15 Jun 2026 3 min read VPP

NEWS CODEX: California Petroleum Reserve; Oakland Coal Terminal; Renewables Curtailments

1M+ Customers Have Connected Solar to PG&E's Grid: "PG&E has recently focused on virtual power plant deployment. In July it executed the largest-ever coordinated demand response test, with its VPP delivering 535 MW for two hours. In February, PG&E and Sunrun completed a hyperlocal VPP deployment, using the storage-plus-solar systems of Sunrun customers to '[export] energy to alleviate local grid constraints, with the goal of helping PG&E avoid or defer distribution upgrades,' Sunrun said." UTILITY DIVE
Another California Refinery Closure Will Threaten National and Global Economies: "Three of the largest ports in America are in California. Los Angeles and Long Beach in Southern California, and Oakland in Northern California. It is important to note that these ports cannot handle large volumes of imported fuel due to infrastructure limitations. This is because California’s in-state refineries were designed to meet California’s fuel requirements. With the current refineries that have shut down and the potential for additional refineries shutting down, both military and our civilian airports are put at extreme risk due to those port infrastructure limitations." ENERGY NEWS BEAT
California's Hot Rock Summer: "California is the nation’s geothermal leader, producing more than two thirds of geothermal electricity in 2025. But geothermal still represents a small share, about five percent, of the state’s overall electricity generation." POLITICO
California Bragging – Misleadingly Accurate: "...achieving the 90% clean energy required by law by 2035 would require providing 100% clean energy for approximately 7,884 hours, an increase of approximately 6,000 hours over the 10-year period, more than double the recent pace of 'clean energy' hour increases. This would require a significant increase in solar and wind generation and more than doubling current battery storage capacity to displace the current electricity imports." CLIMATE CHANGE CONUNDRUM
California Petroleum Reserve Under Discussion in Response to Energy Security Concerns: "The Trump administration is considering creating a petroleum reserve in California after a proposal from Sable Offshore Corp. The company proposed a West Coast Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed that there is 'active dialogue' on the issue, according to E&E News. The administration cited the state’s strategic military importance, geographic isolation from major domestic energy networks, and increasing dependence on imported crude oil. A reserve would require a major expansion of oil infrastructure in California." CALIFORNIA ENERGY JOURNAL
California Supreme Court Declines to Hear Rooftop Solar Billing Case: "The high court’s decision means a lower court ruling from March will stand. That decision, issued by the California Court of Appeals, upheld a California Public Utilities Commission policy that sharply scaled back grid export rates paid to residential solar customers, known as net energy metering (NEM 3.0)." PV MAGAZINE
CPUC Finalizes Community Solar Scheme, CLASS Argues Program is "Destined for Continued Failure": "The ongoing debates around community solar in California follow a decision made by the US Environmental Protection Agency to cancel the US$7 billion Solar For All programme, which was established under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act to fund access to solar projects for close to one million low-income US households. California, in particular, was set to receive US$249 million in Solar For All financing." PV TECH
Even $75M from Trump May Not Save Oakland's Embattled Coal Terminal: "Ben Eichenberg, an attorney with the San Francisco Baykeeper, an environmental group in the Bay Area, said that terminal construction 'really hasn’t gone anywhere because there’s no money to build' the facility. 'The Trump administration stepping in and saying they’re going to supply that money gives it a new lifeline,' he said. 'This terminal project was drowning, and they’ve just been thrown the life preserver.'" GRIST
Visualizing California Renewables Curtailments: "April 2026 was an all-time record for renewables curtailment in California. 1.46 million MWhs. That’s a lot. Equivalent to 18% of all grid-scale wind and solar generation for the month." ENERGY AT HAAS
What's Really Going on With Tahoe's Power Situation? "An investor-owned utility company serving tens of thousands of Lake Tahoe residents in California is seeking a new power supplier starting next year, with customers left in limbo about who that might be. Liberty Utilities services approximately 50,000 customers across the Tahoe Basin - including North and South Lake Tahoe as well as parts of Truckee. The California-based company sources its energy from Nevada. A portion comes from solar facilities, but the majority is purchased through another investor-owned utility, NV Energy, which will stop supplying Liberty after May 2027." CAP RADIO

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