<![CDATA[California Energy Journal: Renewables]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/s/renewableshttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9Kac!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5320955a-6683-4988-ace6-49352322dc6e_96x96.pngCalifornia Energy Journal: Renewableshttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/s/renewablesSubstackSun, 24 May 2026 17:15:04 GMT<![CDATA[CEC Subpoenas Golden State Wind Over Federal Lease Buyout]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cec-subpoenas-golden-state-wind-overhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cec-subpoenas-golden-state-wind-overMon, 11 May 2026 15:20:00 GMTThe California Energy Commission (CEC) issued an administrative investigative subpoena to Golden State Wind LLC on May 4, 2026, seeking records on its agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior to abandon its offshore wind lease off the Central Coast of California.

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Golden State Wind LLC agreed to voluntarily end Lease OCS-P 0564 in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area and to forego future offshore wind development in exchange for a repayment of $120 million in lease fees. The company will receive the payment after it makes equal oil and gas investment outside of California.

California is evaluating potential legal action related to the lease buyouts, marking a significant escalation in tensions between California and the Trump administration over energy policy and offshore wind development along the Pacific Coast.

Golden State’s lease buyout is part of the Trump administration policy to stop offshore wind energy development. In January 2025, President Donald Trump temporarily withdrew the Federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from offshore wind leasing and calls for a review of the Federal government’s leasing and permitting practices for wind energy projects. In August 2025, the Trump administration issued a series of orders to end offshore wind leasing in U.S. federal waters. A group of states challenged these actions.

The investigation over the lease buyout indicates the growing concern within California that federal actions could undermine the state’s long-term clean energy and climate objectives. Offshore wind is part of the CEC’s strategic plan to meet the state’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045. That plan calls for two to five gigawatts (GW) of floating offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045.

Golden State Wind had planned a 2-gigawatt offshore wind project in the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area capable of supplying electricity to approximately 1.1 million homes. The project was one of five offshore wind developments proposed for California federal waters. The lease areas were part of the Biden administration’s national target of 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030.

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]]><![CDATA[CPUC Orders 6,000 MW of New Clean Energy and Storage Procurement Through 2032]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cpuc-orders-6000-mw-of-new-cleanhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cpuc-orders-6000-mw-of-new-cleanWed, 11 Mar 2026 15:31:00 GMTThe California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a major electricity procurement decision requiring utilities and other retail electricity providers to secure 6,000 megawatts (MW) of new clean energy and storage capacity between 2030 and 2032. The procurement decision aims to accelerate project development before federal clean-energy tax incen…

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]]><![CDATA[Regulators Reject PG&E’s Proposal to Exit Ivanpah Solar Contracts, Keeping Solar Facility Online]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/regulators-reject-pg-and-es-proposalhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/regulators-reject-pg-and-es-proposalMon, 08 Dec 2025 21:43:00 GMTThe California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) rejected a proposal by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to terminate its long-term power purchase agreements with the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Station. The decision keeps the high-profile solar-thermal facility operating despite federal support for closing it.

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The CPUC denied PG&E’s request to end cont…

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]]><![CDATA[Trump Administration Cancels $1.2 Billion for California Hydrogen Hub]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/trump-administration-cancels-12-billionhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/trump-administration-cancels-12-billionFri, 03 Oct 2025 19:43:00 GMTThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cancelled $1.2 billion in federal funding for California’s hydrogen hub, known as the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES). The move is part of the Trump administration’s cancellation of $7.6 billion in grants for 223 clean energy projects in 16 states.

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California’s hydrogen hub is a public-pri…

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]]><![CDATA[Humboldt Offshore Wind Hit by Funding Withdrawals]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/humboldt-offshore-wind-hit-by-fundinghttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/humboldt-offshore-wind-hit-by-fundingThu, 04 Sep 2025 22:13:21 GMTThe Trump administration is terminating and withdrawing $679 million in funding for 12 offshore wind projects, including a marine terminal project on the coast in Humboldt, California. The Humboldt Bay Heavy Lift Terminal had the largest withdrawal in federal support at almost $427 million. The funding cancellation largely targeted ports and staging are…

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]]><![CDATA[Treasury Reduces Solar and Wind Projects Eligible for Remaining Tax Credits]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/treasury-reduces-solar-and-wind-projectshttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/treasury-reduces-solar-and-wind-projectsWed, 20 Aug 2025 01:24:40 GMTThe Treasury Department made it more difficult for wind and solar projects to be eligible for energy tax credits that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) repealed. The beginning construction requirement under the energy tax credits for wind and solar projects will depend on work actually performed rather than on costs.

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New Treasury Department guidance …

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]]><![CDATA[California Supreme Court Orders New Review of NEM 3.0 Rooftop Solar Policy]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/california-supreme-court-orders-newhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/california-supreme-court-orders-newMon, 11 Aug 2025 19:17:20 GMTThe California Supreme Court ordered a lower court to reconsider a policy decision that reduced utility payments to homeowners for electricity sent to the grid from rooftop solar panels. The court sent the regulations in California’s third iteration of its Net Energy Metering (NEM) subsidy program, known as NEM 3.0, back to the state appeals court for r…

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]]><![CDATA[Interior Implements Policies to End Federal Offshore Wind Leasing]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/interior-implements-policies-to-endhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/interior-implements-policies-to-endFri, 08 Aug 2025 20:36:33 GMTThe Trump administration issued a series of orders that effectively ended offshore wind leasing in U.S. federal waters. This included implementing policy measures to “end special treatment for unreliable energy sources, such as wind,” rescinding all designated Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), directing agencies to cons…

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]]><![CDATA[California Joins Other States in Challenging Trump on Wind Energy Halt]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/bonta-joins-other-state-attorneyhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/bonta-joins-other-state-attorneyMon, 12 May 2025 23:27:20 GMTCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta joined a coalition of state attorneys general in challenging President Donald Trump’s pause on wind energy development. The lawsuit, filed on May 5, 2025 in federal court in Massachusetts, seeks to block Trump’s directive that temporarily withdraws the Federal Outer Continental Shelf from offshore wind leasing and c…

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]]><![CDATA[Trump Withdraws OCS from Offshore Wind Leasing]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/trump-withdraw-ocs-from-offshorehttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/trump-withdraw-ocs-from-offshoreFri, 24 Jan 2025 17:48:55 GMTPresident Donald Trump issued a memorandum that temporarily withdraws the Federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from offshore wind leasing and calls for a review of the Federal government’s leasing and permitting practices for wind energy projects.

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The memorandum does not immediately affect rights under existing leases in the withdrawn areas but calls fo…

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]]><![CDATA[BOEM Releases Offshore Wind Environmental Review]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/boem-releases-offshore-wind-environmentalhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/boem-releases-offshore-wind-environmentalTue, 10 Dec 2024 20:46:28 GMTThe Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released its draft environmental impact review, analyzing the potential environmental effects of the wind energy projects in federal waters off the coast of California. The Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) is available for a 90-day public comment period beginning November 14, 2024 and …

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]]><![CDATA[Newsom Vetoes Solar Bill Benefitting Schools]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/newsom-vetoes-solar-bill-benefittinghttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/newsom-vetoes-solar-bill-benefittingMon, 14 Oct 2024 18:42:04 GMTOn September 27, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed SB 1374, which would have increased incentives for shared solar panels on apartment buildings and schools to treat them similarly to homeowners who own their rooftop panels.

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The bill would have required the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), by July 1, 2025, to revise electric rate tariffs f…

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]]><![CDATA[Legislature Passes Capacity Funding for Offshore Wind]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/legislature-passes-capacity-fundinghttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/legislature-passes-capacity-fundingWed, 04 Sep 2024 19:34:38 GMTThe California legislature passed AB 2537, which authorizes the California Energy Commission (CEC) to provide “capacity building” grants to tribes and local communities to enhance their ability to engage in the planning, development, and mitigation of offshore wind development. A lack of resources is preventing local communities from participating in of…

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]]><![CDATA[CEC Approves Plan to Purchase Offshore Wind Power]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cec-approves-plan-to-purchase-powerhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cec-approves-plan-to-purchase-powerWed, 28 Aug 2024 21:04:20 GMTThe California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a procurement plan that includes up to 7.6 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power. The decision is part of the state’s plan for centralized procurement of electricity from capital-intensive projects with long lead-times.

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In addition to offshore wind, the plan includes 1 GW of power from geothermal…

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]]><![CDATA[CEC Adopts Offshore Wind Strategic Plan]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cec-adopts-offshore-wind-strategichttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cec-adopts-offshore-wind-strategicTue, 16 Jul 2024 16:01:38 GMTThe California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted a strategic plan to guide the development of offshore wind energy off the central and northern coasts as part of the state’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045. The plan calls for two to five gigawatts (GW) of floating offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045.

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The three-volume report is the last …

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]]><![CDATA[Climate Bond with Offshore Wind Support Makes Ballot]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/climate-bond-with-offshore-wind-supporthttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/climate-bond-with-offshore-wind-supportThu, 11 Jul 2024 18:51:31 GMTA $10 billion bond for climate-related programs will be up for voter approval in the November 2024 election. On July 3, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB 867, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds to finance projects a variety of programs related to water resilience, clean energy, and climate measure. The b…

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]]><![CDATA[CPUC Rejects Net Value Billing Proposal for Community Solar]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cpuc-rejects-net-value-billing-proposalhttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cpuc-rejects-net-value-billing-proposalTue, 04 Jun 2024 21:34:00 GMTOn May 30, 2024, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to approve a revised decision on the state’s community solar program that rejects the Net Value Billing Tariff (NVBT) that a coalition of solar industry groups, ratepayer advocates, labor unions, and environmental organizations supported. The decision modifies existing “Green Acces…

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]]><![CDATA[Tribal Council and Wind Developers Reach Agreement on Morro Bay Sanctuary]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/tribal-council-and-wind-developershttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/tribal-council-and-wind-developersWed, 08 May 2024 21:10:26 GMTThe Northern Chumash Tribal Council and Morro Bay offshore wind leaseholders reached a preliminary agreement that could help wind-energy development off the central coast of California. The agreement, reached in April, would allow for a phased approach to the designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary (CHNMS) that would allow offshore…

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]]><![CDATA[Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Submit Offshore Wind Bond to Voters]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-submithttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-submitFri, 09 Feb 2024 20:47:40 GMTThree assembly members introduced a bill to submit to voters a $1 billion bond for seaport infrastructure improvements that would facilitate offshore wind energy projects off the California coast. AB 2208 would declare the intent of the legislature to enact such legislation.

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The California Energy Commission is required to develop a strategic plan for off…

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]]><![CDATA[CEC Draft Strategic Plan for Offshore Wind Reports Significant Cost Estimates]]>https://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cec-draft-strategic-plan-for-offshorehttps://www.californiaenergytransition.com/p/cec-draft-strategic-plan-for-offshoreFri, 26 Jan 2024 17:35:31 GMTThe California Energy Commission (CEC) reported that a California offshore wind industry will require significant investment for transmission and port upgrades. The report is available for public comment until March 22, 2024.

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The draft report estimated the cost of transmission upgrades ranging from $7.51 billion to $41.35 billion by 2045. It also estimat…

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