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| SB 350 | |
|---|---|
| Title | SB 350 |
| Enacted by | California State Senate |
| Status | Active |
| Introduced | 2015 |
| Enacted | 2015 |
| Sponsors | Ellen Corbett, Kevin de León |
| Summary | Clean energy and emissions targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency |
SB 350 is a 2015 California statute that set statewide targets for renewable energy procurement and increased energy efficiency, particularly in the electricity and transportation sectors. It amended prior legislation to expand renewable portfolio standards and codified efficiency goals affecting utilities, regulators, and stakeholders across California. The law influenced policy debates involving legislators, regulatory agencies, environmental organizations, utilities, and legal advocates.
SB 350 was introduced into the California State Senate amid ongoing reform efforts following earlier statutes such as AB 32 (California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006), SB 1078 (2002), and SB 2 (2011). The bill was shaped during deliberations involving committees including the Senate Appropriations Committee (California), the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee (California), and the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. Key legislative actors included sponsor Kevin de León, Democratic leadership such as Darrell Steinberg, and governors including Jerry Brown (California governor). Regulatory bodies relevant to the bill’s implementation included the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission. The law intersected with regional initiatives like the Western Electricity Coordinating Council planning and federal policies overseen by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Major provisions expanded the California Renewables Portfolio Standard by setting a 50 percent renewable procurement target by a specified year and codified a doubling of the state's energy efficiency goal in electricity and natural gas sectors. The bill amended statutes related to planning frameworks administered by the California Air Resources Board and the California Public Utilities Commission. It included directives affecting investor-owned utilities such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric as well as municipal utilities like the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The statute addressed integrated resource planning, grid modernization efforts that involved entities like California Independent System Operator, and transportation fuel measures connected to policies from California Energy Commission and California Air Resources Board programs.
Proponents argued the statute would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with goals from AB 32 (California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006), improve air quality in regions such as the Los Angeles Basin, and stimulate investment in sectors represented by companies like NextEra Energy and SunPower Corporation. Economic assessments referenced modeling used by organizations such as the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and impacts on markets monitored by the California ISO. Opponents raised concerns about effects on ratepayers served by utilities including Pacific Gas and Electric Company and on industries represented by trade associations like the California Manufacturers & Technology Association. Analyses by think tanks and institutions such as the Public Policy Institute of California and Resources for the Future examined job creation, capital expenditures, and wholesale electricity price dynamics.
Implementation relied on rulemaking from the California Public Utilities Commission, planning and enforcement mechanisms at the California Energy Commission, and emissions accounting by the California Air Resources Board. Compliance involved procurement filings by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric and oversight by local entities including the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. Integration with regional transmission planning included coordination with the California Independent System Operator and participation in Western grid initiatives like the Western Electricity Coordinating Council. Financial incentives and market mechanisms tied to the law involved entities such as the California Public Employees' Retirement System for investment considerations and private developers represented by SolarCity and other renewable project firms.
Support came from environmental organizations including the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Environmental Defense Fund, as well as labor groups such as the California Federation of Labor. Business and utility positions varied: large investor-owned utilities engaged in negotiations, while trade groups like the California Chamber of Commerce and California Manufacturers & Technology Association voiced caution. Local governments, including the City of Los Angeles and counties across the state, advocated through municipal utility channels such as the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Federal actors including members of the United States Congress from California weighed in during broader debates about state versus federal energy regulation.
Post-enactment litigation engaged state courts and administrative proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission. Challenges invoked statutory interpretation and preemption arguments previously appearing in cases involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and state renewable mandates. Parties in litigation included utilities, trade associations, and advocacy groups such as Cleveland National Forest Foundation-style litigants and national organizations that have contested similar statutes in other jurisdictions.
The law has been credited with accelerating renewable deployment and influencing subsequent legislation and executive actions in California, including successor bills and regulatory orders from the California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission. It shaped market signals for companies like First Solar, Sunrun, and Tesla, Inc. and informed policy discussions in other states and regional bodies such as the Western Governors' Association. Academic assessments in journals and analyses by institutions including the University of California, Berkeley and the Brookings Institution have examined its long-term impacts on emissions trajectories, grid resilience, and economic outcomes. Category:California statutes