How California Gov.-elect Becerra could be better on climate than Newsom

California’s midterm election results have expanded Democratic control in state legislatures and governors’ mansions, creating new opportunities for accelerated clean energy policies across the country. The shift follows a period of policy debate and setbacks under outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose administration faced criticism for reducing funding for school climate upgrades and underfunding virtual-power-plant programs. Analysts now look to Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra to prioritize affordability, utility accountability, and environmental justice in California’s energy transition.

Leah Stokes, a UC Santa Barbara professor and architect of the Inflation Reduction Act, criticized Newsom’s decision to redirect nearly $200 million from school HVAC and ventilation upgrades, which left classrooms in Santa Barbara at 93°F. She also highlighted underfunding of the Demand Side Grid Support program, which disproportionately benefits lower-income communities in the Central Valley and Inland Empire, leaving payments to participants at risk by 2027.

Stokes praised Becerra’s proposal for a “Power Hour” of free utility power during solar surpluses, a concept modeled after programs in Australia, to address California’s “duck curve” of excess midday solar and evening energy demand. She suggested structuring utility rates to incentivize off-peak energy use and exploring taxpayer-backed solutions to balance costs during peak hours.

Stokes proposed a “children’s climate bond” ballot measure to fund solar, batteries, and electric systems for California’s nearly 10,000 public schools, positioning them as community resilience hubs during wildfires and heat waves. Lorenzo Kristov suggested allowing schools to sell excess solar power to neighbors, though recent regulatory changes have weakened the economics of school solar projects.