California Energy Journal Weekly

For the week of September 23, 2025 to September 29, 2025

This weekly newsletter highlights the latest from the California Energy Journal along with links to articles and analysis on key developments in California energy policy.

From the California Energy Journal

CARB Publishes Preliminary List of Entities Subject to Climate Reporting (September 29, 2025) – The California Air Resources Board (CARB) published a preliminary list of the entities that might have to report climate emissions and climate risks starting in 2026. CARB listed 4,160 companies and is asking for feedback from entities that believe they may be subject to these requirements, or may qualify for an exemption. Read more.

California and Kenya Join in Climate Partnership (September 26, 2025) – California and Kenya have joined a new partnership on climate, the environment, and international trade. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kenyan officials during “Climate Week” in New York. Read more.

California and Brazil Expand Climate Partnership (September 24, 2025) – California and Brazil are expanding their partnership to cooperate on climate, clean energy, cutting pollution, and job-creating climate opportunities. California and Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the sidelines of a United Nations meeting, establishing a framework for information sharing and collaboration on climate policy. Read more.

CPUC Approves SCE 9% Rate Increase for Wildfire and Infrastructure Investments (September 23, 2025) – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a more than 9% increase in rates for Southern California Edison customers for 2025 through 2028. The new rates take effect on October 1, 2025. Read more.

Additional News

Climate Policy

• China led several countries in announcing new climate plans. Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a live video message from Beijing that by 2035 his country would cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 7%-10% from its peak. Reuters (September 24, 2025).

• China’s new climate pledge “falls well short” and will make it harder to reach global targets to slow climate change, the European Union’s climate chief said. Reuters (September 25, 2025).

• The U.N.’s top climate official urged the world to turn promises into practical solutions. Reuters (September 22, 2025).

• President Donald Trump dismissed climate change as “the greatest con job” in the world during his address to the United Nations General Assembly. Reuters (September 23, 2025).

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom lambasted President Trump after the president called climate change “a con job.” “What an abomination. What an embarrassment. What a fraud,” Newsom said. The Hill (September 24, 2025).

• California Attorney General Rob Bonta said California would continue to sue the Trump administration over its deregulatory actions on environmental rules and was also looking at more lawsuits connected to deception around plastic recycling. Reuters (September 24, 2025).

• A new study shows California can go carbon-free mostly using current and emerging solutions, but it will need to more than double its electricity generation capacity to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. Stanford Report (September 25, 2025).

Renewable Energy

• China’s top province for solar panels, Shandong, plans to accelerate the development of other renewables and battery storage to deal with a glut of midday electricity. Bloomberg (September 22, 2025).

• The Trump administration’s rapid retreat from renewable energy has kicked off consolidation and asset sales among smaller U.S. solar and wind power companies. Reuters (September 26, 2025).

• Global renewable energy investment reached $2 trillion last year, twice fossil fuel spending, with renewables often cheaper. AP (September 22, 2025).

• U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says the department will return more than $13 billion in unobligated funds initially appropriated to “advance the previous Administration’s wasteful Green New Scam agenda.” DOE (September 24, 2025).

Carbon Emissions

• The California Air Resources Board proposed additional rules to its Landfill Methane Regulation, which requires landfills to install gas collection and control systems to minimize emissions. Politico (September 24, 2025); CARB (September 23, 2025).

• China will need to boost green investment by 40% to 3.5 trillion yuan per year through the end of the decade to achieve its goal to cut carbon intensity by 65% by 2030 from 2005. Bloomberg (September 23, 2025).

Federal Policy

• The Department of Justice is soliciting public comments on state laws that adversely affect the national economy or interstate commerce along with suggested solutions that could address such effects. E&E News (September 25, 2025). Federal Register (August 15, 2025).

Critical Minerals

• The Trump administration is seeking an equity stake of as much as 10% in Lithium Americas as it renegotiates terms of the company’s $2.26 billion Energy Department loan for its Thacker Pass lithium project with General Motors. Reuters (September 23, 2025).

• The California State Mining and Geology Board (SMGB) voted to initiate pre-rulemaking activities to define the term “critical mineral” under state regulations. The definition is intended to support California’s clean-energy transition. Hunton (September 24, 2025).

• G7 members and the EU are considering price floors to promote rare earth production, as well as taxes on some Chinese exports. Reuters (September 24, 2025).

EVs

• CARB voted to repeal the state’s zero-emission mandate for private vehicle fleets and delayed purchasing rules for publicly owned fleets until 2030 amid concerns they could hamper emergency response efforts. Politico (September 25, 2025).

• Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) made up nearly 23% of new medium- and heavy-duty truck sales in California in 2024. This was more than double the state’s target and the highest total of ZEV sales ever reported for trucks, according to CARB data. Governor’s office (September 23, 2025).

Storage

• The U.S. energy storage sector remains optimistic after a turbulent year marked by increased regulatory and tariff-related risks, according to a report from law firm Troutman Pepper Locke. Troutman (September 23, 2025).

Data Centers and AI

• U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said data center developers should provide their own energy sources if there is not enough generation available. Axios (September 26, 2025).

Nuclear

• The Department of Energy will announce at least $900 million to boost uranium enrichment in the U.S. nuclear power sector. E&E News (September 26, 2025).

Oil and Gas

• BP raised its forecasts for oil and gas demand, suggesting the global net zero target for 2050 will not be met and highlighting a slowdown in the transition to clean energy. Guardian (September 25, 2025).

• Officials at Climate Week events made a case for gas as essential for energy security and a buttress to renewables. Semafor (September 23, 2025).

• Energy Secretary Chris Wright directed the National Petroleum Council to deliver a new study to bolster oil and gas development. EE News (September 24, 2025) DOE (June 30, 2025).

• The CEC held a workshop to discuss the informational proceeding on petroleum supply stabilization, including evaluation of the refiner minimum inventory and resupply planning provisions of Assembly Bill (AB) X2-1 (Stats. 2024, 2nd Ex. Sess. 2023-2024, Ch. 1). CEC (September 24, 2025).

Coal

• The Trump administration plans to continue using emergency authority to stop coal-fired power plants from retiring, according to people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg (September 24, 2025).

• The Trump administration will expand coal mine leasing on federal lands and provide hundreds of millions of dollars to support more coal-fired power generation. Reuters (September 29, 2025).

Interesting Reads

• Michael J. Coren, “Solar tax credits are ending. Here’s why that could be good for solar.,” Washington Post, September 23, 2025.

• Emily Pontecorvo, “The Obscure Philosophical Battle That Could Reshape the Clean Energy Economy,” Heatmap, September 23, 2025.

• PODCAST: “The REAL Reason Your Energy Bills Are Crushing You - Congressman Vince Fong,” State of Gold Podcast, September 23, 2025.

• Fred Krupp, ‘Energy Dominance’ Needn’t Be Dirty, WSJ, September 24, 2025.

• Shi En Kim, “How to make electricity in the West cheaper and more reliable,” High Country News, September 25, 2025.

• “Our View: Oil permitting bill brings needed balance to state energy policies,” The Bakersfield Californian, September 27, 2025.

• Keith Goldbert, “Calif. Power Market Law Is A Clean Energy Game-Changer,” Law360, September 26, 2025.

• Yusuf Khan, “Low-Cost Clean Energy Now Trumps Politics, Says Architect of Paris Accord,” Wall Street Journal, September 26, 2025.

• Dan Walters, “Newsom’s climate warrior image is backsliding, environmental groups say,” CalMatters, September 26, 2025.

• Paul Rogers, “Lower electricity bills? Or more pollution? A new California law is sparking big debate,” The Mercury News, September 28, 2025.

• Jeff St. John, “Did California just screw up the largest virtual power plant in the US?,” Canary Media, September 29, 2025.

• Nathan Risser and Eliyahu Kamisher, “Newsom Courts Big Oil as Gas Prices Threaten Political Ambitions,” Bloomberg, September 29, 2025.