Improving reliability and environmental justice en route to 85 percent clean electricity in California by 2030

This policy brief by Energy Innovation outlines a pathway for California to achieve 85 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030. Based on technical analysis by Telos Energy and GridLab, the document argues that this target is reliably achievable even under extreme stressors. It provides a set of 'no-regrets' policy recommendations focused on diversifying clean energy deployment, phasing out natural gas plants—particularly in disadvantaged communities—leveraging demand-side resources, and improving regional coordination across Western states.

• Technical analysis indicates that California can reliably reach 85 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030, even when facing significant stressors such as the retirement of at least one third of remaining natural gas-fired capacity, limited hydropower, constrained imports, and weather conditions similar to the August 2020 heat waves.
• To ensure environmental justice and reduce local air pollution, the CPUC, CAISO, and CEC should implement an enforceable phase-out plan for all natural gas plants, with a goal of retiring all such plants located in disadvantaged communities (DACs) by 2030 if feasible.
• The brief recommends accelerating clean energy deployment by diversifying supply-side resources, specifically mentioning offshore wind and geothermal, and reforming transmission and interconnection processes to prioritize 'shovel-ready' projects.
• Demand-side resources, including energy efficiency, rooftop solar, and demand response, are identified as critical hedges against slow supply-side deployment and as tools to replicate the reliability value provided by natural gas-fired power plants.
• Enhanced regional coordination among Western states is proposed to lower reliability costs and maximize clean energy use, including the potential expansion of CAISO across the West and the continuation of the Extended Day-Ahead Market initiative.

APA

Energy Innovation (n.d.). Improving reliability and environmental justice en route to 85 percent clean electricity in California by 2030. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/85-Percent-by-2030-for-California-Policy-One-Pager.pdf

Chicago

Energy Innovation. Improving reliability and environmental justice en route to 85 percent clean electricity in California by 2030. n.d. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/85-Percent-by-2030-for-California-Policy-One-Pager.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Energy Innovation |title=Improving reliability and environmental justice en route to 85 percent clean electricity in California by 2030 |url=https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/85-Percent-by-2030-for-California-Policy-One-Pager.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{energyinnovationndimproving, author = {{Energy Innovation}}, title = {{Improving reliability and environmental justice en route to 85 percent clean electricity in California by 2030}}, institution = {Energy Innovation}, url = {https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/85-Percent-by-2030-for-California-Policy-One-Pager.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }