California has reached a new milestone in its transition to clean energy, with Governor Gavin Newsom announcing that the state has added 30,800 megawatts of new clean energy and storage capacity since 2019. This amount is enough to supply about half of California’s peak electricity demand. The announcement coincided with the California Energy Commission (CEC) approving $136 million in additional investments for clean energy and climate technology.
The state is also close to removing coal from its power supply. In 2024, coal made up only 2.2% of California’s electricity generation, most of which came from the Intermountain Power Plant in Utah. That plant is scheduled to stop burning coal this year, which would reduce coal’s share in California’s power mix to below 0.2%. This change would make California one of the least coal-dependent states in the U.S.
“While Trump bets on the past, California is building the future,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Regressive energy policy may play well on Fox News, but it’s plain bad economics. Today it costs more to run a dirty fossil fuel power plant than to build a brand-new clean energy facility. The markets know where the future is headed — and so do we. Clean, green, reliable power — that’s California’s bet, and we’re already winning it.”
The pace of new solar and battery storage projects has increased as utilities and developers take advantage of lower costs associated with clean energy sources. According to recent industry analysis by Lazard, solar and wind are now consistently cheaper options for new power generation compared to modern gas plants.
The milestone figure includes data from both CEC and the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), covering additions between January 2019 and August 2025; about 9% comes from projects outside California delivering power into the state.
“This milestone is proof that California’s clean energy transformation can’t be slowed or derailed,” said CEC Chair David Hochschild. “Clean power is the backbone of our economy and the heartbeat of a reliable, resilient grid. We are the model for the world to follow.”
Looking ahead, an additional 21,000 megawatts of new clean resources are contracted or under development through 2029 as part of procurement orders by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
“California is not just planning for a clean energy future; we’re building it right now,” said CPUC President Alice Reynolds. “The bold actions the state has taken prove that reliability and sustainability can go hand in hand. We’re setting a global standard for what a modern, electrified economy looks like.”
At its latest meeting, CEC approved $136 million in new investments focused on expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure—nearly $19 million will support thousands of chargers statewide—and advancing battery storage along with next-generation technologies such as direct air capture pilots and virtual power plant software for college campuses.
Further investments include $35 million for research into emerging technologies aimed at reducing costs and $42 million toward port upgrades supporting offshore wind development.
Additional measures involve connecting customers more quickly to electricity infrastructure: CPUC recently authorized PG&E to invest up to $2.8 billion between 2025-2026 on grid connections for housing developments and EV charging stations—supporting efforts toward decarbonizing buildings and transportation sectors.
Transmission planning was also addressed: CPUC adopted plans targeting over 60 gigawatts of new generation/storage resources by 2035 while aiming for significant greenhouse gas reductions at minimal cost impact for ratepayers.
Since 2000, greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by about one-fifth even as state GDP grew substantially during that period—making California one of few large economies globally powered two-thirds by clean energy as recently as last year.
Battery storage capacity has grown rapidly under Governor Newsom’s administration—from less than one gigawatt at his start in office to over fifteen gigawatts today—a nearly twentyfold increase alongside over thirty thousand megawatts added overall since he took office.
