Adopting new building codes can be a useful tool for communities working toward building electrification. Every three years, the State of California updates its Building Standards Code. Local jurisdictions can choose to adopt the state’s standards or implement “reach” codes — building codes that reach beyond state standards and encourage or require all-electric readiness for new buildings. Reach codes also help cities and towns achieve their environmental goals.
CalGreen is the first statewide green building code to be adopted in the nation. It addresses the five divisions of building construction:
Communities throughout the state, including many MCE member communities, have recently adopted reach codes.
Several rebates, incentives, and educational resources are available from MCE and our partners.
The electric grid is a network of technologies across a geographic area that brings electricity to your home or business. It includes:
Ensuring that the grid can reliably serve customers involves many stakeholders. One agency that plays a key role in this is the California Independent Systems Operator, or California ISO, which is charged with ensuring the safe and reliable transportation of electricity on the power grid. As the impartial grid operator and a nonprofit public benefit corporation, the California ISO has no financial interest in any individual segment, ensuring fair and transparent access to the transmission network and market transactions.
Yes, however, infrastructure upgrades and new technologies will be necessary.
Electric utilities forecast customer energy demand years in advance. Because reach codes typically apply to new construction and, in some cases, renovation of existing buildings, the change is gradual and allows ample time for forecasting trends in electrification. Similarly, there is general consensus that utilities can generate enough power to support the growing demand for electric vehicle charging needs.
MCE’s Operational Integrated Resource Plan (pdf) covers trends in energy procurement over the next 10 years, and as an agency, we are already planning for long-term electrification trends throughout our service area.
One challenge to electrification is the need for grid infrastructure upgrades. A study from UC Berkeley, funded with support from the California Energy Commission, found that a number of upgrades to PG&E’s transmission and distribution network in the next decade will be necessary to support electric capacity required for aggressive electrification goals. Berkeley recommends that utilities reduce the uncertainty of future capacity upgrades by updating modeling processes to better capture energy needs on specific distribution circuits.
Despite potential infrastructure challenges, communities and utilities alike can employ several strategies to support a healthy electric grid. The UC Berkeley study referenced above concluded that investment in “non-wires alternatives” like demand response and storage can reduce the required volume of infrastructure upgrade projects.
MCE is already investing heavily in these technologies and programs. MCE’s Peak Flex Market program incentivizes customers to shift energy usage away from peak hours in the summer and during demand response events when the grid is most constrained.
In some cases, electric appliances may cost more upfront than gas appliances. However, when an appliance reaches the end of its useful life, we recommend replacing it with an electric appliance for these key reasons:
Today’s modern electric appliances are more efficient than those using natural gas — electric appliances use less energy and therefore cost less to operate. Initial costs can be higher for these products, but when you factor in rebates and incentives available and lower costs over the life of the equipment, using electric appliances is generally more cost effective.
When purchasing energy for customers, MCE is subject to the same market conditions as any energy provider. The commodity chain — the process of energy production, distribution, and consumption — is subject to market volatility based on customer demand for both renewable and fossil fuel sources of energy. This makes it challenging to say that renewable energy will always be less expensive in the short term; however, trends in the energy industry suggest that renewable sources will greatly outpace fossil fuels in terms of cost effectiveness into the future.
Recent studies endorsed by the United Nations show that amid rising fossil fuel prices, investments in renewables in 2021 saved $55 billion in global energy generation costs in 2022.
In addition, as the California electric grid continues evolving, MCE and other electricity providers are investing heavily in distributed energy resources. Because of investments in energy storage, it is expected that California’s energy storage portfolio could yield net grid benefits of up to $1.6 billion a year by 2032. Investments in battery storage and other new technologies represent a climate-friendly and efficient way for MCE to manage supply and demand for our customers in a cost-competitive manner.
Finally, the cost of failing to transition to renewable energy is too high. Climate change remains a serious threat, and widespread adoption of renewable energy is a critical tool to keep the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C within reach. A just transition to a clean-energy economy is necessary to reduce energy-related carbon dioxide emissions and limit the effects of climate change for future generations.
MCE, other utilities, and the State of California are working diligently to increase the reliability of our electric grid. Energy-efficiency improvements and shifting energy usage away from peak hours (4–9 pm) are helping to reduce the risk of power outages. PG&E’s wildfire safety plan is also focused on reducing the need for Public Safety Power Shutoff events and making them as short as possible.
Installing a home energy storage system (commonly known as a battery) can also help you keep your electricity on when the power goes out.
Public Agency Compensation:
State Controller’s Government Compensation in California Information
Privacy Policy
© Copyright 2024 MCE
Public Agency Compensation:
State Controller’s Government Compensation in California Information
Privacy Policy
© Copyright 2024 MCE
Contractors, please fill in all required fields below. Information must be submitted for each project for which you are requesting to reserve funds. Make sure the heat pump water heater you and your client choose to install is on the TECH Clean California-approved list.