Transmission Planning A Boon To State's Renewable Energy Goals

California expects to gain at least 50 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. Transmission planning is vital to the success of this goal. As part of the process, the California Energy Commission has published a new tracking progress report on potential transmission expansion.

Transmission is the process of delivering energy from its source to California’s grid so that electricity can be distributed to customers throughout the state. Maintaining and expanding these pathways are crucial if the expanded use of renewable energy is to succeed.

The tracking progress report recaps the planning process needed to address future energy needs. It includes possible expansions, canceled projects, and adjustments to existing projects.

The report highlights the need to plan for the expected closure of the Aliso Canyon natural gas facility in Southern California. The Energy Commission, on behalf of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr, has recommended the closure of Aliso Canyon within 10 years and the state’s energy entities are working together to address reliability needs in the Los Angeles region.

The Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission have asked the California Independent System Operator to explore the option for increased transfer of electricity between the Pacific Northwest and California to meet the energy void expected by the phase out of the Aliso Canyon natural gas facility.

With its comprehensive planning, California provides a roadmap of how transmission resources can be employed to expand the use of clean, renewable energy. Such plans are needed for California to reach its climate change goals, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.