
A leader in clean energy, resource efficiency and environmental policies, California has established a very high bar for the state. Local governments are pivotal to achieving these ambitious goals.
In its Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, the California Public Utilities Commission established the following vision for local governments:
- At least 5 percent of California’s local governments (representing at least 5 percent of California’s total population) adopt “reach” codes each year. By 2020, the majority of local governments have adopted incentives or mandates to achieve above-code levels of energy efficiency (or demand side management) in their communities, or have led statewide adoption of these higher codes.
- The current rate of non-compliance with California’s codes and standards is halved by 2012, and halved again by 2016. Full compliance is achieved by 2020.
- The energy usage footprint of local government buildings is 20 percent below 2003 levels by 2015 and 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.
- By 2015, 50 percent of local governments have adopted energy efficiency/sustainability/climate change action plans for their communities, and 100 percent have done so by 2020, with implementation and tracking of achievements.
- By 2020, 100 percent of local governments have in-house capabilities devoted o achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency in their facilities and stimulating the same throughout their communities.
The above plan is designed to set California on its path to a long-term sustainable and low carbon future. Local governments are expected to do a lot of heavy lifting over a relatively short period of time in order to achieve this vision.