E3 has been working with the California Energy Commission (CEC) to support modeling for the SB100 Joint Agency Report (anticipated 2021), as mandated by SB100. The draft E3 modeling results were presented at a recent CEC stakeholder workshop by the CEC with support from the E3 SB100 team. Full results will not be available until the release of the report, but important key takeaways have been identified.
Key Takeaways:
- SB 100 is achievable with existing technologies.
- Cost reductions and innovation in zero carbon technologies, as well as demand flexibility and energy storage development can further reduce implementation costs.
- Portfolio diversity is generally valued by the model.
- Sustained record setting resource build rates will be required to meet SB 100.
- Natural gas capacity is largely retained, but fleet-wide utilization decreases by 50% compared to a 60% RPS future.
- Cost reductions and innovation in zero carbon firm resources and storage resources may reduce economic gas fleet retention.