NEWS CODEX: Plug-In Solar Kits; EV Rebates; Sodium-Ion BESS Factory
Avantus Signs 20-Year-Solar-Plus-Storage PPA with Clean Power Alliance: "The deal covers the Rexford 2 project in Tulare County, California, which will pair 200 MW of solar capacity with 800 MWh of battery energy storage." PV MAGAZINE
California-Based Nonprofit Now Accepting Pre-Orders for Plug-In Solar Kits: "Bright Saver says the solar kits cost exactly what it pays to buy, ship and support them. The wholesale model is supported by a new membership program designed to grow help the group continue to deliver progress on legislative and economic priorities." PV MAGAZINE
California Enacts $3,500 Rebates on Some EVs: "California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Monday signed new legislation establishing a $270 million rebate program for California residents called MyFirstEV. It will provide a point-of-sale rebate for eligible Californians purchasing their first zero-emission vehicle." THE HILL
California School District Using Solar, Storage, V2G and a Microgrid to Power More Sustainable Future: "The 1,171-kW microgrid will integrate solar, energy storage and electric vehicle chargers to support both the district’s operations and the broader grid. ForeFront Power, a San Francisco-based commercial and industrial-scale renewable energy solutions provider, will integrate a 408-kW/1632-kWh battery energy storage system with a 763 kW solar array on existing shade structures at two of the district’s parking lots." MICROGRID KNOWLEDGE
How Newsom's Complex History with the Oil Industry Could Affect a Presidential Run: "This year the California Air Resources Board overhauled its cap-and-trade auctions, where refiners and other businesses purchase rights to emit greenhouse gases. The program was renamed cap-and-invest and refiners were given free emission rights as an inducement to remain in the state. Newsom hailed the changes, but environmental groups are incensed at the turnabout. This month the nonprofit Communities for Better Environment filed suit in Los Angeles, alleging the changes violated the California Environmental Quality Act." CAL MATTERS
Lowering California's High Utility Costs Takes More Than Flashy Slogans – It Needs These Reforms: "Government funding and public-private partnerships can keep some spending off utility books altogether. Californians would still pay for these investments, but through more cost-effective, transparent and equitable means than electricity bills." CAL MATTERS
Peak Energy to Build 4 GWh Grid-Scale Sodium-Ion BESS Factory in California: "It will cost around $71 million. The company, which is partially headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, said the investment will create hundreds of jobs and stimulate the local economy." PV MAGAZINE
PG&E Faces $22M Penalty for Mosquito Fire Under Proposed Agreement: "The Mosquito Fire burned more than 75,000 acres and dozens of structures. A subsequent CPUC investigation of PG&E’s infrastructure found violations of state rules for the design, construction and maintenance of overhead electrical lines." UTILITY DIVE
Sable Urges DOE to Consider Eminent Domain for California Petroleum Reserve: "According to a June 2, 2026 letter first reported by Politico, Sable asked the DOE to assemble the property interests necessary for the project through voluntary acquisition where possible and, if necessary, through the federal government’s eminent domain authority." CALIFORNIA ENERGY JOURNAL
Terra-Gen Starts Up Final Phase at California Solar-Storage Complex: "The Lockhart IV solar farm is located in San Bernardino County and will supply electricity under a long-term power purchase agreement with a California load-serving entity. Terra-Gen said the new solar capacity is sufficient to power about 40,000 homes and businesses annually." RENEWABLES NOW
The Escalating Energy War Between California and the White House: "Every time California tries to move forward with plans to expand its renewable energy capacity and shift away from fossil fuels in favour of a green transition, the Trump administration seems to push back. So far, the California government has been successful in pursuing an agenda focused on clean energy and decarbonisation. Still, each federal push to quash these moves makes it harder to achieve the agenda." OILPRICE.COM
The Pacific Premium: "...California's carbon costs climbed: cap-and-trade allowance prices roughly doubled between 2021 and 2023, raising the embedded carbon cost in every gallon sold there. Oregon's Clean Fuels Program, in place since 2016, works similarly." INSTITUTE FOR ENERGY RESEARCH