CalWEA & Wind Industry Articles

Today, CalWEA, together with most of California’s utility-scale renewable energy industry associations, issued joint comments in response to the California Public Utilities Commission’s draft Customer Choice “Green Book.” Among other things, the comments ask the CPUC to assess the risk that some load-serving entities will not be able to shoulder their share of the state’s renewable energy and greenhouse-gas-reduction targets in the near-term.

Today, CalWEA joined with virtually all other renewable energy trade groups in sending a letter to the Governor and Legislature regarding the urgent need to address the unlimited liability that the investor-owned utilities are facing after the wildfires, which threatens their solvency -- and, in turn, California's renewable energy and climate goals.  

CalWEA today submitted comments on the BLM's Notice of Intent to amend its Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.  CalWEA welcomed the review, given the 2016 DRECP’s unreasonable exclusion of wind energy development on BLM lands in California.  

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management today announced that it will reconsider the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), which largely prohibited wind energy development across the vast California desert.  (Also see CalWEA's map depicting that prohibition under "Reports".)

The BLM today announced that it will revisit the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP). When the draft plan was being considered, CalWEA used GIS mapping to analyze its severe impact on wind energy resources in the California desert. This map shows the large areas where wind is prohibited, and the small areas where wind is allowed (if various obstacles are cleared, which is not assured under the plan). (See DRECP-related items on news page.)

In this cover story for North American Windpower, CalWEA Executive Director Nancy Rader explains that, despite headwinds from Washington, D.C., California remains a strong market for wind energy as its value rises.  But many challenges remain, particularly in delivering regional wind energy to California and repowering 1980s-vintage turbines.

DAVIS, CA - The California Wind Energy Association applauded SB 100, legislation introduced today in Davis by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) that would put California on course to achieve 100% clean and renewable electricity by 2045, and advance the current 2030 50% renewable energy target to 2026.

This opinion-editorial, by California Energy Commissioner David Hochschild and CalWEA Executive Director Nancy Rader, argues that California should promote the revival of California's "pioneer" 1980s wind projects.

On March 15, 2017, the CAISO Board adopted a one-year extension of its PIRP Protective Measures in response to CalWEA's advocacy.  CalWEA was actively engaged in the development of the initial Participating Intermittent Resource Program (“PIRP”) in 2001 and, three years ago, the PIRP Protective Measures.  Both programs enable intermittent resources to deliver energy over the CAISO-controlled grid without undue exposure to imbalance charges and related costs.