As California's 2025 legislative session comes to a close, state lawmakers have several advanced energy bills to consider. United's Edson Perez spoke with POLITICO about how, if passed, these bills could increase affordability, expand access to renewables, and modernize the state's overall grid.
Topics: State Policy, United In The News, California
Canary Media reports on the potential funding cuts to California's Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) virtual power plant (VPP) program, which has proven highly cost-effective and reduces reliance on fossil-fueled power plants. United's Edson Perez stated that VPPs are vital for the state to enhance grid reliability, increase affordability, and meet rising load growth.
Topics: United In The News, Economic Impact, California, Virtual Power Plants
Assembly Bills 44 and 740 advance in the Senate
Topics: Press Releases, California, Virtual Power Plants
Utility Dive reports that California Gov. Newsom approved a $321 billion state budget that cut about $18 million in previously allocated grid reliability programs and deferred future funding decisions, leaving them in limbo as heat waves strain the grid and federal support is cut back. United''s Edson Perez says the state cannot keep deferring on tough decisions and that programs like the Demand Side Grid Support and Distributed Electricity Backup Assets should be stregthened and not scaled back.
Topics: United In The News, California
Engineering News-Record reports that California is set to become home to the world's largest solar-plus-storage project, as Intersect Power's Darden project moves forward. United's Brian Turner says that projects like Darden help build a more reliable, affordable, and resilient grid by delivering clean power day and night.
Topics: United In The News, California, Brian Turner
Despite some progress, California leaders largely sidestep their commitment to critical clean energy and clean air programs.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, the legislature passed a 3-party deal on the 2025-26 state budget. While this budget includes some necessary investments in clean transportation, it defers decisions on most Proposition 4 and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund investments until later in the year.
Topics: Press Releases, California
Canary Media reports on California's Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) program, facing over $100 million in proposed budget cuts, putting the future of virtual power plants at risk. United's Edson Perez cautioned that repeated funding cuts undermines California's efforts to keep the lights on during grid emergencies.
Topics: State Policy, United In The News, California, Virtual Power Plants
SB 540 now heads to the Assembly, continuing the momentum for greater collaboration across the West
SACRAMENTO, CA— The California Senate passed Senate Bill 540 today with a bipartisan vote. National business association Advanced Energy United, along with a diverse set of coalition partners, is encouraged by the continued momentum on this issue.
Topics: Press Releases, Western RTO, California
AB 740 aimed at implementing Virtual Power Plant projects statewide at scale.
SACRAMENTO, CA— Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) could save Californians $550 million per year in energy costs —$500 million of which could go directly to customers who participate, and another $50 million in system-wide ratepayer savings. VPPs are networks of distributed energy resources, such as smart thermostats, home batteries, and electric vehicles, that work together to shift demand and deliver clean, affordable, and reliable power to the grid.
AB 740, authored by Assemblymember John Harabedian, would accelerate the deployment of virtual power plants (VPPs). The bill directs the California Energy Commission to study the potential of VPPs and develop a statewide implementation plan to deploy VPPs at scale.
Topics: Press Releases, California
AB 44, a bill designed to streamline utility use of distributed energy resources, passed the California Assembly with bipartisan support
SACRAMENTO, CA— California homes and businesses are one step closer to achieving lower energy bills as the State Assembly passed Assembly Bill (AB) 44 with bipartisan support. AB 44, authored by Assemblymember Nick Schultz, is designed to lower energy costs and improve grid reliability by streamlining processes for utilities to use demand-side technologies like virtual power plants (VPPs) to reduce electricity use during peak demand.
Topics: Press Releases, California