California must go bold on offshore wind

OPINION – California is a global leader in tackling climate change and developing clean energy, helping drive economic growth while reducing emissions to create a cleaner, healthier tomorrow. We are now at a critical juncture to accelerate our climate and clean energy progress just as we faced at the outset of our world leading policy in Assembly Bill (AB) 32. This summer, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) faces a pivotal choice that could make or break the next clean energy industry – offshore wind.

For decades, California has spurred innovation and growth in clean energy technology through legislation and bold action. In 2002, AB 1493, was the first bill to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars. In 2006, I authored AB 32, a bill championed and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that created a multi-sector approach to substantially reduce pollution. These were all difficult measures to move forward due to fears over costs and technology risk, but now, because of policy initiatives like these and the landmark Senate Bill (SB) 100, solar and energy storage are booming and low-emission cars are dominating the market.

Our state’s leaders understand that meeting our climate goals will require continued deployment of large-scale, complementary, clean energy technologies like offshore wind. This includes offshore wind, which can capture the strong, steady winds off California’s coast and deliver massive amounts of clean energy to the grid. Offshore wind is an abundant, reliable and proven technology necessary for diversifying California’s energy portfolio to maintain reliability and ensure a smooth transition to 100% clean energy.

In 2023, California took a significant step forward to develop clean energy technology with the passage of AB 1373, establishing a central procurement mechanism to most affordably and efficiently jumpstart the state’s offshore wind market. Like previous policies that spurred investment and economic growth in electric vehicles and clean energy, AB 1373 is a vital tool for establishing the Golden State’s offshore wind industry.

Now, the CPUC must act to implement the law. For California to meet its clean energy goals while maintaining reliability and affordability, the CPUC should set a clear course for procuring 10 GW of offshore wind by 2035.

Offshore wind requires significant infrastructure upgrades, like ports and transmission, and has long development lead times, necessitating that California buy bulk power to balance infrastructure costs across more projects and to keep rates affordable. If the CPUC signals that California will only seek to procure a small amount of offshore wind, it will neither provide the foundation to support the required infrastructure investment nor drive down costs on future projects.

Planning towards 10 GW by 2035 reaches a critical tipping point where offshore wind would take off, creating thousands of jobs and the promise of new in-state manufacturing, all while combating the growing threats of climate change. And Californians won’t pay for the power until these projects are online and delivering clean, reliable energy to homes and businesses across the state.

Our state’s leaders have understood that sending market signals for investment and innovation in clean energy is how California can reduce emissions while growing our economy. It worked for lower-emissions vehicles and onshore clean energy technologies, and it can work for offshore wind too, but only if the CPUC embraces this opportunity in its upcoming decision.

This is the moment when we can take a clear step forward to go big on a major climate and clean energy reliability technology that is proliferating all over the globe and can provide a huge benefit to our communities and for all Californians. With our track record of success, this is a winning proposition.

Fran Pavley is Environmental Policy Director for the USC Schwarzenegger Institute and a former California State Legislator.