Energy Insiders - a RenewEconomy Podcast How the world's fourth biggest economy plans to reach 100 pct clean energy
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Mar 13, 2026 David Hochschild, chair of the California Energy Commission and a policymaker driving California’s clean energy transition. He discusses California’s path from ~70% to 100% clean electricity, policy tools like procurement mandates, offshore wind and port investments, EV and charger rollout, storage and grid planning, and managing the decline of gas and refineries.
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States Drive The Energy Transition
- State-level authority drove California's clean energy progress despite federal hostility.
- David Hochschild highlights SB100 and state powers (codes, interconnection, tax credits) as the engine while calling Trump's rollbacks temporary.
Centralised Commission Bundles Decarbonisation Tools
- A single agency can coordinate codes, R&D, siting and community programs to accelerate decarbonisation.
- The California Energy Commission runs building codes, $150m/yr R&D, siting, EV charging and tribal energy programs.
Use Binding Procurement Rules With Penalties
- Force utilities to procure clean energy with enforceable targets and penalties.
- Hochschild cites SB100 requiring utilities to meet 100% clean electricity and pay fines if they fail, and says all utilities are currently compliant.