Advanced Energy Perspectives

Before the COVID-19 pandemic swept the states, California boasted over half a million advanced energy jobs. In just a few months time, the state lost more than 100,000 of those jobs. As policymakers now grapple with plugging a $54 billion budget deficit, keeping local communities afloat, and upholding the state’s marquee policies, the stakes could not be higher. Given uncertainty around any federal stimulus package, AEE is providing California decision makers with recommendations for actions they could take now to move the state to economic recovery, with advanced energy at its center. That’s because advanced energy is  a tried-and-true engine of economic growth, in California most of all.

On December 7, Advanced Energy Economy Institute hosted California gubernatorial hopeful John Cox for a 90-minute roundtable session with AEE member companies in San Francisco. Cox, a Republican from San Diego, spoke about his plans to limit the impact of special interests in Sacramento and attract more businesses and investment to the state.

The roundtable was the third in a series of meetings with the leading candidates for governor. Through these roundtables, we hope to learn more about each candidate's vision for the state, and we hope they will learn more about the advanced energy industry that’s growing in California.

On Nov. 9, Advanced Energy Economy Institute hosted California gubernatorial hopeful Antonio Villaraigosa for an engaging roundtable with AEE member companies in San Francisco. Coming fresh off a speaking appearance at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator the day before, Villaraigosa was energized, and spoke about the opportunity and need to expand advanced energy business growth in all parts of the state. 

The roundtable was the second in a series of meetings with all the leading candidates for governor over the next few months. Through these roundtables, we hope to learn more about each candidate's vision for the state, and we hope they will learn more about the advanced energy industry growing in California.

California has longstanding vehicle electrification goals in place. The state is actively implementing its ambitious Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate and is hoping to reach Gov. Brown’s goal of 1.5 million ZEVs on the road by 2025. While more Californians are choosing cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles, challenges remain. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) estimates that by 2030, 5 million vehicles will need to be on the road to reach the state’s greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reduction goals. Although leading nationally with at least 225,000 electric vehicles (EVs) now on the road, California falls woefully short in trajectory to meet its target. To address this challenge, AEE is co-sponsoring AB 1184, a bill authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting, which would create the California Electric Vehicle Initiative (CEVI). Modeled on the successful California Solar Initiative, which brought the solar industry to cost-competitive scale in the Golden State, CEVI aims to simultaneously tackle three critical elements of the transportation electrification equation: customer adoption, stable long-term funding, and build-out of charging infrastructure.