California Shares Best Practices Integrating Renewable Energy and Clean Transportation Policies with China
Building off of the Clean Energy Ministerial 7 and the Subnational Clean Energy Ministerial gatherings, California sent a state delegation to Beijing, China, last week to participate in the United States-China Climate-Leaders Summit and Power Sector Reforms dialogue.
California Energy Commission Chair Robert B. Weisenmiller led the delegation, which included representatives from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
The China trip helps support Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s initiatives to expand trade and collaborate on efforts to combat climate change and advance clean energy.
During the visit, Weisenmiller shared California’s experience integrating large amounts of central-scale variable and intermittent renewable energy resources into the state’s century-old electric system. He discussed the challenges and actions California is taking to address them, such as regionalizing the state’s wholesale power market and electric transmission system operations throughout the western United States.
Weisenmiller also participated in a series of conversations with China State Grid and the National Energy Administration about California’s experiences implementing structural reforms to the states power sector, including electric utility revenue decoupling, deregulation and electric system planning. China is very interested in reforming its power sector to enhance electric system planning capabilities, assist in integrating renewable energy resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and improve the economic efficiency of China’s power markets.
Representatives from CARB and the Governor’s Office of Planning of Research spoke on a panel about California’s low-carbon transportation policy successes, such as developing public transportation systems and vehicle emission performance standards.
The delegation met with representatives from the Chinese Huadian Corporation to discuss California’s clean energy markets and regulatory landscape. They also met with officials from the Department of Climate Change within the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission and the Municipality of Beijing to solidify the state’s clean energy and climate change cooperation with China.
