Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) Eligibility Guidebook, Tenth Edition

The Renewables Portfolio Standard Eligibility Guidebook (RPS Guidebook or guidebook) describes the eligibility requirements and process for certifying eligible renewable energy resources for California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) and describes the process used to verify compliance with the RPS. California’s RPS has a target of obtaining 60 percent of the state’s electricity from eligible renewable energy resources by 2030. The Renewables Portfolio Standard Eligibility Guidebook, Tenth Edition includes amendments clarifying various existing requirements. These clarifications do not result in any changes to how the RPS program is currently administered. Additional amendments establish new eligibility criteria and reporting requirements pursuant to existing authority, as well as address changes in the law. While the amendments to the guidebook result in changes to certification requirements for electrical generation facilities as eligible renewable energy resources—including expanding RPS eligibility to include linear generators—the amendments do not require development of new generation facilities in the state, nor result in changes to existing facilities. Further, even if the amendments incentivize the development of new generation facilities, they would only encourage the development of renewable energy facilities that would benefit the environment by improving air quality and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels. Therefore, no significant adverse environmental impacts have been identified as resulting from this action. For these reasons, adoption of the amendments to the CEC’s regulations is not subject to CEQA under the Common-Sense exemption of CCR, Title 14, section 15061(b)(3).