San Diego Regional Greenhouse Gas Emissions Outlook and Gap Analysis
The San Diego region has made significant progress towards reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since regional emissions tracking began in 2012, achieving a 35% emissions reduction from 2012 to 2022. Progress in the passenger vehicle and electricity sectors contributed most significantly to this emissions reduction.
San Diego Regional Energy Academy
The Energy Policy Initiatives Center (EPIC) and the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative (SDRCC) worked together to develop and launch the San Diego Regional Energy Academy. This program was developed with the support of core funding partners, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and San Diego Community Power (SDCP).
Supporting Local Climate Action Planning
Since the late 2000s, EPIC has been supporting development of local climate action plans (CAP) by completing greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, estimating the GHG reduction potential of policies and programs, and conducting cost analyses to determine the impact to city budgets and residents and businesses. Click below to learn more about how EPIC continues to support local climate action planning.
Tools to Analyze Climate Equity in the San Diego Region
EPIC worked with the City of San Diego to develop the first-of-its-kind Climate Equity Index. EPIC then assisted the City of Chula to develop its own CEI that included indicators more important to Chula Vista stakeholders. Both indexes reflect the importance of various factors to each stakeholder group within each city, at the time of development of the index.
Energy Law and Policy Clinic Supporting State Agencies
The Energy Law and Policy Clinic is a unique opportunity for USD Law students to work in partnership with a related government agency to conduct legal research on a topical issue. The Clinic, led by EPIC Staff Attorney Joe Kaatz, conducts legal research for state and other public or local agencies. Over the past decade, the Clinic has completed projects for the California Energy Commission (CEC), California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC, California Air Resources Board (CARB), and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).
17th Annual LKM Symposium on Climate and Energy Law
Exploring Solutions to California’s High Electricity Costs
The 2025 Seventeenth Annual Lesley K. McAllister Symposium focused on solutions to address California's high electricity costs. Policymakers, practitioners, academics, and other experts discussed a range of potential solutions to address California's high electricity costs, including utility ratemaking reform, alternative infrastructure financing mechanisms, off-bill funding sources for energy programs, net energy metering and net billing tariff reforms, fixed charges, and the role of potential Western market integration. The recording and materials are available.
Supporting Regional Climate Action Planning Efforts
EPIC is supporting the San Diego Association of Government’s regional climate action planning activities as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Grant Program. Work for this project includes quantifying GHG emissions, estimating emission reductions from policies and programs, and supporting stakeholder engagement.
From the Blog
NEM 3.0 Decision: 1st Appellate District Affirms Original Opinion in Center for Biological Diversity v. Public Utilities Commission
(March 10, 2026)
Update on Petitions Against the CPUC Since August 2025
(February 03, 2026)
What Questions Will be Answered by the Appeals Court as it Applies a Less Deferential Standard to the CPUC in its Review of the CPUC’s Net Billing Tariff Decision
(December 04, 2025)
The Recent California Supreme Court Opinion in Center for Biological Diversity v. Public Utilities Commission Upends Decades of Statutory Interpretation Deference to CPUC
(September 02, 2025)