of Energy is expected to soon release several road maps on AI and the power grid. Artificial intelligence could help make the grid more efficient, but the technology is also contributing to rising electricity demand. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra called U.S. hospitals “one major collective power plant” that could set an example for cutting pollution and switching to renewable energy. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.   POLITICO IS BACK AT THE 2024 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO will again be your eyes and ears at the 27th Annual Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles from May 5-8 with exclusive, daily, reporting in our Global Playbook newsletter. Suzanne Lynch will be on the ground covering the biggest moments, behind-the-scenes buzz and on-stage insights from global leaders in health, finance, tech, philanthropy and beyond. Get a front-row seat to where the most interesting minds and top global leaders confront the world’s most pressing and complex challenges — subscribe today.       Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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