California’s new $7.3 billion grid modernization plan is a crucial step in furthering its ambitious climate goals.
The board of governors for the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), the state’s grid operator, recently approved a strategy to build thousands of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines. This step addresses a key challenge towards decarbonizing energy consumption: providing enough transmission to connect a massive amount of new clean energy sources to the grid.
Beefing up transmission capability is essential to meeting California’s goal of a carbon-free energy sector by 2045. What’s more, expanded grid capacity could result in lower electric bills for customers if the cost of clean energy generation technology continues to drop.
As more jurisdictions adopt building codes that ban natural gas hookups, and encourage adoption of heat pumps and EV chargers, the environmental benefits of such regulations depend on sourcing clean energy. A more robust grid that can assimilate new solar and wind farms makes this possible.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Healthcare Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. healthcare facilities sector
HDR, Jacobs, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest healthcare facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Government Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. government buildings sector
HNTB, Jacobs, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest government sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Cultural Facilities Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. cultural facilities sector
AECOM, Arup, and Populous head BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest cultural facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 Retail Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. retail building sector
Gensler, Jacobs, and PCL Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest retail sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 University Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the higher education sector
Gensler, AECOM, and Turner Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest university sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 Multifamily Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. multifamily building sector
Clark Group, Humphreys & Partners Architects, and Kimley-Horn head BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest multifamily building sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 Airport Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. airport facilities sector
AECOM, Hensel Phelps, and PGAL top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest airport sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Contractors | Dec 1, 2020
Abbott Construction to join the STO Building Group
Merger will expand both firms’ geographic reach and services.
Giants 400 | Nov 29, 2020
Top 85 Construction Management + Project Management Firms for 2020
Jacobs, CBRE, VCC, and JLL top the rankings of the nation's largest construction management (as agent) and program/project management firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 29, 2020
Top 135 Contractors for 2020
Turner, Whiting-Turner, and STO Building Group head the rankings of the nation's largest general contractors, CM at risk firms, and design-builders for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2020 Giants 400 Report.
