As the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, the California Energy Commission plays a critical role in creating the energy system of the future — one that is clean, resilient, reliable, and safe. Through Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) and Gas Research and Development (Gas R&D) programs, which are funded by California utility customers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission, CEC administers scientific and technological research to accelerate the transformation of the energy sector to meet the state’s energy and climate goals. The following agreements, funded through these programs, led to original, energy-related research that advances EPIC and Gas R&D goals while contributing to California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment (Fifth Assessment).
Reports
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Climate Analytics to Support Natural Gas Sector Utilities: Actionable, Responsive and Open Solutions for Historical Climate Needs in California
Climate and weather risk and hazard assessments by California’s gas utilities and the broader energy sector require high-quality historical weather observations that accurately represent local conditions. However, practitioners have faced substantial barriers to accessing consistent weather observations appropriate for use in energy systems modeling. Robust planning around historical extreme weather…
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Climate-Informed Electric Grid Modeling for California and the West
This study developed climate-informed data and analytical tools to support long-term electricity system planning in California and the broader Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). It produced climate-informed electricity demand and peak load forecasts through mid-century and optimized resource portfolios that meet California’s electric sector decarbonization goals under two different electrification…
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Climate-Informed Energy Sector Adaptation Planning Web Application via Cal-Adapt
Cal-Adapt serves a critical need for California’s investor-owned electricity and gas utilities, regulators, and state agencies by providing a trustworthy, reliable, and open-access resource for climate data, tools, analytics, and supporting documentation. This project modernized Cal-Adapt’s climate data infrastructure to meet the growing need for high-quality climate information in energy…
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Climate-Informed Modeling of Renewable Resource Capacity for California
This work seeks to create climate profiles for renewable energy generation potential to support further analysis, use in decision making by Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) and state agencies, and be utilized by associated grants. Beyond the generation, this grant will perform initial analysis on the climate profiles and demand profiles generated…
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Development of Climate Projections for California and Identification of General Use Projections
As recognized in the California Public Utility Commission’s Adaptation Rulemaking (R.18-04-019), planning for a climate-resilient electricity sector requires data that project how climate and weather may evolve. Because global climate projections are produced at coarse resolution, they must be downscaled to capture California’s complex topography and varied regional climate. This…
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Next Generation Science and Wildfire Risk Forecast Models for Enhanced Electricity Grid Resiliency (Pyregence)
California is facing growing wildfire risks that threaten communities, natural resources, and the reliability of the electric system. Hotter temperatures, longer dry seasons, and expanding development in fire prone areas have increased the likelihood of extreme wildfires that can damage electric power infrastructure, disrupt service, and raise costs for electricity…
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The Cal-Adapt: Analytics Engine – Open Climate Data and Analytics to Support Electricity Resilience in California
The Cal-Adapt: Analytics Engine project was established to advance the integration of climate science into California’s electricity sector decision-making and operations. The project’s objective was to enable utilities, regulatory agencies, and policymakers to make informed, data-driven choices that enhance the safety, reliability, and affordability of the state’s electricity system while…
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WARP to Resilience: Demonstration of Achievable, Quantified Resilience Improvements through Weather-Adapted Resource Planning
The WARP to Resilience study supports three key efforts towards electricity sector resilience: (a) build tools and science-based research for holistic energy decision-making; (b) improve understanding of climate- and weather-related risks and resilience options; and (c) integrate climate readiness into electricity system operations, tools, and models. Institutional barriers include (a)…