SB 100

SB 100
Name	SB 100
Enacted by	California State Legislature
Enacted	2018
Effective	2045
Status	Active

SB 100 SB 100 is a 2018 California statute that set an ambitious statewide target for procuring renewable and zero-carbon electricity for the California Independent System Operator balancing area and for retail sellers in California. The law established a trajectory for renewable portfolio standards linking short-term procurement with long-term decarbonization goals and intersected with policy developments in California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission, and regional planning efforts in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council. SB 100 influenced utility planning, market design, and state-level climate policy debates involving stakeholders such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, and the California Air Resources Board.

Background

SB 100 emerged amid a series of state statutes and regulatory decisions dating back to the California Renewables Portfolio Standard of 2002 and subsequent amendments like the 2015 expansion linked to Assembly Bill 32 frameworks. Policymakers cited precedents in renewable procurement from entities including Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and procurement trends influenced by federal developments such as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and regional market constructs like the Western Energy Imbalance Market. The bill was crafted against the backdrop of landmark climate-related rulings and reports issued by bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and was debated in committees frequented by staff from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Union of Concerned Scientists, and industry groups such as the Edison Electric Institute.

Provisions

SB 100 codified a target requiring that retail sellers and the balancing authority achieve 60 percent procurement of eligible renewable energy resources by 2030 and a statewide goal of 100 percent zero-carbon electricity by 2045. The statute defined eligible resources drawing on criteria developed by the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission, including specific treatment for large hydroelectric facilities and contracts for biogas and geothermal resources. SB 100 directed state agencies to coordinate integrated resource planning with entities like the California Independent System Operator and required reporting and oversight mechanisms aligned with obligations under laws such as Senate Bill 350 and Assembly Bill 398. The measure included provisions for procurement flexibility, reliability assessments, and recognition of regional transmission planning involving organizations such as the California ISO Board and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council.

Legislative History

Introduced in 2018 by a state legislator, the bill underwent committee review in the California State Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications and the California Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy, where it was amended following hearings featuring testimony from representatives of Sierra Club, Calpine Corporation, and municipal utilities like the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Floor debates referenced past legislative efforts including SB 350 and AB 32, and the bill passed both houses during the 2018 session before receiving gubernatorial signature. Amendments during markup sessions addressed procurement definitions, timelines, and reporting requirements, with staff analyses from the Legislative Analyst's Office and fiscal comments from the California Department of Finance informing deliberations.

Support and Opposition

Supporters included environmental advocacy organizations such as Greenpeace USA, Sierra Club, and Natural Resources Defense Council, renewable industry groups including the American Wind Energy Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association, and major investor-owned utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric Company publicly engaged in planning. Labor unions including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers participated in negotiations focused on workforce provisions. Opponents raised concerns voiced by groups like the California Manufacturers & Technology Association and some trade associations representing fossil-fuel interests, with utilities such as Southern California Gas Company and energy producers like Chevron Corporation emphasizing grid reliability, resource adequacy, and cost impacts. Utility-scale developers, municipal utilities including Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and tribal representatives contributed a range of positions during the legislative process.

Implementation and Impact

Implementation required coordinated action by the California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, and the California Air Resources Board to align procurement rules, integrated resource planning, and emissions accounting. Utilities adjusted long-term procurement plans and entered contracts with suppliers including NextEra Energy-affiliated projects and Ormat Technologies geothermal facilities; distributed generation and storage deployments accelerated with involvement from companies like Tesla, Inc. and Sunrun. The law influenced transmission planning involving the California Independent System Operator and regional entities including the Bonneville Power Administration and spurred workforce development initiatives coordinated with the California Workforce Development Board. Early analyses by organizations such as the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory examined SB 100's implications for reliability, wholesale prices, and emissions trajectories, while municipal and cooperative utilities incorporated the 2045 goal into local planning.

Legal Challenges and Litigation

Legal challenges to SB 100 centered on administrative and statutory interpretation questions brought by industry groups and municipal interests citing statutory preemption, compliance burdens, and environmental review procedures managed by agencies such as the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission. Lawsuits filed in California Superior Court and appeals considered issues related to the California Environmental Quality Act and procurement authority, with petitions from trade associations and public power entities prompting judicial review. Courts assessed standing and justiciability while reviewing agency rulemakings that operationalized SB 100, and litigation outcomes influenced subsequent regulatory guidance and compliance timelines issued by state agencies.

Category:California statutes