Barriers and Solutions to Building Clean Energy in California

To meet its 2045 clean energy goals, California must roughly triple its energy capacity, but faces significant barriers in grid infrastructure, interconnection processes, and land use. The document proposes solutions such as grid-enhancing technologies, interconnection reforms with equity considerations, and incentivizing clean energy on built environments or disturbed lands.

• California must approximately triple its current energy capacity to reach its 2045 clean energy targets, and while sufficient projects are planned, development is stalled by three main bottlenecks.
• Transmission and grid infrastructure have not evolved at the same pace as the clean energy transition, with new transmission projects potentially taking over ten years to complete. Proposed solutions include using grid-enhancing technologies like power flow controllers and dynamic line ratings to increase capacity more quickly.
• The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) faces a large backlog of projects in its interconnection queue, most of which are clean energy and storage. While CAISO is reforming the process to prioritize viable projects, the document argues for more equity considerations, such as alternative tracks for projects owned by disadvantaged communities or Tribal groups.
• Siting clean energy infrastructure often conflicts with agriculture, conservation, and community needs, leading to local opposition and cumbersome permitting. The document suggests utilizing virtual power plants, brownfields, and warehouse rooftops to reduce land requirements.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2024). Barriers and Solutions to Building Clean Energy in California. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/Barriers-and-Solutions-Clean-Energy-CA.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Barriers and Solutions to Building Clean Energy in California. 2024. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/Barriers-and-Solutions-Clean-Energy-CA.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Barriers and Solutions to Building Clean Energy in California |date=March 2024 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/Barriers-and-Solutions-Clean-Energy-CA.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2024barriers, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Barriers and Solutions to Building Clean Energy in California}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2024}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/Barriers-and-Solutions-Clean-Energy-CA.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }