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"content": "\n\u003cp>Researchers at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/stanford-university\">Stanford University\u003c/a> have seen for the first time starving, struggling corals return to colorful, vibrant life within a matter of weeks by being placed in contact with healthy clones, genetically identical copies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This was shocking, stunning,” said Danny Collins, lead author of a study \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.aeh1580\">published Monday\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em> “We were blown away [to] actually watch the healthy coral restore the color of the bleached corals essentially right before our eyes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Color returned within days, with full recovery occurring in just seven weeks — the fastest documented recovery to date. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was so much faster and more intense than we ever expected,” said Collins, a Ph.D. student at the \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/\">Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1451\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002332\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8-768x557.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8-1536x1114.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lead author Danny Collins is a Ph.D. student at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. (Courtesy of Dan Griffin/GG Films)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The results, seen in aquarium-sourced corals in a laboratory setting at the \u003ca href=\"https://hopkinsmarinestation.stanford.edu/\">Hopkins Marine Station\u003c/a> in Monterey County, could lead to faster and more complete recovery for wild corals suffering bleaching.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When ocean waters warm too fast, corals — a type of animal known to researchers as “cnidarians” — kick out helpful algae that live within their cells. This can kill the coral. Bleaching intensifies as the planet warms, threatening reefs around the globe.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Reefs are critical habitats, making up just 0.01% of the ocean floor; they support \u003ca href=\"https://www.wri.org/insights/decoding-coral-reefs\">a quarter of all marine life\u003c/a>. They help economies thrive and protect against flooding and coastal erosion. The Coral Reef Alliance predicts within the next 30 years that \u003ca href=\"https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/global-threats/\">90% of reefs\u003c/a> will experience severe annual bleaching. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The exciting thing about this work, Collins said, “is the demonstration that these bleached corals are not a lost cause, but actually have a remarkable potential to be recovered.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A serendipitous mishap leads to discovery\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Researchers knew that corals could become sick by touching objects holding dangerous bacteria. Last year, Collins looked at how corals catch disease when plastic waste settles on them. The plastic can harbor disease-causing bacteria and infect the coral.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were curious if we could harness that mechanism of contact, but instead of introducing bad guys that could cause disease, we could introduce good guys,” Collins said, “such as these beneficial algae that [healthy] corals harbor.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around the same time, Steve Palumbi, a professor in marine sciences at Stanford and study coauthor, saw in his lab that a sample colony had tipped over in a tank so that a healthy coral and a bleached one were touching each other. Where they touched, color returned to the sick coral.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2420\" data-id=\"2002334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2-160x194.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2-768x929.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2-1269x1536.jpg 1269w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2-1693x2048.jpg 1693w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vibrant and healthy coral colony stands next to its starving identical twin. Corals are animals living symbiotically with photosynthetic algae in their tissues. When a coral is stressed by high heat, they expel these algae in a response known as bleaching. (Courtesy of Dan Griffin/GG Films)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1978\" height=\"2560\" data-id=\"2002333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-scaled.jpg 1978w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-160x207.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-768x994.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-1583x2048.jpg 1583w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1978px) 100vw, 1978px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A healthy coral colony creates a nutrient bridge by fusing tissue with a bleached clone. Stanford researchers saw the fastest recorded coral recovery yet documented using this technique to revive bleached corals. (Courtesy of Dan Griffin/GG Films)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So they tested it with other samples and were delighted with the results. The corals fused together, creating a nutrient bridge made of tissue, allowing the healthy individual to send over the life-giving, helpful algae.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And within just a few weeks you get complete recovery,” Collins said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They found the corals did not need to touch the entire time; just a brief period was needed, and the sick coral could quickly take it from there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Next steps already underway\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Creating genetic coral clones and placing them in contact with bleached twins isn’t a feasible recovery route for wild coral; it would take too much work to create a genetically identical, healthy copy of every coral in advance of a bleaching event. But the research does point the way forward for other restoration approaches.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The key finding is that these bleached corals have remarkable capacity for rapid recovery that was not fully appreciated,” Collins said. “And that if you can get healthy algae into those bleached coral by any means necessary, they can recover at incredible rates.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Scientists have documented bleached corals recovering in the field. But the process can take years, and many corals never recover or never recover fully. He’s excited to try a new avenue that is unexplored: “We hope these inspire a new set of interventions for coral reef restoration for recovering bleached corals.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He and colleagues are now at work finding ways to extract algae, replicate them in a lab, and spread them to bleached corals. He hopes to test the method at field sites in Hawaii and Palau in the coming months to years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The key finding is that these bleached corals have remarkable capacity for rapid recovery that was not fully appreciated,” Collins said. “And that if you can get healthy algae into those bleached coral by any means necessary, they can recover at incredible rates.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Bleached corals have a remarkable ability to recover when put in contact with a healthy clone and beneficial algae, Bay Area researchers announced in a study published Monday.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Researchers at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/stanford-university\">Stanford University\u003c/a> have seen for the first time starving, struggling corals return to colorful, vibrant life within a matter of weeks by being placed in contact with healthy clones, genetically identical copies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This was shocking, stunning,” said Danny Collins, lead author of a study \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.aeh1580\">published Monday\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em> “We were blown away [to] actually watch the healthy coral restore the color of the bleached corals essentially right before our eyes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Color returned within days, with full recovery occurring in just seven weeks — the fastest documented recovery to date. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was so much faster and more intense than we ever expected,” said Collins, a Ph.D. student at the \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/\">Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1451\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002332\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8-768x557.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral2-f688e9d8-1536x1114.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lead author Danny Collins is a Ph.D. student at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. (Courtesy of Dan Griffin/GG Films)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The results, seen in aquarium-sourced corals in a laboratory setting at the \u003ca href=\"https://hopkinsmarinestation.stanford.edu/\">Hopkins Marine Station\u003c/a> in Monterey County, could lead to faster and more complete recovery for wild corals suffering bleaching.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When ocean waters warm too fast, corals — a type of animal known to researchers as “cnidarians” — kick out helpful algae that live within their cells. This can kill the coral. Bleaching intensifies as the planet warms, threatening reefs around the globe.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Reefs are critical habitats, making up just 0.01% of the ocean floor; they support \u003ca href=\"https://www.wri.org/insights/decoding-coral-reefs\">a quarter of all marine life\u003c/a>. They help economies thrive and protect against flooding and coastal erosion. The Coral Reef Alliance predicts within the next 30 years that \u003ca href=\"https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/global-threats/\">90% of reefs\u003c/a> will experience severe annual bleaching. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The exciting thing about this work, Collins said, “is the demonstration that these bleached corals are not a lost cause, but actually have a remarkable potential to be recovered.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A serendipitous mishap leads to discovery\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Researchers knew that corals could become sick by touching objects holding dangerous bacteria. Last year, Collins looked at how corals catch disease when plastic waste settles on them. The plastic can harbor disease-causing bacteria and infect the coral.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were curious if we could harness that mechanism of contact, but instead of introducing bad guys that could cause disease, we could introduce good guys,” Collins said, “such as these beneficial algae that [healthy] corals harbor.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Around the same time, Steve Palumbi, a professor in marine sciences at Stanford and study coauthor, saw in his lab that a sample colony had tipped over in a tank so that a healthy coral and a bleached one were touching each other. Where they touched, color returned to the sick coral.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2420\" data-id=\"2002334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2-160x194.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2-768x929.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2-1269x1536.jpg 1269w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral4-0f8e49b2-1693x2048.jpg 1693w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vibrant and healthy coral colony stands next to its starving identical twin. Corals are animals living symbiotically with photosynthetic algae in their tissues. When a coral is stressed by high heat, they expel these algae in a response known as bleaching. (Courtesy of Dan Griffin/GG Films)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1978\" height=\"2560\" data-id=\"2002333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-scaled.jpg 1978w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-160x207.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-768x994.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/BleachedCoral3-cdf79013-1583x2048.jpg 1583w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1978px) 100vw, 1978px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A healthy coral colony creates a nutrient bridge by fusing tissue with a bleached clone. Stanford researchers saw the fastest recorded coral recovery yet documented using this technique to revive bleached corals. (Courtesy of Dan Griffin/GG Films)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So they tested it with other samples and were delighted with the results. The corals fused together, creating a nutrient bridge made of tissue, allowing the healthy individual to send over the life-giving, helpful algae.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And within just a few weeks you get complete recovery,” Collins said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They found the corals did not need to touch the entire time; just a brief period was needed, and the sick coral could quickly take it from there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Next steps already underway\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Creating genetic coral clones and placing them in contact with bleached twins isn’t a feasible recovery route for wild coral; it would take too much work to create a genetically identical, healthy copy of every coral in advance of a bleaching event. But the research does point the way forward for other restoration approaches.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The key finding is that these bleached corals have remarkable capacity for rapid recovery that was not fully appreciated,” Collins said. “And that if you can get healthy algae into those bleached coral by any means necessary, they can recover at incredible rates.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Scientists have documented bleached corals recovering in the field. But the process can take years, and many corals never recover or never recover fully. He’s excited to try a new avenue that is unexplored: “We hope these inspire a new set of interventions for coral reef restoration for recovering bleached corals.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He and colleagues are now at work finding ways to extract algae, replicate them in a lab, and spread them to bleached corals. He hopes to test the method at field sites in Hawaii and Palau in the coming months to years.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> Supervisor Jane Kim’s proposal to create a public, natural disaster insurance program for all is the boldest out-of-the-box idea in the race to become California’s next insurance commissioner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The consumer advocate and attorney proposed a “guaranteed disaster for all insurance program that is publicly run and nonprofit.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The state would collect some of the premiums that you’re already paying to this industry,” she said. “We would invest those dollars in the market, and then we would use excess capital to actually invest in driving down risk, meaning we would invest in fireproofing and floodproofing communities.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim has pointed to New Zealand and France’s arrangements as potential models. In these countries, the government and private companies share risk in the insurance market. She said she wants to see California’s insurance dollars at work to control the state’s insurance costs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Could a similar program work here? How would it? KQED spoke with half a dozen experts to take a look at these questions, and many met the idea with skepticism, and also some hints of curiosity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What exactly is Jane Kim proposing?\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim’s campaign has yet to release a detailed, fleshed-out policy proposal. She told KQED the policy would have to be studied by regulators at the Department of Insurance to “figure out how we can make this actually pencil out and work.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she envisions private insurance companies paying certain risk line items, such as for wildfire, to the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002300\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jane Kim, former San Francisco supervisor and candidate for California Insurance Commissioner, speaks with politics reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Sept. 17, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“From the consumer’s perspective, there’s no difference,” Kim said during an interview on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100390/jane-kims-bold-plan-to-protect-you-when-disaster-strikes\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And when you file a claim, you still file it with the insurance industry. But the state pays it out, and they pay it out quickly and fairly.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To fund this, Kim said, the program would happen in stages, “and we’d have to figure out how to capitalize it in the beginning so that we could pay out claims in year one if fires happened.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the advantage for the state, she said, is that the profit insurance companies make on this part of policies could be invested in reducing risk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Public-private insurance partnerships exist in some form in dozens of countries, including England for flood risk and Spain for some risk reduction and emergency response. The U.S. also has a national flood insurance program. And states like Texas and Florida have schemes to socialize some of the costs of home insurance, owing to their frequent hurricanes and flooding.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1994224\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firefighter Nolan Graham sprays water around a scorched garage as the Boyles fire burns in Clearlake on Sept. 8, 2024. (Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each country or state’s arrangement is unique. In New Zealand, a set amount of a homeowner’s property insurance, about 600 New Zealand dollars ($336), goes to the government program that covers seismic risk: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides. If a policyholder suffers a loss, they can receive up to 300,000 NZ$ (roughly $170,000). All claim values above that are paid by the insurance company they have coverage with. It only covers seismic hazards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In France, a surcharge of 20% is added to property insurance policies. Private insurance companies handle claims, but they are reinsured by a public reinsurance company backed by the French state. Spain also operates a public reinsurance and direct insurance program, also funded by mandatory surcharges.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some California insurance experts believe bold ideas are needed to decrease wildfire risk, most are skeptical of Kim’s idea. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Caution, skepticism, some curiosity, too \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their concerns overlap: public insurance programs spread out costs but don’t necessarily reduce them; they are often overly generous and fiscally irresponsible because they are set up by politicians who want to be reelected.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some experts argue that California’s climate-fueled disasters are so expensive and frequent that it would be foolish for the state to take on so much risk, and that California’s market is in the early phases of a recovery and that shocking it with major changes could delay or reverse the progress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1994257\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A home destroyed by the Boyles Fire in Clearlake on Sept. 9, 2024, after the wildfire swept through the area on Sept. 8, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There aren’t a huge number of what most people would consider successful examples of public insurers. They tend to be plagued by problems,” said Michael Wara, wildfire and insurance expert at Stanford. “And the biggest problem is that when you tell a government agency to set the cost of insurance, they almost always set it too low.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that means that taxpayers then must bail out the program. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ideally, place politicians far away from this process,” said Ilan Noy, an expert in the economics of disasters and climate change at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Noy has studied the New Zealand program extensively and is largely a fan of it. However, he did not think an all-natural-hazard system would work in California, where some of the people at the highest risk are also wealthy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When public-private programs work, it’s because the insurance is being subsidized. But would subsidizing these wealthy homeowners be fair? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If California insurance costs are going up, Noy said, “the only way to make them lower is reduce the risk through public policy. You cannot make the costs, the premiums low if the risk is high because someone ends up paying for it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other experts stressed that the public-private partnerships could work but must be well-designed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s literally a design choice of, what are we solving for?” said \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/erwann-o-michel-kerjan-5653a9/?isSelfProfile=false\">Erwann Michel-Kerjan\u003c/a>, former executive director of the Wharton Risk Center, now a partner at McKinsey & Company. He has studied France’s system. “Are you solving for fairness?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perhaps fairness is everyone paying for their own risk? But, equally, perhaps it’s unfair for people to see their insurance costs triple and to be priced out of where they grew up, when they didn’t do anything themselves to increase fire risk?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t think anyone has the answer, because there is not the perfect silver bullet,” Michel-Kerjan said. “California is unique, so it’s not like you can take the French system, the Netherlands system, and make it work in California, but you could be inspired by some of the principles behind some of these schemes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time and again, California’s wildfires defy expectations. Do taxpayers want to be responsible?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A system could be particularly hard to set up in California, right now. Wildfire damage is enormous, and costs are skyrocketing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Experts worry that creating an all-hazard system in California would concentrate fire risk into one program, instead of allowing private insurance companies to spread the costs out across the country, among many different policies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If a public insurance scheme relied only on money from within the state, the danger of costs exceeding incoming funds is greater than if the money going into and out of the system flows through national and global companies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1998029\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire destruction in downtown Altadena, after the Eaton Fire swept through the area northeast of Los Angeles, on Jan. 9, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This proposal,” said Carolyn Kousky, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.insuranceforgood.org/\">Insurance for Good\u003c/a>, a nonprofit that works on insurance solutions, “would concentrate fire risk, not diversify it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Diversification tends to make insurance markets stronger. Currently, California’s property insurance market is diversified among dozens of private carriers who, in turn, are diversified across the country, insuring people in different states, and hold reinsurance through global markets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You would actually end up costing people more by concentrating fire risk in one program instead of having access to this broader diversification,” Kousky said. “And we’ve seen that global reinsurance markets tend to charge more for public programs, for them to offload directly into the reinsurance market, because they are so often politically manipulated and their business isn’t consistent.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reassurance through reinsurance? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If California were to, instead of insuring homes directly, follow one aspect of the French model, it could create a different problem with reinsurance. Reinsurance is most simply thought of as insurance for insurance companies. In France, this helps keep costs down, and in Florida, too; however, in California, reinsurance costs are not a great place for saving. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Florida is the only state in the U.S. that has a public reinsurance program. And it’s actually working pretty well,” Kousky said. That’s because Florida is filled with very small insurers who tend to operate only in the state or the region, and they are poorly capitalized and heavily dependent on insurance. Those costs are high, and they impact the primary market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2000450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A boat crosses Lake Oroville with a smoldering hillside behind as the Thompson Fire burns in Oroville, California, on July 3, 2024. (Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Putting in a state layer of reinsurance that’s less expensive and — important — stable in its pricing does provide these protective benefits to the homeowners market there. That’s not the case for the homeowners market in California.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here, she said, most carriers operate nationally, have good financial health, and are getting reinsurance fairly inexpensively. Putting out California fire reinsurance specifically won’t help residents much. Perhaps it would make policies slightly cheaper, but Kousky estimated by not much. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What these public programs mostly do is change who pays. To meaningfully lower how much everyone has to pay, we need to make everyone safer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Could insurance fees pay for wildfire mitigation?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim does want to solve the persistent state problem of a lack of funds to invest in home- and community-level fire resilience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Sen. Ben Allen represents parts of Los Angeles County and is Kim’s opponent for the role of insurance commissioner. He wants to expand grants and financing to help home and business owners safeguard their properties from fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wara, at Stanford, said he loves that both insurance commissioner candidates are thinking about how to find money to help communities reduce risk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002299\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ben Allen, a California state senator, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Wara does not think there would be enough profit in California’s wildfire insurance premiums to siphon enough off for meaningful investment and have a fund that could continue to pay claims. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When disaster strikes, those funds need a big pile of cash to pay claims, Wara said. “If we are spending that money on trying to reduce risk, the challenge is that we might have some bad fires before we’ve actually reduced the risk and then we’re going to need to pay claims, but we won’t have the money.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In bad years like 2017, 2018 and 2020, insurance industry insiders said decades of company profits were wiped out and, by the early 2020s, many companies felt that the California market had become so risky and unprofitable that, for a time, almost no insurance company would offer new homeowner policies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That has since loosened up, and California’s insurance market shows some early signs of recovery: more companies entering the market and slowed growth in the FAIR Plan — California’s carrier of last resort. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wara likened this to a sick patient who has a long way to go before they can do anything too ambitious. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have taken one dose of antibiotics when it comes to the insurance system in California,” he said. It’ll be a while before it’s fully healthy. When someone is in recovery, “You just say: ‘go to bed, rest, take some antibiotics. Here’s some soup.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>New and creative ideas are needed in California to shift the state from its current untenable trajectory with climate change, wildfires and electrical utilities, Wara said. But he is skeptical of the contours of the plan currently offered by Kim. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not like the status quo is necessarily going to work,” he said, “We may have to try very different things.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Allen characterized her plan as “taking popular support for comprehensive single-payer health care, which is a real thing that exists in a lot of countries,” he told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098926/ben-allen-wants-to-take-on-the-insurance-industry-for-you\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>, “and popped it over onto home disaster insurance.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the problem, he said, is that a comprehensive single-payer system doesn’t exist anywhere in the world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even if she were able to get this through the legislature, which I don’t think she’d be able to, even if it were a good idea, it would take 10 years to implement at the earliest,” he said. “I’m trying to focus on fixing the problems right now.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim, if elected, would need to advocate for the idea, have a bill proposed by a legislative partner, see it pass both houses and have it signed by the governor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For her part, Kim said she’s optimistic about her ability to negotiate, build coalitions and get this idea across the finish line. Voters will decide if she gets the chance to try.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The consumer advocate and attorney proposed a “guaranteed disaster for all insurance program that is publicly run and nonprofit.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The state would collect some of the premiums that you’re already paying to this industry,” she said. “We would invest those dollars in the market, and then we would use excess capital to actually invest in driving down risk, meaning we would invest in fireproofing and floodproofing communities.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The state would collect some of the premiums that you’re already paying to this industry,” she said. “We would invest those dollars in the market, and then we would use excess capital to actually invest in driving down risk, meaning we would invest in fireproofing and floodproofing communities.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kim has pointed to New Zealand and France’s arrangements as potential models. In these countries, the government and private companies share risk in the insurance market. She said she wants to see California’s insurance dollars at work to control the state’s insurance costs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kim has pointed to New Zealand and France’s arrangements as potential models. In these countries, the government and private companies share risk in the insurance market. She said she wants to see California’s insurance dollars at work to control the state’s insurance costs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Could a similar program work here? How would it? KQED spoke with half a dozen experts to take a look at these questions, and many met the idea with skepticism, and also some hints of curiosity.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Could a similar program work here? How would it? KQED spoke with half a dozen experts to take a look at these questions, and many met the idea with skepticism, and also some hints of curiosity.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kim’s campaign has yet to release a detailed, fleshed-out policy proposal. She told KQED the policy would have to be studied by regulators at the Department of Insurance to “figure out how we can make this actually pencil out and work.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said she envisions private insurance companies paying certain risk line items, such as for wildfire, to the state. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002300\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jane Kim, former San Francisco supervisor and candidate for California Insurance Commissioner, speaks with politics reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Sept. 17, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002300\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jane Kim, former San Francisco supervisor and candidate for California Insurance Commissioner, speaks with politics reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Sept. 17, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“From the consumer’s perspective, there’s no difference,” Kim said during an interview on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100390/jane-kims-bold-plan-to-protect-you-when-disaster-strikes\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And when you file a claim, you still file it with the insurance industry. But the state pays it out, and they pay it out quickly and fairly.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“From the consumer’s perspective, there’s no difference,” Kim said during an interview on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100390/jane-kims-bold-plan-to-protect-you-when-disaster-strikes\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And when you file a claim, you still file it with the insurance industry. But the state pays it out, and they pay it out quickly and fairly.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To fund this, Kim said, the program would happen in stages, “and we’d have to figure out how to capitalize it in the beginning so that we could pay out claims in year one if fires happened.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To fund this, Kim said, the program would happen in stages, “and we’d have to figure out how to capitalize it in the beginning so that we could pay out claims in year one if fires happened.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the advantage for the state, she said, is that the profit insurance companies make on this part of policies could be invested in reducing risk.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Public-private insurance partnerships exist in some form in dozens of countries, including England for flood risk and Spain for some risk reduction and emergency response. The U.S. also has a national flood insurance program. And states like Texas and Florida have schemes to socialize some of the costs of home insurance, owing to their frequent hurricanes and flooding.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Public-private insurance partnerships exist in some form in dozens of countries, including England for flood risk and Spain for some risk reduction and emergency response. The U.S. also has a national flood insurance program. And states like Texas and Florida have schemes to socialize some of the costs of home insurance, owing to their frequent hurricanes and flooding.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1994224\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firefighter Nolan Graham sprays water around a scorched garage as the Boyles fire burns in Clearlake on Sept. 8, 2024. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each country or state’s arrangement is unique. In New Zealand, a set amount of a homeowner’s property insurance, about 600 New Zealand dollars ($336), goes to the government program that covers seismic risk: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides. If a policyholder suffers a loss, they can receive up to 300,000 NZ$ (roughly $170,000). All claim values above that are paid by the insurance company they have coverage with. It only covers seismic hazards.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each country or state’s arrangement is unique. In New Zealand, a set amount of a homeowner’s property insurance, about 600 New Zealand dollars ($336), goes to the government program that covers seismic risk: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides. If a policyholder suffers a loss, they can receive up to 300,000 NZ$ (roughly $170,000). All claim values above that are paid by the insurance company they have coverage with. It only covers seismic hazards.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In France, a surcharge of 20% is added to property insurance policies. Private insurance companies handle claims, but they are reinsured by a public reinsurance company backed by the French state. Spain also operates a public reinsurance and direct insurance program, also funded by mandatory surcharges.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In France, a surcharge of 20% is added to property insurance policies. Private insurance companies handle claims, but they are reinsured by a public reinsurance company backed by the French state. Spain also operates a public reinsurance and direct insurance program, also funded by mandatory surcharges.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While some California insurance experts believe bold ideas are needed to decrease wildfire risk, most are skeptical of Kim’s idea. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their concerns overlap: public insurance programs spread out costs but don’t necessarily reduce them; they are often overly generous and fiscally irresponsible because they are set up by politicians who want to be reelected.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Their concerns overlap: public insurance programs spread out costs but don’t necessarily reduce them; they are often overly generous and fiscally irresponsible because they are set up by politicians who want to be reelected.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some experts argue that California’s climate-fueled disasters are so expensive and frequent that it would be foolish for the state to take on so much risk, and that California’s market is in the early phases of a recovery and that shocking it with major changes could delay or reverse the progress. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some experts argue that California’s climate-fueled disasters are so expensive and frequent that it would be foolish for the state to take on so much risk, and that California’s market is in the early phases of a recovery and that shocking it with major changes could delay or reverse the progress. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1994257\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A home destroyed by the Boyles Fire in Clearlake on Sept. 9, 2024, after the wildfire swept through the area on Sept. 8, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There aren’t a huge number of what most people would consider successful examples of public insurers. They tend to be plagued by problems,” said Michael Wara, wildfire and insurance expert at Stanford. “And the biggest problem is that when you tell a government agency to set the cost of insurance, they almost always set it too low.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There aren’t a huge number of what most people would consider successful examples of public insurers. They tend to be plagued by problems,” said Michael Wara, wildfire and insurance expert at Stanford. “And the biggest problem is that when you tell a government agency to set the cost of insurance, they almost always set it too low.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And that means that taxpayers then must bail out the program. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Ideally, place politicians far away from this process,” said Ilan Noy, an expert in the economics of disasters and climate change at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Ideally, place politicians far away from this process,” said Ilan Noy, an expert in the economics of disasters and climate change at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Noy has studied the New Zealand program extensively and is largely a fan of it. However, he did not think an all-natural-hazard system would work in California, where some of the people at the highest risk are also wealthy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Noy has studied the New Zealand program extensively and is largely a fan of it. However, he did not think an all-natural-hazard system would work in California, where some of the people at the highest risk are also wealthy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When public-private programs work, it’s because the insurance is being subsidized. But would subsidizing these wealthy homeowners be fair? \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When public-private programs work, it’s because the insurance is being subsidized. But would subsidizing these wealthy homeowners be fair? \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If California insurance costs are going up, Noy said, “the only way to make them lower is reduce the risk through public policy. You cannot make the costs, the premiums low if the risk is high because someone ends up paying for it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If California insurance costs are going up, Noy said, “the only way to make them lower is reduce the risk through public policy. You cannot make the costs, the premiums low if the risk is high because someone ends up paying for it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other experts stressed that the public-private partnerships could work but must be well-designed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s literally a design choice of, what are we solving for?” said \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/erwann-o-michel-kerjan-5653a9/?isSelfProfile=false\">Erwann Michel-Kerjan\u003c/a>, former executive director of the Wharton Risk Center, now a partner at McKinsey & Company. He has studied France’s system. “Are you solving for fairness?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s literally a design choice of, what are we solving for?” said \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/erwann-o-michel-kerjan-5653a9/?isSelfProfile=false\">Erwann Michel-Kerjan\u003c/a>, former executive director of the Wharton Risk Center, now a partner at McKinsey & Company. He has studied France’s system. “Are you solving for fairness?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Perhaps fairness is everyone paying for their own risk? But, equally, perhaps it’s unfair for people to see their insurance costs triple and to be priced out of where they grew up, when they didn’t do anything themselves to increase fire risk?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Perhaps fairness is everyone paying for their own risk? But, equally, perhaps it’s unfair for people to see their insurance costs triple and to be priced out of where they grew up, when they didn’t do anything themselves to increase fire risk?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t think anyone has the answer, because there is not the perfect silver bullet,” Michel-Kerjan said. “California is unique, so it’s not like you can take the French system, the Netherlands system, and make it work in California, but you could be inspired by some of the principles behind some of these schemes.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I don’t think anyone has the answer, because there is not the perfect silver bullet,” Michel-Kerjan said. “California is unique, so it’s not like you can take the French system, the Netherlands system, and make it work in California, but you could be inspired by some of the principles behind some of these schemes.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Time and again, California’s wildfires defy expectations. Do taxpayers want to be responsible?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time and again, California’s wildfires defy expectations. Do taxpayers want to be responsible?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A system could be particularly hard to set up in California, right now. Wildfire damage is enormous, and costs are skyrocketing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Experts worry that creating an all-hazard system in California would concentrate fire risk into one program, instead of allowing private insurance companies to spread the costs out across the country, among many different policies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Experts worry that creating an all-hazard system in California would concentrate fire risk into one program, instead of allowing private insurance companies to spread the costs out across the country, among many different policies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If a public insurance scheme relied only on money from within the state, the danger of costs exceeding incoming funds is greater than if the money going into and out of the system flows through national and global companies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If a public insurance scheme relied only on money from within the state, the danger of costs exceeding incoming funds is greater than if the money going into and out of the system flows through national and global companies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1998029\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire destruction in downtown Altadena, after the Eaton Fire swept through the area northeast of Los Angeles, on Jan. 9, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This proposal,” said Carolyn Kousky, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.insuranceforgood.org/\">Insurance for Good\u003c/a>, a nonprofit that works on insurance solutions, “would concentrate fire risk, not diversify it.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Diversification tends to make insurance markets stronger. Currently, California’s property insurance market is diversified among dozens of private carriers who, in turn, are diversified across the country, insuring people in different states, and hold reinsurance through global markets.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Diversification tends to make insurance markets stronger. Currently, California’s property insurance market is diversified among dozens of private carriers who, in turn, are diversified across the country, insuring people in different states, and hold reinsurance through global markets.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You would actually end up costing people more by concentrating fire risk in one program instead of having access to this broader diversification,” Kousky said. “And we’ve seen that global reinsurance markets tend to charge more for public programs, for them to offload directly into the reinsurance market, because they are so often politically manipulated and their business isn’t consistent.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Reassurance through reinsurance?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reassurance through reinsurance? \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If California were to, instead of insuring homes directly, follow one aspect of the French model, it could create a different problem with reinsurance. Reinsurance is most simply thought of as insurance for insurance companies. In France, this helps keep costs down, and in Florida, too; however, in California, reinsurance costs are not a great place for saving. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If California were to, instead of insuring homes directly, follow one aspect of the French model, it could create a different problem with reinsurance. Reinsurance is most simply thought of as insurance for insurance companies. In France, this helps keep costs down, and in Florida, too; however, in California, reinsurance costs are not a great place for saving. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Florida is the only state in the U.S. that has a public reinsurance program. And it’s actually working pretty well,” Kousky said. That’s because Florida is filled with very small insurers who tend to operate only in the state or the region, and they are poorly capitalized and heavily dependent on insurance. Those costs are high, and they impact the primary market. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Florida is the only state in the U.S. that has a public reinsurance program. And it’s actually working pretty well,” Kousky said. That’s because Florida is filled with very small insurers who tend to operate only in the state or the region, and they are poorly capitalized and heavily dependent on insurance. Those costs are high, and they impact the primary market. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2000450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A boat crosses Lake Oroville with a smoldering hillside behind as the Thompson Fire burns in Oroville, California, on July 3, 2024. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2000450\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A boat crosses Lake Oroville with a smoldering hillside behind as the Thompson Fire burns in Oroville, California, on July 3, 2024. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Putting in a state layer of reinsurance that’s less expensive and — important — stable in its pricing does provide these protective benefits to the homeowners market there. That’s not the case for the homeowners market in California.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Putting in a state layer of reinsurance that’s less expensive and — important — stable in its pricing does provide these protective benefits to the homeowners market there. That’s not the case for the homeowners market in California.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here, she said, most carriers operate nationally, have good financial health, and are getting reinsurance fairly inexpensively. Putting out California fire reinsurance specifically won’t help residents much. Perhaps it would make policies slightly cheaper, but Kousky estimated by not much. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Here, she said, most carriers operate nationally, have good financial health, and are getting reinsurance fairly inexpensively. Putting out California fire reinsurance specifically won’t help residents much. Perhaps it would make policies slightly cheaper, but Kousky estimated by not much. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What these public programs mostly do is change who pays. To meaningfully lower how much everyone has to pay, we need to make everyone safer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What these public programs mostly do is change who pays. To meaningfully lower how much everyone has to pay, we need to make everyone safer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Could insurance fees pay for wildfire mitigation?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kim does want to solve the persistent state problem of a lack of funds to invest in home- and community-level fire resilience. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State Sen. Ben Allen represents parts of Los Angeles County and is Kim’s opponent for the role of insurance commissioner. He wants to expand grants and financing to help home and business owners safeguard their properties from fire. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>State Sen. Ben Allen represents parts of Los Angeles County and is Kim’s opponent for the role of insurance commissioner. He wants to expand grants and financing to help home and business owners safeguard their properties from fire. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wara, at Stanford, said he loves that both insurance commissioner candidates are thinking about how to find money to help communities reduce risk. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002299\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ben Allen, a California state senator, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Wara does not think there would be enough profit in California’s wildfire insurance premiums to siphon enough off for meaningful investment and have a fund that could continue to pay claims. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Wara does not think there would be enough profit in California’s wildfire insurance premiums to siphon enough off for meaningful investment and have a fund that could continue to pay claims. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When disaster strikes, those funds need a big pile of cash to pay claims, Wara said. “If we are spending that money on trying to reduce risk, the challenge is that we might have some bad fires before we’ve actually reduced the risk and then we’re going to need to pay claims, but we won’t have the money.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When disaster strikes, those funds need a big pile of cash to pay claims, Wara said. “If we are spending that money on trying to reduce risk, the challenge is that we might have some bad fires before we’ve actually reduced the risk and then we’re going to need to pay claims, but we won’t have the money.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In bad years like 2017, 2018 and 2020, insurance industry insiders said decades of company profits were wiped out and, by the early 2020s, many companies felt that the California market had become so risky and unprofitable that, for a time, almost no insurance company would offer new homeowner policies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In bad years like 2017, 2018 and 2020, insurance industry insiders said decades of company profits were wiped out and, by the early 2020s, many companies felt that the California market had become so risky and unprofitable that, for a time, almost no insurance company would offer new homeowner policies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That has since loosened up, and California’s insurance market shows some early signs of recovery: more companies entering the market and slowed growth in the FAIR Plan — California’s carrier of last resort. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That has since loosened up, and California’s insurance market shows some early signs of recovery: more companies entering the market and slowed growth in the FAIR Plan — California’s carrier of last resort. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wara likened this to a sick patient who has a long way to go before they can do anything too ambitious. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have taken one dose of antibiotics when it comes to the insurance system in California,” he said. It’ll be a while before it’s fully healthy. When someone is in recovery, “You just say: ‘go to bed, rest, take some antibiotics. Here’s some soup.’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have taken one dose of antibiotics when it comes to the insurance system in California,” he said. It’ll be a while before it’s fully healthy. When someone is in recovery, “You just say: ‘go to bed, rest, take some antibiotics. Here’s some soup.’” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>New and creative ideas are needed in California to shift the state from its current untenable trajectory with climate change, wildfires and electrical utilities, Wara said. But he is skeptical of the contours of the plan currently offered by Kim. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>New and creative ideas are needed in California to shift the state from its current untenable trajectory with climate change, wildfires and electrical utilities, Wara said. But he is skeptical of the contours of the plan currently offered by Kim. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s not like the status quo is necessarily going to work,” he said, “We may have to try very different things.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Allen characterized her plan as “taking popular support for comprehensive single-payer health care, which is a real thing that exists in a lot of countries,” he told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098926/ben-allen-wants-to-take-on-the-insurance-industry-for-you\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>, “and popped it over onto home disaster insurance.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Allen characterized her plan as “taking popular support for comprehensive single-payer health care, which is a real thing that exists in a lot of countries,” he told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098926/ben-allen-wants-to-take-on-the-insurance-industry-for-you\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>, “and popped it over onto home disaster insurance.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the problem, he said, is that a comprehensive single-payer system doesn’t exist anywhere in the world. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Even if she were able to get this through the legislature, which I don’t think she’d be able to, even if it were a good idea, it would take 10 years to implement at the earliest,” he said. “I’m trying to focus on fixing the problems right now.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kim, if elected, would need to advocate for the idea, have a bill proposed by a legislative partner, see it pass both houses and have it signed by the governor. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For her part, Kim said she’s optimistic about her ability to negotiate, build coalitions and get this idea across the finish line. Voters will decide if she gets the chance to try.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Jane Kim is running to be California’s insurance commissioner on the idea that it can. Many experts have reservations, but agree that more needs to be done to reduce insurance costs.",
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"title": "Could a Public Wildfire Insurance Plan Work in California? | KQED",
"description": "Jane Kim is running to be California’s insurance commissioner on the idea that it can. Many experts have reservations, but agree that more needs to be done to reduce insurance costs.",
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"headline": "Could a Public Wildfire Insurance Plan Work in California?",
"datePublished": "2026-10-14T08:00:00-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Former \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> Supervisor Jane Kim’s proposal to create a public, natural disaster insurance program for all is the boldest out-of-the-box idea in the race to become California’s next insurance commissioner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The consumer advocate and attorney proposed a “guaranteed disaster for all insurance program that is publicly run and nonprofit.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The state would collect some of the premiums that you’re already paying to this industry,” she said. “We would invest those dollars in the market, and then we would use excess capital to actually invest in driving down risk, meaning we would invest in fireproofing and floodproofing communities.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim has pointed to New Zealand and France’s arrangements as potential models. In these countries, the government and private companies share risk in the insurance market. She said she wants to see California’s insurance dollars at work to control the state’s insurance costs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Could a similar program work here? How would it? KQED spoke with half a dozen experts to take a look at these questions, and many met the idea with skepticism, and also some hints of curiosity.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What exactly is Jane Kim proposing?\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim’s campaign has yet to release a detailed, fleshed-out policy proposal. She told KQED the policy would have to be studied by regulators at the Department of Insurance to “figure out how we can make this actually pencil out and work.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she envisions private insurance companies paying certain risk line items, such as for wildfire, to the state. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002300\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260917-JaneKimPB-04-BL_qed-bf9c36ae-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jane Kim, former San Francisco supervisor and candidate for California Insurance Commissioner, speaks with politics reporter Marisa Lagos for Political Breakdown at the KQED offices in San Francisco on Sept. 17, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“From the consumer’s perspective, there’s no difference,” Kim said during an interview on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100390/jane-kims-bold-plan-to-protect-you-when-disaster-strikes\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. “And when you file a claim, you still file it with the insurance industry. But the state pays it out, and they pay it out quickly and fairly.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To fund this, Kim said, the program would happen in stages, “and we’d have to figure out how to capitalize it in the beginning so that we could pay out claims in year one if fires happened.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the advantage for the state, she said, is that the profit insurance companies make on this part of policies could be invested in reducing risk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Public-private insurance partnerships exist in some form in dozens of countries, including England for flood risk and Spain for some risk reduction and emergency response. The U.S. also has a national flood insurance program. And states like Texas and Florida have schemes to socialize some of the costs of home insurance, owing to their frequent hurricanes and flooding.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1994224\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/AP24253126507105-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Firefighter Nolan Graham sprays water around a scorched garage as the Boyles fire burns in Clearlake on Sept. 8, 2024. (Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each country or state’s arrangement is unique. In New Zealand, a set amount of a homeowner’s property insurance, about 600 New Zealand dollars ($336), goes to the government program that covers seismic risk: earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides. If a policyholder suffers a loss, they can receive up to 300,000 NZ$ (roughly $170,000). All claim values above that are paid by the insurance company they have coverage with. It only covers seismic hazards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In France, a surcharge of 20% is added to property insurance policies. Private insurance companies handle claims, but they are reinsured by a public reinsurance company backed by the French state. Spain also operates a public reinsurance and direct insurance program, also funded by mandatory surcharges.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some California insurance experts believe bold ideas are needed to decrease wildfire risk, most are skeptical of Kim’s idea. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Caution, skepticism, some curiosity, too \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their concerns overlap: public insurance programs spread out costs but don’t necessarily reduce them; they are often overly generous and fiscally irresponsible because they are set up by politicians who want to be reelected.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some experts argue that California’s climate-fueled disasters are so expensive and frequent that it would be foolish for the state to take on so much risk, and that California’s market is in the early phases of a recovery and that shocking it with major changes could delay or reverse the progress. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1994257\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/09/240909-BOYLESFIRE-22-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A home destroyed by the Boyles Fire in Clearlake on Sept. 9, 2024, after the wildfire swept through the area on Sept. 8, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There aren’t a huge number of what most people would consider successful examples of public insurers. They tend to be plagued by problems,” said Michael Wara, wildfire and insurance expert at Stanford. “And the biggest problem is that when you tell a government agency to set the cost of insurance, they almost always set it too low.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And that means that taxpayers then must bail out the program. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ideally, place politicians far away from this process,” said Ilan Noy, an expert in the economics of disasters and climate change at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Noy has studied the New Zealand program extensively and is largely a fan of it. However, he did not think an all-natural-hazard system would work in California, where some of the people at the highest risk are also wealthy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When public-private programs work, it’s because the insurance is being subsidized. But would subsidizing these wealthy homeowners be fair? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If California insurance costs are going up, Noy said, “the only way to make them lower is reduce the risk through public policy. You cannot make the costs, the premiums low if the risk is high because someone ends up paying for it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other experts stressed that the public-private partnerships could work but must be well-designed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s literally a design choice of, what are we solving for?” said \u003ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/erwann-o-michel-kerjan-5653a9/?isSelfProfile=false\">Erwann Michel-Kerjan\u003c/a>, former executive director of the Wharton Risk Center, now a partner at McKinsey & Company. He has studied France’s system. “Are you solving for fairness?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perhaps fairness is everyone paying for their own risk? But, equally, perhaps it’s unfair for people to see their insurance costs triple and to be priced out of where they grew up, when they didn’t do anything themselves to increase fire risk?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I don’t think anyone has the answer, because there is not the perfect silver bullet,” Michel-Kerjan said. “California is unique, so it’s not like you can take the French system, the Netherlands system, and make it work in California, but you could be inspired by some of the principles behind some of these schemes.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time and again, California’s wildfires defy expectations. Do taxpayers want to be responsible?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A system could be particularly hard to set up in California, right now. Wildfire damage is enormous, and costs are skyrocketing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Experts worry that creating an all-hazard system in California would concentrate fire risk into one program, instead of allowing private insurance companies to spread the costs out across the country, among many different policies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If a public insurance scheme relied only on money from within the state, the danger of costs exceeding incoming funds is greater than if the money going into and out of the system flows through national and global companies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1998029\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/240109-CAWindStorm-069_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fire destruction in downtown Altadena, after the Eaton Fire swept through the area northeast of Los Angeles, on Jan. 9, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This proposal,” said Carolyn Kousky, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.insuranceforgood.org/\">Insurance for Good\u003c/a>, a nonprofit that works on insurance solutions, “would concentrate fire risk, not diversify it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Diversification tends to make insurance markets stronger. Currently, California’s property insurance market is diversified among dozens of private carriers who, in turn, are diversified across the country, insuring people in different states, and hold reinsurance through global markets.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You would actually end up costing people more by concentrating fire risk in one program instead of having access to this broader diversification,” Kousky said. “And we’ve seen that global reinsurance markets tend to charge more for public programs, for them to offload directly into the reinsurance market, because they are so often politically manipulated and their business isn’t consistent.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reassurance through reinsurance? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If California were to, instead of insuring homes directly, follow one aspect of the French model, it could create a different problem with reinsurance. Reinsurance is most simply thought of as insurance for insurance companies. In France, this helps keep costs down, and in Florida, too; however, in California, reinsurance costs are not a great place for saving. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Florida is the only state in the U.S. that has a public reinsurance program. And it’s actually working pretty well,” Kousky said. That’s because Florida is filled with very small insurers who tend to operate only in the state or the region, and they are poorly capitalized and heavily dependent on insurance. Those costs are high, and they impact the primary market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2000450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/OrovilleWildfireAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A boat crosses Lake Oroville with a smoldering hillside behind as the Thompson Fire burns in Oroville, California, on July 3, 2024. (Noah Berger/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Putting in a state layer of reinsurance that’s less expensive and — important — stable in its pricing does provide these protective benefits to the homeowners market there. That’s not the case for the homeowners market in California.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here, she said, most carriers operate nationally, have good financial health, and are getting reinsurance fairly inexpensively. Putting out California fire reinsurance specifically won’t help residents much. Perhaps it would make policies slightly cheaper, but Kousky estimated by not much. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What these public programs mostly do is change who pays. To meaningfully lower how much everyone has to pay, we need to make everyone safer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Could insurance fees pay for wildfire mitigation?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim does want to solve the persistent state problem of a lack of funds to invest in home- and community-level fire resilience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State Sen. Ben Allen represents parts of Los Angeles County and is Kim’s opponent for the role of insurance commissioner. He wants to expand grants and financing to help home and business owners safeguard their properties from fire. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wara, at Stanford, said he loves that both insurance commissioner candidates are thinking about how to find money to help communities reduce risk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002299\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-708498f7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ben Allen, a California state senator, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Wara does not think there would be enough profit in California’s wildfire insurance premiums to siphon enough off for meaningful investment and have a fund that could continue to pay claims. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When disaster strikes, those funds need a big pile of cash to pay claims, Wara said. “If we are spending that money on trying to reduce risk, the challenge is that we might have some bad fires before we’ve actually reduced the risk and then we’re going to need to pay claims, but we won’t have the money.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In bad years like 2017, 2018 and 2020, insurance industry insiders said decades of company profits were wiped out and, by the early 2020s, many companies felt that the California market had become so risky and unprofitable that, for a time, almost no insurance company would offer new homeowner policies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That has since loosened up, and California’s insurance market shows some early signs of recovery: more companies entering the market and slowed growth in the FAIR Plan — California’s carrier of last resort. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wara likened this to a sick patient who has a long way to go before they can do anything too ambitious. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have taken one dose of antibiotics when it comes to the insurance system in California,” he said. It’ll be a while before it’s fully healthy. When someone is in recovery, “You just say: ‘go to bed, rest, take some antibiotics. Here’s some soup.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>New and creative ideas are needed in California to shift the state from its current untenable trajectory with climate change, wildfires and electrical utilities, Wara said. But he is skeptical of the contours of the plan currently offered by Kim. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not like the status quo is necessarily going to work,” he said, “We may have to try very different things.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Allen characterized her plan as “taking popular support for comprehensive single-payer health care, which is a real thing that exists in a lot of countries,” he told \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098926/ben-allen-wants-to-take-on-the-insurance-industry-for-you\">KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>, “and popped it over onto home disaster insurance.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the problem, he said, is that a comprehensive single-payer system doesn’t exist anywhere in the world. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even if she were able to get this through the legislature, which I don’t think she’d be able to, even if it were a good idea, it would take 10 years to implement at the earliest,” he said. “I’m trying to focus on fixing the problems right now.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kim, if elected, would need to advocate for the idea, have a bill proposed by a legislative partner, see it pass both houses and have it signed by the governor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For her part, Kim said she’s optimistic about her ability to negotiate, build coalitions and get this idea across the finish line. Voters will decide if she gets the chance to try.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "a-potential-catastrophe-sacramento-san-joaquin-delta-prepares-for-super-el-nino",
"title": "‘A Potential Catastrophe’: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Prepares for Super El Niño",
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"headTitle": "‘A Potential Catastrophe’: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Prepares for Super El Niño | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Aaron Lickingteller pointed down from the top of one of the westernmost levees in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sacramento-san-joaquin-delta\">Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta\u003c/a> to the land 25 feet below. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Without constant maintenance work, he said, these levees degrade quickly. “Squirrel holes, dead trees, little leaks, a little bit of erosion. Next thing you know, you’re springing a leak,” he said. “That leak is like a zipper on a pair of pants. You just unzip that, and everything comes out, you know what I mean, or goes in.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like most Delta islands, Twitchell Island sits below sea level. It is less of an island, more of a bowl. On either side run the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, which together capture about 40% of the state’s runoff. This year, as California faces what experts are calling “Super El Niño” conditions, residents in the Delta are preparing for the prospect of devastating flooding. But they have faced tough conditions before, and while they are readying for worst-case scenarios, some feel a hard-earned confidence that comes from decades of work to improve levees and response systems. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002243\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kjeldsen, Sinnock and Neudeck, Inc. construction inspector, Aaron Lickingteller, speaks to a KQED reporter in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But if predictions hold, keeping the water out won’t be an easy task. The volume of water pushing against the Delta’s roughly 1,100 miles of levees — many built by hand more than a hundred years ago — will be much higher. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With warmer ocean temperatures, tide levels and storm surges will rise, and wet, warm storm systems will become stronger and more frequent. In a possible scenario this year, a supercharged King Tide may coincide with an atmospheric river, sending powerful floodwaters downhill from the Sierra Nevada to meet a water level in the Delta up to six feet higher than normal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just behind Lickingteller, a cargo ship passed by, its wake breaking against the levee. He walked further along the levee’s interior to a construction site, heavy machinery crawling across the bare, brown earth. “Things have to get messy before they get put back together,” he said. This is the current levee improvement area for KSN, Inc., the engineering company he works for — improvements that never stop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002247\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kay Dix Ranch owner, Daniel Wilson, speaks to a KQED reporter in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>As he explained the risks of this coming winter, the wind gusted from the Carquinez Strait. “By the time the wind comes and smashes the water here, it’s got a lot of force.” If that force is coupled with a high water event, “you’re just looking for a potential catastrophe.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the eastern end of the Delta, fifth-generation farmer Daniel Wilson said he has a different set of worries. He leaned on an enormous pear-sorting machine, under a shade awning, away from the sun. Behind him were rows of pear and cherry trees — besides irrigation, no water in sight. While the water on Twitchell Island is always close to the top of the levee, on this eastern side the level is dependent on river flow rate, with much more seasonal variation. Most of the year, Wilson said, water isn’t a threat. But during the winter, large storms send powerful surges of water downstream. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When it does go that big, it breaks all the levies [upriver] and all hell breaks loose.” Wilson recalled the worst flooding years in recent memory, and said he has “every reason to believe” this year could be worse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Their feet haven’t been wet lately’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Delta, once a 700,000-acre tidal marsh, is no stranger to flooding. In 1972, a levee failure inundated Brannan-Andrus Island, including the historic town of Isleton, causing $20 million in damage. In January of 1983, Mildred Island flooded when King Tides coincided with an atmospheric river, and it remains underwater to this day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1986, more than 30,000 acres of the Delta were flooded, and in 1997, snows from a cold winter storm melted rapidly by rain from a warm atmospheric river, creating floodwaters that ravaged both the Sacramento and San Joaquin systems. That event remains the flood of record for the Delta, flooding Tyler Island, among others. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pumps remove water from Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>This episodic flooding, while costing lives and money, has also led to increased funding to strengthen the Delta’s fragile levee system. Chris Neudeck, president of KSN, Inc., said that since 1972, there’s been a marked improvement in the height and quality of levees. One of the reasons for this? Southern California depends on freshwater that flows through the Delta until Tracy, where it’s pumped south. Half of California’s water supply flows through the Delta and is delivered to three out of five Californians.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For that freshwater to stay fresh, the Delta system has to stay intact, Neudeck said. Otherwise, saltwater encroaches too far upstream. In the past, such as the 1972 Brannan-Andrus flood, the salinity line encroached too far east and the state stopped pumping water south. Because of the improvements, there hasn’t been an island flooded by a levee failure in over 20 years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Neudeck said California’s leaders are not spending enough money protecting this vital chokepoint. “I’ll be frank, they’re irresponsible,” he said. “It’s just too convenient to forgo expenditures, when their feet haven’t been wet lately.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Delta of the future\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Campbell Ingram, executive officer of the Delta Conservancy, a state agency focused on ecosystem restoration in the Delta, acknowledged the improved levees, but said the system is still under threat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s absolutely a credit to them and great, but I think many people, myself included, have serious doubts about the long-term viability of the Delta given climate change and increasing sea level rising, increasing storm magnitude,” Ingram said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A report from another state agency, the Delta Stewardship Council, found that by 2085, 21% of the Delta’s population, 68% of its land, $22 billion in assets and more than $5 billion in annual economic activity would be exposed by a 100-year flood event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002244\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Conservation Farms and Ranches director, Jerred Dixon, and The Nature Conservancy director of land protection and stewardship speak to a KQED reporter in Thornton on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the primary problems is that the Delta keeps on sinking. Much of the Delta rests on peat, a spongy soil that, while fertile for farming, risks further subsidence when planted with traditional row crops like corn. “There are a 150,000 acres out there in the center of the Delta between twenty and thirty feet below sea level,” Ingram said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jerred Dixon, a fifth-generation Delta farmer, is piloting a way to create a more resilient future on Staten Island. Owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed by Dixon, the island is now an economically viable, wildlife-friendly farm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s right at the neck of two of the three rivers that feed from the Sacramento River to the San Joaquin for fresh drinking water for the south. And also a kind of a bottleneck for migratory birds,” Dixon said. He described the fragile economic and ecological ecosystem of the Delta alongside his own life, growing up five miles from Staten Island. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My whole life was spent in the Delta, and it’s kind of a little bit in my blood,” Dixon said with a smile. “This is the last Wild West of California.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002238\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Levees protect Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Dixon parked his truck on top of the levee near the meeting of the North and South forks of the Mokelumne River. He pointed toward little saplings, protected by plastic, on the river side – it costs about $5 million a mile to do this levee rehabilitation, he said, laughing. Then he looked over the island to a conservation easement that protects the migratory birds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re making it that agricultural ridge, but still being able to provide that habitat for the birds and foraging and roosting habitat.” On the mineral soil, he can grow corn and alfalfa and triticale, and toward the lower end, a mixture of rice and wetlands, which prevent further subsidence, sequester carbon, and provide habitat for migrating sandhill cranes.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>A large portion of the global population of cranes spend their winter here in the Delta. “The sun is going down behind Mount Diablo, and there’s 50,000 birds coming in,” said Rodd Kesley, California land program director with The Nature Conservancy, of Staten Island. “It’s magical.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s no future of California that’s very bright without the Delta actually being functional and intact in some new ways, not business as usual but toward a future that makes sure we’re still able to deliver the water,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We’re always kind of on edge’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zak Thelen, a bartender at Tony’s Place in Walnut Grove, said the risk of flooding is a fact of life for Delta residents. “We’re always kind of on edge.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Delta living means driving long distances to get to grocery stores and other basic needs. And even the frequent, minor flooding can make life difficult. But, over time, you get “used to it,” he said. This year, though, feels different. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve had a lot of people talk about this El Niño.” He said he hoped for the same minor flooding they deal with every year, instead of what “we always dread about it, the levees breaking.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002245\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zak Thelen, a bartender at Tony’s Place in Walnut Grove, poses for a portrait in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026. Thelen says that he doesn’t have an exact plan for if the roads flood around Walnut Grove. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Across the Delta, living with the constant threat of flooding breeds a particular kind of acquiescence and resilience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We really don’t have anything to stop it in big years,” Dixon said. “One island kinda always goes down in bad years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wilson, meanwhile, hasn’t planted crops on one of the smaller islands on his farm because of the flooding risk. “Will somebody flood this year? Probably, somewhere in the Delta. Hopefully not us, but it’s hard to say.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"2002248\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002248\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sandbags and water barriers pile up at a flood fight material storage yard in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2002239\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002239\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Levees protect Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Back on Twitchell Island, Lickingteller said that they’re ready. “There’ll be 24/7 levee patrols when the waters are high, and it’s constantly raining, winds blowing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if a levee were to fail, it would be all hands on deck — farmers, landowners, engineers and emergency response — all working together in an effort they call “flood fighting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Things happen quick,” he said. You could be out checking the levee, and everything’s fine, then “five minutes later this whole thing collapsed.”\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Without constant maintenance work, he said, these levees degrade quickly. “Squirrel holes, dead trees, little leaks, a little bit of erosion. Next thing you know, you’re springing a leak,” he said. “That leak is like a zipper on a pair of pants. You just unzip that, and everything comes out, you know what I mean, or goes in.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Without constant maintenance work, he said, these levees degrade quickly. “Squirrel holes, dead trees, little leaks, a little bit of erosion. Next thing you know, you’re springing a leak,” he said. “That leak is like a zipper on a pair of pants. You just unzip that, and everything comes out, you know what I mean, or goes in.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Like most Delta islands, Twitchell Island sits below sea level. It is less of an island, more of a bowl. On either side run the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, which together capture about 40% of the state’s runoff. This year, as California faces what experts are calling “Super El Niño” conditions, residents in the Delta are preparing for the prospect of devastating flooding. But they have faced tough conditions before, and while they are readying for worst-case scenarios, some feel a hard-earned confidence that comes from decades of work to improve levees and response systems. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Like most Delta islands, Twitchell Island sits below sea level. It is less of an island, more of a bowl. On either side run the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, which together capture about 40% of the state’s runoff. This year, as California faces what experts are calling “Super El Niño” conditions, residents in the Delta are preparing for the prospect of devastating flooding. But they have faced tough conditions before, and while they are readying for worst-case scenarios, some feel a hard-earned confidence that comes from decades of work to improve levees and response systems. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But if predictions hold, keeping the water out won’t be an easy task. The volume of water pushing against the Delta’s roughly 1,100 miles of levees — many built by hand more than a hundred years ago — will be much higher. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But if predictions hold, keeping the water out won’t be an easy task. The volume of water pushing against the Delta’s roughly 1,100 miles of levees — many built by hand more than a hundred years ago — will be much higher. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With warmer ocean temperatures, tide levels and storm surges will rise, and wet, warm storm systems will become stronger and more frequent. In a possible scenario this year, a supercharged King Tide may coincide with an atmospheric river, sending powerful floodwaters downhill from the Sierra Nevada to meet a water level in the Delta up to six feet higher than normal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>With warmer ocean temperatures, tide levels and storm surges will rise, and wet, warm storm systems will become stronger and more frequent. In a possible scenario this year, a supercharged King Tide may coincide with an atmospheric river, sending powerful floodwaters downhill from the Sierra Nevada to meet a water level in the Delta up to six feet higher than normal. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Just behind Lickingteller, a cargo ship passed by, its wake breaking against the levee. He walked further along the levee’s interior to a construction site, heavy machinery crawling across the bare, brown earth. “Things have to get messy before they get put back together,” he said. This is the current levee improvement area for KSN, Inc., the engineering company he works for — improvements that never stop. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Just behind Lickingteller, a cargo ship passed by, its wake breaking against the levee. He walked further along the levee’s interior to a construction site, heavy machinery crawling across the bare, brown earth. “Things have to get messy before they get put back together,” he said. This is the current levee improvement area for KSN, Inc., the engineering company he works for — improvements that never stop. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002247\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kay Dix Ranch owner, Daniel Wilson, speaks to a KQED reporter in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002247\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kay Dix Ranch owner, Daniel Wilson, speaks to a KQED reporter in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As he explained the risks of this coming winter, the wind gusted from the Carquinez Strait. “By the time the wind comes and smashes the water here, it’s got a lot of force.” If that force is coupled with a high water event, “you’re just looking for a potential catastrophe.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As he explained the risks of this coming winter, the wind gusted from the Carquinez Strait. “By the time the wind comes and smashes the water here, it’s got a lot of force.” If that force is coupled with a high water event, “you’re just looking for a potential catastrophe.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the eastern end of the Delta, fifth-generation farmer Daniel Wilson said he has a different set of worries. He leaned on an enormous pear-sorting machine, under a shade awning, away from the sun. Behind him were rows of pear and cherry trees — besides irrigation, no water in sight. While the water on Twitchell Island is always close to the top of the levee, on this eastern side the level is dependent on river flow rate, with much more seasonal variation. Most of the year, Wilson said, water isn’t a threat. But during the winter, large storms send powerful surges of water downstream. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On the eastern end of the Delta, fifth-generation farmer Daniel Wilson said he has a different set of worries. He leaned on an enormous pear-sorting machine, under a shade awning, away from the sun. Behind him were rows of pear and cherry trees — besides irrigation, no water in sight. While the water on Twitchell Island is always close to the top of the levee, on this eastern side the level is dependent on river flow rate, with much more seasonal variation. Most of the year, Wilson said, water isn’t a threat. But during the winter, large storms send powerful surges of water downstream. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When it does go that big, it breaks all the levies [upriver] and all hell breaks loose.” Wilson recalled the worst flooding years in recent memory, and said he has “every reason to believe” this year could be worse. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When it does go that big, it breaks all the levies [upriver] and all hell breaks loose.” Wilson recalled the worst flooding years in recent memory, and said he has “every reason to believe” this year could be worse. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "‘Their feet haven’t been wet lately’ ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Their feet haven’t been wet lately’ \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Their feet haven’t been wet lately’ \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Delta, once a 700,000-acre tidal marsh, is no stranger to flooding. In 1972, a levee failure inundated Brannan-Andrus Island, including the historic town of Isleton, causing $20 million in damage. In January of 1983, Mildred Island flooded when King Tides coincided with an atmospheric river, and it remains underwater to this day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Delta, once a 700,000-acre tidal marsh, is no stranger to flooding. In 1972, a levee failure inundated Brannan-Andrus Island, including the historic town of Isleton, causing $20 million in damage. In January of 1983, Mildred Island flooded when King Tides coincided with an atmospheric river, and it remains underwater to this day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 1986, more than 30,000 acres of the Delta were flooded, and in 1997, snows from a cold winter storm melted rapidly by rain from a warm atmospheric river, creating floodwaters that ravaged both the Sacramento and San Joaquin systems. That event remains the flood of record for the Delta, flooding Tyler Island, among others. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 1986, more than 30,000 acres of the Delta were flooded, and in 1997, snows from a cold winter storm melted rapidly by rain from a warm atmospheric river, creating floodwaters that ravaged both the Sacramento and San Joaquin systems. That event remains the flood of record for the Delta, flooding Tyler Island, among others. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pumps remove water from Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002241\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pumps remove water from Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This episodic flooding, while costing lives and money, has also led to increased funding to strengthen the Delta’s fragile levee system. Chris Neudeck, president of KSN, Inc., said that since 1972, there’s been a marked improvement in the height and quality of levees. One of the reasons for this? Southern California depends on freshwater that flows through the Delta until Tracy, where it’s pumped south. Half of California’s water supply flows through the Delta and is delivered to three out of five Californians.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This episodic flooding, while costing lives and money, has also led to increased funding to strengthen the Delta’s fragile levee system. Chris Neudeck, president of KSN, Inc., said that since 1972, there’s been a marked improvement in the height and quality of levees. One of the reasons for this? Southern California depends on freshwater that flows through the Delta until Tracy, where it’s pumped south. Half of California’s water supply flows through the Delta and is delivered to three out of five Californians.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For that freshwater to stay fresh, the Delta system has to stay intact, Neudeck said. Otherwise, saltwater encroaches too far upstream. In the past, such as the 1972 Brannan-Andrus flood, the salinity line encroached too far east and the state stopped pumping water south. Because of the improvements, there hasn’t been an island flooded by a levee failure in over 20 years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For that freshwater to stay fresh, the Delta system has to stay intact, Neudeck said. Otherwise, saltwater encroaches too far upstream. In the past, such as the 1972 Brannan-Andrus flood, the salinity line encroached too far east and the state stopped pumping water south. Because of the improvements, there hasn’t been an island flooded by a levee failure in over 20 years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, Neudeck said California’s leaders are not spending enough money protecting this vital chokepoint. “I’ll be frank, they’re irresponsible,” he said. “It’s just too convenient to forgo expenditures, when their feet haven’t been wet lately.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Still, Neudeck said California’s leaders are not spending enough money protecting this vital chokepoint. “I’ll be frank, they’re irresponsible,” he said. “It’s just too convenient to forgo expenditures, when their feet haven’t been wet lately.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "The Delta of the future",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Delta of the future\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Delta of the future\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Campbell Ingram, executive officer of the Delta Conservancy, a state agency focused on ecosystem restoration in the Delta, acknowledged the improved levees, but said the system is still under threat.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Campbell Ingram, executive officer of the Delta Conservancy, a state agency focused on ecosystem restoration in the Delta, acknowledged the improved levees, but said the system is still under threat.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That’s absolutely a credit to them and great, but I think many people, myself included, have serious doubts about the long-term viability of the Delta given climate change and increasing sea level rising, increasing storm magnitude,” Ingram said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“That’s absolutely a credit to them and great, but I think many people, myself included, have serious doubts about the long-term viability of the Delta given climate change and increasing sea level rising, increasing storm magnitude,” Ingram said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A report from another state agency, the Delta Stewardship Council, found that by 2085, 21% of the Delta’s population, 68% of its land, $22 billion in assets and more than $5 billion in annual economic activity would be exposed by a 100-year flood event. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A report from another state agency, the Delta Stewardship Council, found that by 2085, 21% of the Delta’s population, 68% of its land, $22 billion in assets and more than $5 billion in annual economic activity would be exposed by a 100-year flood event. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002244\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Conservation Farms and Ranches director, Jerred Dixon, and The Nature Conservancy director of land protection and stewardship speak to a KQED reporter in Thornton on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002244\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Conservation Farms and Ranches director, Jerred Dixon, and The Nature Conservancy director of land protection and stewardship speak to a KQED reporter in Thornton on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the primary problems is that the Delta keeps on sinking. Much of the Delta rests on peat, a spongy soil that, while fertile for farming, risks further subsidence when planted with traditional row crops like corn. “There are a 150,000 acres out there in the center of the Delta between twenty and thirty feet below sea level,” Ingram said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One of the primary problems is that the Delta keeps on sinking. Much of the Delta rests on peat, a spongy soil that, while fertile for farming, risks further subsidence when planted with traditional row crops like corn. “There are a 150,000 acres out there in the center of the Delta between twenty and thirty feet below sea level,” Ingram said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jerred Dixon, a fifth-generation Delta farmer, is piloting a way to create a more resilient future on Staten Island. Owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed by Dixon, the island is now an economically viable, wildlife-friendly farm.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jerred Dixon, a fifth-generation Delta farmer, is piloting a way to create a more resilient future on Staten Island. Owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed by Dixon, the island is now an economically viable, wildlife-friendly farm.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s right at the neck of two of the three rivers that feed from the Sacramento River to the San Joaquin for fresh drinking water for the south. And also a kind of a bottleneck for migratory birds,” Dixon said. He described the fragile economic and ecological ecosystem of the Delta alongside his own life, growing up five miles from Staten Island. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s right at the neck of two of the three rivers that feed from the Sacramento River to the San Joaquin for fresh drinking water for the south. And also a kind of a bottleneck for migratory birds,” Dixon said. He described the fragile economic and ecological ecosystem of the Delta alongside his own life, growing up five miles from Staten Island. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My whole life was spent in the Delta, and it’s kind of a little bit in my blood,” Dixon said with a smile. “This is the last Wild West of California.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“My whole life was spent in the Delta, and it’s kind of a little bit in my blood,” Dixon said with a smile. “This is the last Wild West of California.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002238\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Levees protect Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002238\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Levees protect Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dixon parked his truck on top of the levee near the meeting of the North and South forks of the Mokelumne River. He pointed toward little saplings, protected by plastic, on the river side – it costs about $5 million a mile to do this levee rehabilitation, he said, laughing. Then he looked over the island to a conservation easement that protects the migratory birds. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Dixon parked his truck on top of the levee near the meeting of the North and South forks of the Mokelumne River. He pointed toward little saplings, protected by plastic, on the river side – it costs about $5 million a mile to do this levee rehabilitation, he said, laughing. Then he looked over the island to a conservation easement that protects the migratory birds. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re making it that agricultural ridge, but still being able to provide that habitat for the birds and foraging and roosting habitat.” On the mineral soil, he can grow corn and alfalfa and triticale, and toward the lower end, a mixture of rice and wetlands, which prevent further subsidence, sequester carbon, and provide habitat for migrating sandhill cranes.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>A large portion of the global population of cranes spend their winter here in the Delta. “The sun is going down behind Mount Diablo, and there’s 50,000 birds coming in,” said Rodd Kesley, California land program director with The Nature Conservancy, of Staten Island. “It’s magical.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re making it that agricultural ridge, but still being able to provide that habitat for the birds and foraging and roosting habitat.” On the mineral soil, he can grow corn and alfalfa and triticale, and toward the lower end, a mixture of rice and wetlands, which prevent further subsidence, sequester carbon, and provide habitat for migrating sandhill cranes.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>A large portion of the global population of cranes spend their winter here in the Delta. “The sun is going down behind Mount Diablo, and there’s 50,000 birds coming in,” said Rodd Kesley, California land program director with The Nature Conservancy, of Staten Island. “It’s magical.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s no future of California that’s very bright without the Delta actually being functional and intact in some new ways, not business as usual but toward a future that makes sure we’re still able to deliver the water,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“There’s no future of California that’s very bright without the Delta actually being functional and intact in some new ways, not business as usual but toward a future that makes sure we’re still able to deliver the water,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "‘We’re always kind of on edge’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We’re always kind of on edge’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Zak Thelen, a bartender at Tony’s Place in Walnut Grove, said the risk of flooding is a fact of life for Delta residents. “We’re always kind of on edge.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Zak Thelen, a bartender at Tony’s Place in Walnut Grove, said the risk of flooding is a fact of life for Delta residents. “We’re always kind of on edge.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Delta living means driving long distances to get to grocery stores and other basic needs. And even the frequent, minor flooding can make life difficult. But, over time, you get “used to it,” he said. This year, though, feels different. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Delta living means driving long distances to get to grocery stores and other basic needs. And even the frequent, minor flooding can make life difficult. But, over time, you get “used to it,” he said. This year, though, feels different. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve had a lot of people talk about this El Niño.” He said he hoped for the same minor flooding they deal with every year, instead of what “we always dread about it, the levees breaking.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’ve had a lot of people talk about this El Niño.” He said he hoped for the same minor flooding they deal with every year, instead of what “we always dread about it, the levees breaking.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002245\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zak Thelen, a bartender at Tony’s Place in Walnut Grove, poses for a portrait in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026. Thelen says that he doesn’t have an exact plan for if the roads flood around Walnut Grove.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002245\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zak Thelen, a bartender at Tony’s Place in Walnut Grove, poses for a portrait in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026. Thelen says that he doesn’t have an exact plan for if the roads flood around Walnut Grove.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across the Delta, living with the constant threat of flooding breeds a particular kind of acquiescence and resilience. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Across the Delta, living with the constant threat of flooding breeds a particular kind of acquiescence and resilience. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We really don’t have anything to stop it in big years,” Dixon said. “One island kinda always goes down in bad years.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We really don’t have anything to stop it in big years,” Dixon said. “One island kinda always goes down in bad years.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wilson, meanwhile, hasn’t planted crops on one of the smaller islands on his farm because of the flooding risk. “Will somebody flood this year? Probably, somewhere in the Delta. Hopefully not us, but it’s hard to say.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wilson, meanwhile, hasn’t planted crops on one of the smaller islands on his farm because of the flooding risk. “Will somebody flood this year? Probably, somewhere in the Delta. Hopefully not us, but it’s hard to say.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002248\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sandbags and water barriers pile up at a flood fight material storage yard in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Back on Twitchell Island, Lickingteller said that they’re ready. “There’ll be 24/7 levee patrols when the waters are high, and it’s constantly raining, winds blowing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Back on Twitchell Island, Lickingteller said that they’re ready. “There’ll be 24/7 levee patrols when the waters are high, and it’s constantly raining, winds blowing.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if a levee were to fail, it would be all hands on deck — farmers, landowners, engineers and emergency response — all working together in an effort they call “flood fighting.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And if a levee were to fail, it would be all hands on deck — farmers, landowners, engineers and emergency response — all working together in an effort they call “flood fighting.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Things happen quick,” he said. You could be out checking the levee, and everything’s fine, then “five minutes later this whole thing collapsed.”\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Things happen quick,” he said. You could be out checking the levee, and everything’s fine, then “five minutes later this whole thing collapsed.”\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a pivotal region for state water supply, sits below sea level and behind aging levees. Ahead of potential flooding from “Super El Niño” conditions, residents are worried, but prepared.\n",
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"title": "‘A Potential Catastrophe’: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Prepares for Super El Niño | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Aaron Lickingteller pointed down from the top of one of the westernmost levees in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/sacramento-san-joaquin-delta\">Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta\u003c/a> to the land 25 feet below. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Without constant maintenance work, he said, these levees degrade quickly. “Squirrel holes, dead trees, little leaks, a little bit of erosion. Next thing you know, you’re springing a leak,” he said. “That leak is like a zipper on a pair of pants. You just unzip that, and everything comes out, you know what I mean, or goes in.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like most Delta islands, Twitchell Island sits below sea level. It is less of an island, more of a bowl. On either side run the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, which together capture about 40% of the state’s runoff. This year, as California faces what experts are calling “Super El Niño” conditions, residents in the Delta are preparing for the prospect of devastating flooding. But they have faced tough conditions before, and while they are readying for worst-case scenarios, some feel a hard-earned confidence that comes from decades of work to improve levees and response systems. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002243\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-20-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kjeldsen, Sinnock and Neudeck, Inc. construction inspector, Aaron Lickingteller, speaks to a KQED reporter in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>But if predictions hold, keeping the water out won’t be an easy task. The volume of water pushing against the Delta’s roughly 1,100 miles of levees — many built by hand more than a hundred years ago — will be much higher. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With warmer ocean temperatures, tide levels and storm surges will rise, and wet, warm storm systems will become stronger and more frequent. In a possible scenario this year, a supercharged King Tide may coincide with an atmospheric river, sending powerful floodwaters downhill from the Sierra Nevada to meet a water level in the Delta up to six feet higher than normal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Just behind Lickingteller, a cargo ship passed by, its wake breaking against the levee. He walked further along the levee’s interior to a construction site, heavy machinery crawling across the bare, brown earth. “Things have to get messy before they get put back together,” he said. This is the current levee improvement area for KSN, Inc., the engineering company he works for — improvements that never stop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002247\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-49-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kay Dix Ranch owner, Daniel Wilson, speaks to a KQED reporter in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>As he explained the risks of this coming winter, the wind gusted from the Carquinez Strait. “By the time the wind comes and smashes the water here, it’s got a lot of force.” If that force is coupled with a high water event, “you’re just looking for a potential catastrophe.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the eastern end of the Delta, fifth-generation farmer Daniel Wilson said he has a different set of worries. He leaned on an enormous pear-sorting machine, under a shade awning, away from the sun. Behind him were rows of pear and cherry trees — besides irrigation, no water in sight. While the water on Twitchell Island is always close to the top of the levee, on this eastern side the level is dependent on river flow rate, with much more seasonal variation. Most of the year, Wilson said, water isn’t a threat. But during the winter, large storms send powerful surges of water downstream. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When it does go that big, it breaks all the levies [upriver] and all hell breaks loose.” Wilson recalled the worst flooding years in recent memory, and said he has “every reason to believe” this year could be worse. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘Their feet haven’t been wet lately’ \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Delta, once a 700,000-acre tidal marsh, is no stranger to flooding. In 1972, a levee failure inundated Brannan-Andrus Island, including the historic town of Isleton, causing $20 million in damage. In January of 1983, Mildred Island flooded when King Tides coincided with an atmospheric river, and it remains underwater to this day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1986, more than 30,000 acres of the Delta were flooded, and in 1997, snows from a cold winter storm melted rapidly by rain from a warm atmospheric river, creating floodwaters that ravaged both the Sacramento and San Joaquin systems. That event remains the flood of record for the Delta, flooding Tyler Island, among others. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-14-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pumps remove water from Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>This episodic flooding, while costing lives and money, has also led to increased funding to strengthen the Delta’s fragile levee system. Chris Neudeck, president of KSN, Inc., said that since 1972, there’s been a marked improvement in the height and quality of levees. One of the reasons for this? Southern California depends on freshwater that flows through the Delta until Tracy, where it’s pumped south. Half of California’s water supply flows through the Delta and is delivered to three out of five Californians.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For that freshwater to stay fresh, the Delta system has to stay intact, Neudeck said. Otherwise, saltwater encroaches too far upstream. In the past, such as the 1972 Brannan-Andrus flood, the salinity line encroached too far east and the state stopped pumping water south. Because of the improvements, there hasn’t been an island flooded by a levee failure in over 20 years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, Neudeck said California’s leaders are not spending enough money protecting this vital chokepoint. “I’ll be frank, they’re irresponsible,” he said. “It’s just too convenient to forgo expenditures, when their feet haven’t been wet lately.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Delta of the future\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Campbell Ingram, executive officer of the Delta Conservancy, a state agency focused on ecosystem restoration in the Delta, acknowledged the improved levees, but said the system is still under threat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s absolutely a credit to them and great, but I think many people, myself included, have serious doubts about the long-term viability of the Delta given climate change and increasing sea level rising, increasing storm magnitude,” Ingram said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A report from another state agency, the Delta Stewardship Council, found that by 2085, 21% of the Delta’s population, 68% of its land, $22 billion in assets and more than $5 billion in annual economic activity would be exposed by a 100-year flood event. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002244\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-30-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Conservation Farms and Ranches director, Jerred Dixon, and The Nature Conservancy director of land protection and stewardship speak to a KQED reporter in Thornton on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the primary problems is that the Delta keeps on sinking. Much of the Delta rests on peat, a spongy soil that, while fertile for farming, risks further subsidence when planted with traditional row crops like corn. “There are a 150,000 acres out there in the center of the Delta between twenty and thirty feet below sea level,” Ingram said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jerred Dixon, a fifth-generation Delta farmer, is piloting a way to create a more resilient future on Staten Island. Owned by The Nature Conservancy and managed by Dixon, the island is now an economically viable, wildlife-friendly farm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s right at the neck of two of the three rivers that feed from the Sacramento River to the San Joaquin for fresh drinking water for the south. And also a kind of a bottleneck for migratory birds,” Dixon said. He described the fragile economic and ecological ecosystem of the Delta alongside his own life, growing up five miles from Staten Island. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My whole life was spent in the Delta, and it’s kind of a little bit in my blood,” Dixon said with a smile. “This is the last Wild West of California.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002238\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-04-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Levees protect Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Dixon parked his truck on top of the levee near the meeting of the North and South forks of the Mokelumne River. He pointed toward little saplings, protected by plastic, on the river side – it costs about $5 million a mile to do this levee rehabilitation, he said, laughing. Then he looked over the island to a conservation easement that protects the migratory birds. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re making it that agricultural ridge, but still being able to provide that habitat for the birds and foraging and roosting habitat.” On the mineral soil, he can grow corn and alfalfa and triticale, and toward the lower end, a mixture of rice and wetlands, which prevent further subsidence, sequester carbon, and provide habitat for migrating sandhill cranes.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>A large portion of the global population of cranes spend their winter here in the Delta. “The sun is going down behind Mount Diablo, and there’s 50,000 birds coming in,” said Rodd Kesley, California land program director with The Nature Conservancy, of Staten Island. “It’s magical.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“There’s no future of California that’s very bright without the Delta actually being functional and intact in some new ways, not business as usual but toward a future that makes sure we’re still able to deliver the water,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘We’re always kind of on edge’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Zak Thelen, a bartender at Tony’s Place in Walnut Grove, said the risk of flooding is a fact of life for Delta residents. “We’re always kind of on edge.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Delta living means driving long distances to get to grocery stores and other basic needs. And even the frequent, minor flooding can make life difficult. But, over time, you get “used to it,” he said. This year, though, feels different. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve had a lot of people talk about this El Niño.” He said he hoped for the same minor flooding they deal with every year, instead of what “we always dread about it, the levees breaking.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002245\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-36-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zak Thelen, a bartender at Tony’s Place in Walnut Grove, poses for a portrait in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026. Thelen says that he doesn’t have an exact plan for if the roads flood around Walnut Grove. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Across the Delta, living with the constant threat of flooding breeds a particular kind of acquiescence and resilience. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We really don’t have anything to stop it in big years,” Dixon said. “One island kinda always goes down in bad years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wilson, meanwhile, hasn’t planted crops on one of the smaller islands on his farm because of the flooding risk. “Will somebody flood this year? Probably, somewhere in the Delta. Hopefully not us, but it’s hard to say.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"2002248\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002248\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-51-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sandbags and water barriers pile up at a flood fight material storage yard in Walnut Grove on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2002239\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002239\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/090326-DeltaFlooding-08-MC-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Levees protect Twitchell Island at the intersection of the San Joaquin River and the Three Mile Slough in Rio Vista on Sept. 3, 2026. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Back on Twitchell Island, Lickingteller said that they’re ready. “There’ll be 24/7 levee patrols when the waters are high, and it’s constantly raining, winds blowing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if a levee were to fail, it would be all hands on deck — farmers, landowners, engineers and emergency response — all working together in an effort they call “flood fighting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Things happen quick,” he said. You could be out checking the levee, and everything’s fine, then “five minutes later this whole thing collapsed.”\u003cbr>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "an-el-nino-driven-kelvin-wave-could-raise-bay-area-sea-levels-and-flooding-risk",
"title": "This Weekend, an El Niño-Driven ‘Kelvin Wave’ Will Raise Bay Area Sea Levels and Flooding Risk",
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"headTitle": "This Weekend, an El Niño-Driven ‘Kelvin Wave’ Will Raise Bay Area Sea Levels and Flooding Risk | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Scientists warn that a deep ocean wave driven by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100741/a-powerful-el-nino-is-brewing-newsom-wants-california-ready-for-the-worst\">El Niño\u003c/a> conditions could raise \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">Bay Area sea levels\u003c/a> by as much as 9 inches by early next week. That’s on top of sea levels already more than \u003ca href=\"https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/waterlevels.html?id=9414290\">6 inches above predicted levels\u003c/a> because of warm water along the West Coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ocean scientists in Santa Cruz said they began noticing the change in water levels on Friday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re just beginning to see the first increases in sea levels associated with the current Kelvin wave,” said \u003ca href=\"https://campusdirectory.ucsc.edu/cd_detail?uid=mwbeck\">Mike Beck\u003c/a>, director of the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz. “By the end of the weekend we should probably see water levels a foot and a half above normal.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Cruz-based swimmer Anna Wolfe-Pauly went swimming with a group at Cowell Beach on Friday morning when she noticed the waves were bigger than normal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was thinking maybe we need to get out of the water because it felt so severe to me,” Wolfe-Pauly said. “My friends were swimming about 200 yards ahead of me, and then all of a sudden I just couldn’t see them anymore, and I was like, that is a lot of water that just descended on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1364\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2028/06/GettyImages-1237523373-scaled-e1753215508590.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a white bike helmet, yellow jacket and black pants rides through several inches of water on a submerged bike trail. Hills and clouds are in the foreground.\" class=\"wp-image-1982386\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An aerial picture taken Jan. 3, 2022, shows a man riding a bike along a flooded Sausalito/Mill Valley bike path during a king tide in Mill Valley. King tides occur when the Earth, moon and sun align in orbit to produce unusually high water levels and can cause local tidal flooding. Over time, sea level rise is raising the height of tidal systems. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Researchers call the pulse of water moving up to the coast a “Kelvin wave” and said it will deliver even more El Niño-associated warm water. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Kelvin waves are a symptom of El Niño,” said Dillon Amaya, a professor at North Carolina State University who studies how climate change affects waters off the U.S. coast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s an 83% chance that this year’s El Niño will become “historic” this fall into winter, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml\">October outlook\u003c/a> from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>El Niño is marked by warming in the Pacific Ocean’s surface layer. When tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, warm ocean water near Asia can slosh toward the Pacific Coast. That warming has many effects: it can reshape the jet stream and bring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087122/el-nino-is-here-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-bay-area-this-winter\">stormier weather\u003c/a>, disrupt the ocean’s nutrient-rich upwelling, heat coastal waters, raise sea levels and stress marine life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sean Vitousek, a research oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey, said it can also trigger Kelvin waves deep in the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The energy first moves toward South America, and when it hits land, it splits and shifts north and south. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A Kelvin wave isn’t a surface wave like a tsunami or a “wall of water that’s moving up the coast or a wave that you can surf or that you’re going to see from the beach or from a boat,” Amaya said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But rather, it’s “a disturbance inside the ocean” moving up the coastline a little bit like the wave that travels around a sports stadium, said Severine Fournier, an ocean scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The wave travels around the stadium, but the people don’t run around,” Fournier said. “The disturbance gets passed to the next person, and that disturbance is the sea level rise deepening the warm layer of the ocean.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100741/a-powerful-el-nino-is-brewing-newsom-wants-california-ready-for-the-worst\">an El Niño year\u003c/a>, as many as six Kelvin waves can occur, and the temporarily high seas can last from days to weeks to months. Amaya said a first Kelvin wave moved up the coastline in May and June. A second wave is traveling about 6 miles per hour northward along the California coastline. Amaya said signs suggest a third wave is propagating around the equator. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Researchers worry that the extra push from these Kelvin waves alone will flood coastal areas, worsen erosion and challenge places like Santa Cruz or Pacifica with old sea walls that wrap along the water’s edge. But if the waves arrive during high tide or storms, scientists say flooding could hit low-lying areas like Santa Cruz, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">Marin County\u003c/a> or downtown San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The real concern is an increase in water levels when they come with really extreme wave events, and by the time we get to December, when we get our highest tides of the year, that’s when I have really great concerns,” Beck said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vitousek said high tides, called spring tides, will push above 6 feet around Oct. 11 and peak on Oct. 27 at 6.68 feet along San Francisco. King tides in late November could rise over 7 feet, and that will be “on top of the Kelvin wave,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1348\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2000074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty-768x518.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty-1536x1035.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pedestrians walk through floodwaters on Jan. 5, 2026, in Corte Madera. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That can create a situation where water is getting above critical thresholds that can cause more flooding, more cliff erosion, more dune erosion, more beach erosion,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Amaya said he wants to “temper expectations” and said the Kelvin wave is still weeks away from impacting the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen some people who are so concerned that they’re like making a run at Costco for water bottles, but that’s not where we’re at yet,” Amaya said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fournier wants people to understand that this Kelvin wave results from El Niño conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Whatever impacts we see in California, they’re a consequence, but El Niño is not coming,” Fournier said. “Sometimes people can’t differentiate the two.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re just beginning to see the first increases in sea levels associated with the current Kelvin wave,” said \u003ca href=\"https://campusdirectory.ucsc.edu/cd_detail?uid=mwbeck\">Mike Beck\u003c/a>, director of the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz. “By the end of the weekend we should probably see water levels a foot and a half above normal.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re just beginning to see the first increases in sea levels associated with the current Kelvin wave,” said \u003ca href=\"https://campusdirectory.ucsc.edu/cd_detail?uid=mwbeck\">Mike Beck\u003c/a>, director of the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz. “By the end of the weekend we should probably see water levels a foot and a half above normal.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Santa Cruz-based swimmer Anna Wolfe-Pauly went swimming with a group at Cowell Beach on Friday morning when she noticed the waves were bigger than normal.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I was thinking maybe we need to get out of the water because it felt so severe to me,” Wolfe-Pauly said. “My friends were swimming about 200 yards ahead of me, and then all of a sudden I just couldn’t see them anymore, and I was like, that is a lot of water that just descended on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2028/06/GettyImages-1237523373-scaled-e1753215508590.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a white bike helmet, yellow jacket and black pants rides through several inches of water on a submerged bike trail. Hills and clouds are in the foreground.\" class=\"wp-image-1982386\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An aerial picture taken Jan. 3, 2022, shows a man riding a bike along a flooded Sausalito/Mill Valley bike path during a king tide in Mill Valley. King tides occur when the Earth, moon and sun align in orbit to produce unusually high water levels and can cause local tidal flooding. Over time, sea level rise is raising the height of tidal systems.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2028/06/GettyImages-1237523373-scaled-e1753215508590.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a white bike helmet, yellow jacket and black pants rides through several inches of water on a submerged bike trail. Hills and clouds are in the foreground.\" class=\"wp-image-1982386\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An aerial picture taken Jan. 3, 2022, shows a man riding a bike along a flooded Sausalito/Mill Valley bike path during a king tide in Mill Valley. King tides occur when the Earth, moon and sun align in orbit to produce unusually high water levels and can cause local tidal flooding. Over time, sea level rise is raising the height of tidal systems.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Researchers call the pulse of water moving up to the coast a “Kelvin wave” and said it will deliver even more El Niño-associated warm water. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Researchers call the pulse of water moving up to the coast a “Kelvin wave” and said it will deliver even more El Niño-associated warm water. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Kelvin waves are a symptom of El Niño,” said Dillon Amaya, a professor at North Carolina State University who studies how climate change affects waters off the U.S. coast. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There’s an 83% chance that this year’s El Niño will become “historic” this fall into winter, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml\">October outlook\u003c/a> from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There’s an 83% chance that this year’s El Niño will become “historic” this fall into winter, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml\">October outlook\u003c/a> from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>El Niño is marked by warming in the Pacific Ocean’s surface layer. When tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, warm ocean water near Asia can slosh toward the Pacific Coast. That warming has many effects: it can reshape the jet stream and bring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087122/el-nino-is-here-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-bay-area-this-winter\">stormier weather\u003c/a>, disrupt the ocean’s nutrient-rich upwelling, heat coastal waters, raise sea levels and stress marine life. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>El Niño is marked by warming in the Pacific Ocean’s surface layer. When tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, warm ocean water near Asia can slosh toward the Pacific Coast. That warming has many effects: it can reshape the jet stream and bring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087122/el-nino-is-here-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-bay-area-this-winter\">stormier weather\u003c/a>, disrupt the ocean’s nutrient-rich upwelling, heat coastal waters, raise sea levels and stress marine life. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sean Vitousek, a research oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey, said it can also trigger Kelvin waves deep in the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sean Vitousek, a research oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey, said it can also trigger Kelvin waves deep in the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The energy first moves toward South America, and when it hits land, it splits and shifts north and south. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A Kelvin wave isn’t a surface wave like a tsunami or a “wall of water that’s moving up the coast or a wave that you can surf or that you’re going to see from the beach or from a boat,” Amaya said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A Kelvin wave isn’t a surface wave like a tsunami or a “wall of water that’s moving up the coast or a wave that you can surf or that you’re going to see from the beach or from a boat,” Amaya said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But rather, it’s “a disturbance inside the ocean” moving up the coastline a little bit like the wave that travels around a sports stadium, said Severine Fournier, an ocean scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But rather, it’s “a disturbance inside the ocean” moving up the coastline a little bit like the wave that travels around a sports stadium, said Severine Fournier, an ocean scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The wave travels around the stadium, but the people don’t run around,” Fournier said. “The disturbance gets passed to the next person, and that disturbance is the sea level rise deepening the warm layer of the ocean.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The wave travels around the stadium, but the people don’t run around,” Fournier said. “The disturbance gets passed to the next person, and that disturbance is the sea level rise deepening the warm layer of the ocean.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100741/a-powerful-el-nino-is-brewing-newsom-wants-california-ready-for-the-worst\">an El Niño year\u003c/a>, as many as six Kelvin waves can occur, and the temporarily high seas can last from days to weeks to months. Amaya said a first Kelvin wave moved up the coastline in May and June. A second wave is traveling about 6 miles per hour northward along the California coastline. Amaya said signs suggest a third wave is propagating around the equator. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100741/a-powerful-el-nino-is-brewing-newsom-wants-california-ready-for-the-worst\">an El Niño year\u003c/a>, as many as six Kelvin waves can occur, and the temporarily high seas can last from days to weeks to months. Amaya said a first Kelvin wave moved up the coastline in May and June. A second wave is traveling about 6 miles per hour northward along the California coastline. Amaya said signs suggest a third wave is propagating around the equator. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Researchers worry that the extra push from these Kelvin waves alone will flood coastal areas, worsen erosion and challenge places like Santa Cruz or Pacifica with old sea walls that wrap along the water’s edge. But if the waves arrive during high tide or storms, scientists say flooding could hit low-lying areas like Santa Cruz, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">Marin County\u003c/a> or downtown San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Researchers worry that the extra push from these Kelvin waves alone will flood coastal areas, worsen erosion and challenge places like Santa Cruz or Pacifica with old sea walls that wrap along the water’s edge. But if the waves arrive during high tide or storms, scientists say flooding could hit low-lying areas like Santa Cruz, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">Marin County\u003c/a> or downtown San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The real concern is an increase in water levels when they come with really extreme wave events, and by the time we get to December, when we get our highest tides of the year, that’s when I have really great concerns,” Beck said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The real concern is an increase in water levels when they come with really extreme wave events, and by the time we get to December, when we get our highest tides of the year, that’s when I have really great concerns,” Beck said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Vitousek said high tides, called spring tides, will push above 6 feet around Oct. 11 and peak on Oct. 27 at 6.68 feet along San Francisco. King tides in late November could rise over 7 feet, and that will be “on top of the Kelvin wave,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Vitousek said high tides, called spring tides, will push above 6 feet around Oct. 11 and peak on Oct. 27 at 6.68 feet along San Francisco. King tides in late November could rise over 7 feet, and that will be “on top of the Kelvin wave,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That can create a situation where water is getting above critical thresholds that can cause more flooding, more cliff erosion, more dune erosion, more beach erosion,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Amaya said he wants to “temper expectations” and said the Kelvin wave is still weeks away from impacting the region.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen some people who are so concerned that they’re like making a run at Costco for water bottles, but that’s not where we’re at yet,” Amaya said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fournier wants people to understand that this Kelvin wave results from El Niño conditions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Whatever impacts we see in California, they’re a consequence, but El Niño is not coming,” Fournier said. “Sometimes people can’t differentiate the two.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The deep-ocean wave could push Bay Area tides up by a foot in October.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Scientists warn that a deep ocean wave driven by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100741/a-powerful-el-nino-is-brewing-newsom-wants-california-ready-for-the-worst\">El Niño\u003c/a> conditions could raise \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001688/strong-el-nino-may-bring-record-sea-level-and-coastal-flooding-to-bay-area\">Bay Area sea levels\u003c/a> by as much as 9 inches by early next week. That’s on top of sea levels already more than \u003ca href=\"https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/waterlevels.html?id=9414290\">6 inches above predicted levels\u003c/a> because of warm water along the West Coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ocean scientists in Santa Cruz said they began noticing the change in water levels on Friday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re just beginning to see the first increases in sea levels associated with the current Kelvin wave,” said \u003ca href=\"https://campusdirectory.ucsc.edu/cd_detail?uid=mwbeck\">Mike Beck\u003c/a>, director of the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz. “By the end of the weekend we should probably see water levels a foot and a half above normal.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Santa Cruz-based swimmer Anna Wolfe-Pauly went swimming with a group at Cowell Beach on Friday morning when she noticed the waves were bigger than normal.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I was thinking maybe we need to get out of the water because it felt so severe to me,” Wolfe-Pauly said. “My friends were swimming about 200 yards ahead of me, and then all of a sudden I just couldn’t see them anymore, and I was like, that is a lot of water that just descended on the beach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1364\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2028/06/GettyImages-1237523373-scaled-e1753215508590.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing a white bike helmet, yellow jacket and black pants rides through several inches of water on a submerged bike trail. Hills and clouds are in the foreground.\" class=\"wp-image-1982386\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An aerial picture taken Jan. 3, 2022, shows a man riding a bike along a flooded Sausalito/Mill Valley bike path during a king tide in Mill Valley. King tides occur when the Earth, moon and sun align in orbit to produce unusually high water levels and can cause local tidal flooding. Over time, sea level rise is raising the height of tidal systems. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Researchers call the pulse of water moving up to the coast a “Kelvin wave” and said it will deliver even more El Niño-associated warm water. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Kelvin waves are a symptom of El Niño,” said Dillon Amaya, a professor at North Carolina State University who studies how climate change affects waters off the U.S. coast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s an 83% chance that this year’s El Niño will become “historic” this fall into winter, according to an \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml\">October outlook\u003c/a> from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>El Niño is marked by warming in the Pacific Ocean’s surface layer. When tropical trade winds weaken or reverse, warm ocean water near Asia can slosh toward the Pacific Coast. That warming has many effects: it can reshape the jet stream and bring \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087122/el-nino-is-here-heres-what-it-could-mean-for-the-bay-area-this-winter\">stormier weather\u003c/a>, disrupt the ocean’s nutrient-rich upwelling, heat coastal waters, raise sea levels and stress marine life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sean Vitousek, a research oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey, said it can also trigger Kelvin waves deep in the Pacific Ocean. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The energy first moves toward South America, and when it hits land, it splits and shifts north and south. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A Kelvin wave isn’t a surface wave like a tsunami or a “wall of water that’s moving up the coast or a wave that you can surf or that you’re going to see from the beach or from a boat,” Amaya said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But rather, it’s “a disturbance inside the ocean” moving up the coastline a little bit like the wave that travels around a sports stadium, said Severine Fournier, an ocean scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The wave travels around the stadium, but the people don’t run around,” Fournier said. “The disturbance gets passed to the next person, and that disturbance is the sea level rise deepening the warm layer of the ocean.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12100741/a-powerful-el-nino-is-brewing-newsom-wants-california-ready-for-the-worst\">an El Niño year\u003c/a>, as many as six Kelvin waves can occur, and the temporarily high seas can last from days to weeks to months. Amaya said a first Kelvin wave moved up the coastline in May and June. A second wave is traveling about 6 miles per hour northward along the California coastline. Amaya said signs suggest a third wave is propagating around the equator. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Researchers worry that the extra push from these Kelvin waves alone will flood coastal areas, worsen erosion and challenge places like Santa Cruz or Pacifica with old sea walls that wrap along the water’s edge. But if the waves arrive during high tide or storms, scientists say flooding could hit low-lying areas like Santa Cruz, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999871/after-king-tides-swamp-marin-san-rafael-weighs-billion-dollar-defenses-against-the-bay\">Marin County\u003c/a> or downtown San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The real concern is an increase in water levels when they come with really extreme wave events, and by the time we get to December, when we get our highest tides of the year, that’s when I have really great concerns,” Beck said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Vitousek said high tides, called spring tides, will push above 6 feet around Oct. 11 and peak on Oct. 27 at 6.68 feet along San Francisco. King tides in late November could rise over 7 feet, and that will be “on top of the Kelvin wave,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1348\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2000074\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty-768x518.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/02/FloodingCorteMaderaGetty-1536x1035.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pedestrians walk through floodwaters on Jan. 5, 2026, in Corte Madera. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That can create a situation where water is getting above critical thresholds that can cause more flooding, more cliff erosion, more dune erosion, more beach erosion,” Vitousek said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Amaya said he wants to “temper expectations” and said the Kelvin wave is still weeks away from impacting the region.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve seen some people who are so concerned that they’re like making a run at Costco for water bottles, but that’s not where we’re at yet,” Amaya said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Fournier wants people to understand that this Kelvin wave results from El Niño conditions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Whatever impacts we see in California, they’re a consequence, but El Niño is not coming,” Fournier said. “Sometimes people can’t differentiate the two.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "san-franciscos-next-district-10-supervisor-will-inherit-a-toxic-legacy",
"title": "San Francisco’s Next District 10 Supervisor Will Inherit a Toxic Legacy",
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"headTitle": "San Francisco’s Next District 10 Supervisor Will Inherit a Toxic Legacy | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>From the Hunters View housing project, San Francisco resident Joanne Abernathy can look out on two versions of the city: the radioactive, industrial legacy of the city’s past at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">Hunters Point Naval Shipyard\u003c/a> and a technology-driven future rising in downtown skyscrapers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abernathy grew up taking in this juxtaposition while walking up the hill from her family home in Bayview; her mom later lived in housing atop the slope.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can see everything from up here,” Abernathy said. “You can see the Bay Bridge, and when it’s the Fourth of July you can stand up here and see the fireworks.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://huntersview.info/\">Hunters View\u003c/a> was originally built as temporary housing for shipyard workers. Residents there have long had to advocate for themselves at City Hall, most recently as the promise of thousands of new homes in the city’s southeast corner threatens to push them out. And in the decadeslong cleanup of the contaminated shipyard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abernathy hopes whoever wins the District 10 supervisor race in November will be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">neighborhood’s\u003c/a> voice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001940\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidates (from left) Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter, Theo Ellington, and J.R. Eppler participate in a debate at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House in San Francisco on Sept. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to focus on a supervisor that’s going to stand up for us, because we’re almost one foot in the ground and one foot on the curb,” Abernathy said. “We need the community to have a say-so in [the cleanup]. Build around the community and stop just building around City Hall.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The race to replace Supervisor Shamann Walton comes at a pivotal moment for District 10, a large area on the city’s southeastern edge, as the environmental cleanup of the shipyard continues alongside plans to transform the site into housing, parks and business space. Walton’s replacement will inherit the task of advocating for the neighborhoods most affected by contamination, while also shaping what may become the city’s largest redevelopment projects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/supervisor-10th-district\">Nine candidates\u003c/a> are vying to represent the sprawling district from Potrero Hill through Bayview to Vistacion Valley. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">race has caught the attention of the city’s biggest political funders\u003c/a>, like crypto billionaire Chris Larsen, who donated an eye-popping $500,000 to moderate Democrat Theo Ellington’s campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The next supervisor should think about our health, and think about all the people that have been lost to cancer,” Abernathy said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the Cold War, the 866-acre shipyard’s soil and groundwater were contaminated with radioactive chemicals, heavy metals and petroleum fuels from ships brought there after atomic bomb tests. In 1989, the base was declared one of the nation’s most contaminated sites.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the cleanup concludes — potentially in the middle of the next decade — the city plans to allow developers to reinvent the shipyard. When finished, the 693-acre \u003ca href=\"https://sfocii.org/projects/hunters-point-shipyard-candlestick-point-2/overview\">Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Shipyard project\u003c/a> could include more than 10,000 housing units, two new waterfront neighborhoods and more than 340 acres of parks and open space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Past city-led health surveys found that cancer “is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfenvironment.org/sites/default/files/fliers/files/sfe_ej_sfhh_community_health_status_assessment.pdf\">a major cause of years of life lost\u003c/a> in Bayview Hunters Point,” but the city did not look into whether contamination at the shipyard contributed to these health problems\u003cstrong>.\u003c/strong> Residents are documenting their health conditions, and a local doctor has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">tested people to catalog who has been exposed\u003c/a> to dangerous chemicals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rachel Brahinsky, a University of San Francisco professor in urban studies and politics, said the next supervisor will need to actively “shine a light” on how the Superfund site is a “tremendous liability” that should be viewed as a “San Francisco problem.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They won’t “be treated as a central protagonist in the future of the city,” Brahinsky said. “They have to insist on it and make themselves and their neighborhood be seen in that way. History shows that that person will be sidelined if they don’t step up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘This is a city-wide issue’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Standing on the worn granite steps of City Hall in June, environmental advocates called on city leaders to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088662/toxic-land-protest-targets-sf-housing-plans-at-contaminated-hunters-point-naval-shipyard\">push for a full cleanup\u003c/a> at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rally followed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999631/navy-apologizes-for-11-month-delay-in-reporting-radioactive-material-at-hunters-point\">U.S. Navy’\u003c/a>s disclosure this spring that it found a cabinet filled with several hundred radiological items at the shipyard, the latest discovery at the Superfund site.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two candidates for supervisor took to the microphone: Ellington and Dion-Jay “D.J.” Brookter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001943\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter crushes grapes at Gratta Wines during Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Ellington grew up in Bayview and leads the Ruth Williams Opera House, a performing arts and cultural center located there. He said the fight is personal because he lives with his family within the shipyards’ footprint. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you want to protect the people, then you must protect the land,” Ellington said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brookter is a community advocate and former local nonprofit leader who moved to the neighborhood 16 years ago. He said the city needs to invest in the existing neighborhoods around Bayview, not just focus on building new housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are asking for what every family in San Francisco has the right to: clean land, honest science, a transparent government, and a future where our health is not sacrificed for someone else’s timeline,” Brookter said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three candidates have \u003ca href=\"https://campaign.sfethics.org/elections/2026-11-03/contests/bos10.html\">raised the most money\u003c/a>, so far — Ellington, Brookter, and J.R. Eppler — and all told KQED the shipyard would be a main focus. However, none explicitly listed it among their top three priorities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001939\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001939\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate J.R. Eppler talks with attendees at Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001936\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001936\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Theo Ellington speaks with Sandra O’Neil at Punkin’s 1 Stop Beauty Bar while campaigning in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ellington ranked housing, economic development and transportation as the most important issues. But decades of stalled and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993505/cleanup-of-san-francisco-superfund-site-has-been-badly-mishandled-lawsuit-alleges\">scandal-plagued cleanup efforts\u003c/a>, he said, have taught residents that “nobody takes anyone’s word” about how the Navy cleans up the site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As supervisor, Ellington would push for independent testing before land is transferred to developers, greater transparency and community involvement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have to use every rule in the book to push the Navy to do their part, and make sure this development is safe,” Ellington said, adding that he would fight for health screenings, because “exposure records kept today are the evidence families will need tomorrow.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brookter’s top three priorities include: housing stability, economic opportunity and effective government. On the shipyard, he said the “burden is on the government to prove” the land is safe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a city-wide issue,” Brookter said. “I want to bring my colleagues here to say, look, this is what San Franciscans are facing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brookter said he would fight for an independent review of the cleanup and ensure the community has “meaningful decision-making” in what happens next.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eppler describes his top three priorities as “building complete, vibrant, and connected neighborhoods.” On the shipyard, he told KQED the community needs more transparency from the Navy and regulatory agencies overseeing the cleanup. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>Navy officials have \u003ca href=\"https://www.navfac.navy.mil/Home/News-Detail/Article/4228126/navy-begins-final-soil-cleanup-at-former-hunters-point-naval-shipyard-warehouse/\">said\u003c/a> they are dedicated to ensuring the site is safe, environmentally sound, and benefits the surrounding community as it moves toward redevelopment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Residents should not be expected to take the Navy, its contractors, or City Hall at their word,” Eppler said. “I would push for every parcel to be cleaned to a residential standard and independently verified before it is transferred, opened to the public, or developed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eppler said the cleanup should not be rushed. Still, other areas could be redeveloped in the meantime because “District 10 should not have to choose between protecting public health and creating economic opportunity.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The city needs to rediscover the southeast,” Eppler said. “We’ve built the arsenal of democracy at the shipyard. It’s time for us to be on the map of San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The district is ‘not forgotten’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gail Hampton lives in senior housing on the hill overlooking the shipyard. She moved to the district more than half a century ago.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The next supervisor needs to pay more attention to the shipyard, period,” Hampton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tonia Randell, a Bayview environmental advocate and resident, said the next supervisor must understand that the “environment has to be protected” if the neighborhood is going to thrive — especially as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979473/us-navy-acknowledges-toxic-groundwater-rising-in-bayview-hunters-point\">future floodwaters could expose the community\u003c/a> to further harm from the toxic site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Theo Ellington campaigns in the Bayview in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“If someone who’s in that office doesn’t understand that, doesn’t attend the meetings or listen to the experts, then we’re gonna be cooked,” Randell said. “It’s a beautiful place, but it has underlying secrets that are deadly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arieann Harrison, executive director of the Marie Harrison Community Foundation, said she will miss Walton’s leadership.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He has shown the community that he’s willing to step up and be a part of the actions that we are taking,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Harrison has helped spearhead a campaign for community oversight, independent testing, cleanup to the highest standards, reparations for impacted residents and long-term monitoring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She worries development could shift demographics and reduce representation for existing residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001938\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter talks with attendees at Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“We will probably not have any representation moving forward after this election, that is, us — Black or people of color — because of the influx of money,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brahinsky, who is writing a book about Bayview environmental leaders, said: “The future is not written yet.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think there is still an opportunity because people like [Harrison] are pushing on the outcomes at the shipyard,” Brahinsky said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brahinsky hopes the district elects someone “who will represent the underdogs” and is “willing to keep pressure on continuously.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Sometimes that means someone who’s not worried about what’s next for them politically,” Brahinsky said. “The district is, in some ways, the last industrial heart of San Francisco. In that sense, it’s not forgotten at all and is central to the functioning of the city.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You can see everything from up here,” Abernathy said. “You can see the Bay Bridge, and when it’s the Fourth of July you can stand up here and see the fireworks.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://huntersview.info/\">Hunters View\u003c/a> was originally built as temporary housing for shipyard workers. Residents there have long had to advocate for themselves at City Hall, most recently as the promise of thousands of new homes in the city’s southeast corner threatens to push them out. And in the decadeslong cleanup of the contaminated shipyard.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://huntersview.info/\">Hunters View\u003c/a> was originally built as temporary housing for shipyard workers. Residents there have long had to advocate for themselves at City Hall, most recently as the promise of thousands of new homes in the city’s southeast corner threatens to push them out. And in the decadeslong cleanup of the contaminated shipyard.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Abernathy hopes whoever wins the District 10 supervisor race in November will be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">neighborhood’s\u003c/a> voice. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Abernathy hopes whoever wins the District 10 supervisor race in November will be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">neighborhood’s\u003c/a> voice. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001940\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidates (from left) Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter, Theo Ellington, and J.R. Eppler participate in a debate at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House in San Francisco on Sept. 1, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We need to focus on a supervisor that’s going to stand up for us, because we’re almost one foot in the ground and one foot on the curb,” Abernathy said. “We need the community to have a say-so in [the cleanup]. Build around the community and stop just building around City Hall.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The race to replace Supervisor Shamann Walton comes at a pivotal moment for District 10, a large area on the city’s southeastern edge, as the environmental cleanup of the shipyard continues alongside plans to transform the site into housing, parks and business space. Walton’s replacement will inherit the task of advocating for the neighborhoods most affected by contamination, while also shaping what may become the city’s largest redevelopment projects.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The race to replace Supervisor Shamann Walton comes at a pivotal moment for District 10, a large area on the city’s southeastern edge, as the environmental cleanup of the shipyard continues alongside plans to transform the site into housing, parks and business space. Walton’s replacement will inherit the task of advocating for the neighborhoods most affected by contamination, while also shaping what may become the city’s largest redevelopment projects.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/supervisor-10th-district\">Nine candidates\u003c/a> are vying to represent the sprawling district from Potrero Hill through Bayview to Vistacion Valley. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">race has caught the attention of the city’s biggest political funders\u003c/a>, like crypto billionaire Chris Larsen, who donated an eye-popping $500,000 to moderate Democrat Theo Ellington’s campaign. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/supervisor-10th-district\">Nine candidates\u003c/a> are vying to represent the sprawling district from Potrero Hill through Bayview to Vistacion Valley. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">race has caught the attention of the city’s biggest political funders\u003c/a>, like crypto billionaire Chris Larsen, who donated an eye-popping $500,000 to moderate Democrat Theo Ellington’s campaign. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The next supervisor should think about our health, and think about all the people that have been lost to cancer,” Abernathy said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The next supervisor should think about our health, and think about all the people that have been lost to cancer,” Abernathy said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the Cold War, the 866-acre shipyard’s soil and groundwater were contaminated with radioactive chemicals, heavy metals and petroleum fuels from ships brought there after atomic bomb tests. In 1989, the base was declared one of the nation’s most contaminated sites.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During the Cold War, the 866-acre shipyard’s soil and groundwater were contaminated with radioactive chemicals, heavy metals and petroleum fuels from ships brought there after atomic bomb tests. In 1989, the base was declared one of the nation’s most contaminated sites.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After the cleanup concludes — potentially in the middle of the next decade — the city plans to allow developers to reinvent the shipyard. When finished, the 693-acre \u003ca href=\"https://sfocii.org/projects/hunters-point-shipyard-candlestick-point-2/overview\">Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Shipyard project\u003c/a> could include more than 10,000 housing units, two new waterfront neighborhoods and more than 340 acres of parks and open space.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After the cleanup concludes — potentially in the middle of the next decade — the city plans to allow developers to reinvent the shipyard. When finished, the 693-acre \u003ca href=\"https://sfocii.org/projects/hunters-point-shipyard-candlestick-point-2/overview\">Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Shipyard project\u003c/a> could include more than 10,000 housing units, two new waterfront neighborhoods and more than 340 acres of parks and open space.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Past city-led health surveys found that cancer “is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfenvironment.org/sites/default/files/fliers/files/sfe_ej_sfhh_community_health_status_assessment.pdf\">a major cause of years of life lost\u003c/a> in Bayview Hunters Point,” but the city did not look into whether contamination at the shipyard contributed to these health problems\u003cstrong>.\u003c/strong> Residents are documenting their health conditions, and a local doctor has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">tested people to catalog who has been exposed\u003c/a> to dangerous chemicals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Past city-led health surveys found that cancer “is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfenvironment.org/sites/default/files/fliers/files/sfe_ej_sfhh_community_health_status_assessment.pdf\">a major cause of years of life lost\u003c/a> in Bayview Hunters Point,” but the city did not look into whether contamination at the shipyard contributed to these health problems\u003cstrong>.\u003c/strong> Residents are documenting their health conditions, and a local doctor has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">tested people to catalog who has been exposed\u003c/a> to dangerous chemicals. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rachel Brahinsky, a University of San Francisco professor in urban studies and politics, said the next supervisor will need to actively “shine a light” on how the Superfund site is a “tremendous liability” that should be viewed as a “San Francisco problem.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rachel Brahinsky, a University of San Francisco professor in urban studies and politics, said the next supervisor will need to actively “shine a light” on how the Superfund site is a “tremendous liability” that should be viewed as a “San Francisco problem.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They won’t “be treated as a central protagonist in the future of the city,” Brahinsky said. “They have to insist on it and make themselves and their neighborhood be seen in that way. History shows that that person will be sidelined if they don’t step up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They won’t “be treated as a central protagonist in the future of the city,” Brahinsky said. “They have to insist on it and make themselves and their neighborhood be seen in that way. History shows that that person will be sidelined if they don’t step up.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Standing on the worn granite steps of City Hall in June, environmental advocates called on city leaders to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088662/toxic-land-protest-targets-sf-housing-plans-at-contaminated-hunters-point-naval-shipyard\">push for a full cleanup\u003c/a> at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Standing on the worn granite steps of City Hall in June, environmental advocates called on city leaders to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088662/toxic-land-protest-targets-sf-housing-plans-at-contaminated-hunters-point-naval-shipyard\">push for a full cleanup\u003c/a> at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The rally followed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999631/navy-apologizes-for-11-month-delay-in-reporting-radioactive-material-at-hunters-point\">U.S. Navy’\u003c/a>s disclosure this spring that it found a cabinet filled with several hundred radiological items at the shipyard, the latest discovery at the Superfund site.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The rally followed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999631/navy-apologizes-for-11-month-delay-in-reporting-radioactive-material-at-hunters-point\">U.S. Navy’\u003c/a>s disclosure this spring that it found a cabinet filled with several hundred radiological items at the shipyard, the latest discovery at the Superfund site.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Two candidates for supervisor took to the microphone: Ellington and Dion-Jay “D.J.” Brookter. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001943\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter crushes grapes at Gratta Wines during Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ellington grew up in Bayview and leads the Ruth Williams Opera House, a performing arts and cultural center located there. He said the fight is personal because he lives with his family within the shipyards’ footprint. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If you want to protect the people, then you must protect the land,” Ellington said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brookter is a community advocate and former local nonprofit leader who moved to the neighborhood 16 years ago. He said the city needs to invest in the existing neighborhoods around Bayview, not just focus on building new housing. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are asking for what every family in San Francisco has the right to: clean land, honest science, a transparent government, and a future where our health is not sacrificed for someone else’s timeline,” Brookter said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Three candidates have \u003ca href=\"https://campaign.sfethics.org/elections/2026-11-03/contests/bos10.html\">raised the most money\u003c/a>, so far — Ellington, Brookter, and J.R. Eppler — and all told KQED the shipyard would be a main focus. However, none explicitly listed it among their top three priorities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ellington ranked housing, economic development and transportation as the most important issues. But decades of stalled and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993505/cleanup-of-san-francisco-superfund-site-has-been-badly-mishandled-lawsuit-alleges\">scandal-plagued cleanup efforts\u003c/a>, he said, have taught residents that “nobody takes anyone’s word” about how the Navy cleans up the site. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As supervisor, Ellington would push for independent testing before land is transferred to developers, greater transparency and community involvement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have to use every rule in the book to push the Navy to do their part, and make sure this development is safe,” Ellington said, adding that he would fight for health screenings, because “exposure records kept today are the evidence families will need tomorrow.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brookter’s top three priorities include: housing stability, economic opportunity and effective government. On the shipyard, he said the “burden is on the government to prove” the land is safe.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a city-wide issue,” Brookter said. “I want to bring my colleagues here to say, look, this is what San Franciscans are facing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brookter said he would fight for an independent review of the cleanup and ensure the community has “meaningful decision-making” in what happens next.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Eppler describes his top three priorities as “building complete, vibrant, and connected neighborhoods.” On the shipyard, he told KQED the community needs more transparency from the Navy and regulatory agencies overseeing the cleanup. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>Navy officials have \u003ca href=\"https://www.navfac.navy.mil/Home/News-Detail/Article/4228126/navy-begins-final-soil-cleanup-at-former-hunters-point-naval-shipyard-warehouse/\">said\u003c/a> they are dedicated to ensuring the site is safe, environmentally sound, and benefits the surrounding community as it moves toward redevelopment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Eppler describes his top three priorities as “building complete, vibrant, and connected neighborhoods.” On the shipyard, he told KQED the community needs more transparency from the Navy and regulatory agencies overseeing the cleanup. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>Navy officials have \u003ca href=\"https://www.navfac.navy.mil/Home/News-Detail/Article/4228126/navy-begins-final-soil-cleanup-at-former-hunters-point-naval-shipyard-warehouse/\">said\u003c/a> they are dedicated to ensuring the site is safe, environmentally sound, and benefits the surrounding community as it moves toward redevelopment. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Residents should not be expected to take the Navy, its contractors, or City Hall at their word,” Eppler said. “I would push for every parcel to be cleaned to a residential standard and independently verified before it is transferred, opened to the public, or developed.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Residents should not be expected to take the Navy, its contractors, or City Hall at their word,” Eppler said. “I would push for every parcel to be cleaned to a residential standard and independently verified before it is transferred, opened to the public, or developed.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Eppler said the cleanup should not be rushed. Still, other areas could be redeveloped in the meantime because “District 10 should not have to choose between protecting public health and creating economic opportunity.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The city needs to rediscover the southeast,” Eppler said. “We’ve built the arsenal of democracy at the shipyard. It’s time for us to be on the map of San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The city needs to rediscover the southeast,” Eppler said. “We’ve built the arsenal of democracy at the shipyard. It’s time for us to be on the map of San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "The district is ‘not forgotten’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gail Hampton lives in senior housing on the hill overlooking the shipyard. She moved to the district more than half a century ago.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The next supervisor needs to pay more attention to the shipyard, period,” Hampton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tonia Randell, a Bayview environmental advocate and resident, said the next supervisor must understand that the “environment has to be protected” if the neighborhood is going to thrive — especially as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979473/us-navy-acknowledges-toxic-groundwater-rising-in-bayview-hunters-point\">future floodwaters could expose the community\u003c/a> to further harm from the toxic site. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tonia Randell, a Bayview environmental advocate and resident, said the next supervisor must understand that the “environment has to be protected” if the neighborhood is going to thrive — especially as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979473/us-navy-acknowledges-toxic-groundwater-rising-in-bayview-hunters-point\">future floodwaters could expose the community\u003c/a> to further harm from the toxic site. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Theo Ellington campaigns in the Bayview in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If someone who’s in that office doesn’t understand that, doesn’t attend the meetings or listen to the experts, then we’re gonna be cooked,” Randell said. “It’s a beautiful place, but it has underlying secrets that are deadly.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Arieann Harrison, executive director of the Marie Harrison Community Foundation, said she will miss Walton’s leadership.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He has shown the community that he’s willing to step up and be a part of the actions that we are taking,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“He has shown the community that he’s willing to step up and be a part of the actions that we are taking,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Harrison has helped spearhead a campaign for community oversight, independent testing, cleanup to the highest standards, reparations for impacted residents and long-term monitoring. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She worries development could shift demographics and reduce representation for existing residents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001938\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter talks with attendees at Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001938\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter talks with attendees at Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We will probably not have any representation moving forward after this election, that is, us — Black or people of color — because of the influx of money,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We will probably not have any representation moving forward after this election, that is, us — Black or people of color — because of the influx of money,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brahinsky, who is writing a book about Bayview environmental leaders, said: “The future is not written yet.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Brahinsky, who is writing a book about Bayview environmental leaders, said: “The future is not written yet.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think there is still an opportunity because people like [Harrison] are pushing on the outcomes at the shipyard,” Brahinsky said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think there is still an opportunity because people like [Harrison] are pushing on the outcomes at the shipyard,” Brahinsky said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brahinsky hopes the district elects someone “who will represent the underdogs” and is “willing to keep pressure on continuously.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Sometimes that means someone who’s not worried about what’s next for them politically,” Brahinsky said. “The district is, in some ways, the last industrial heart of San Francisco. In that sense, it’s not forgotten at all and is central to the functioning of the city.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Sometimes that means someone who’s not worried about what’s next for them politically,” Brahinsky said. “The district is, in some ways, the last industrial heart of San Francisco. In that sense, it’s not forgotten at all and is central to the functioning of the city.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Bayview residents want San Francisco’s next District 10 supervisor to keep pressure on the Hunters Point cleanup.",
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"title": "San Francisco’s Next District 10 Supervisor Will Inherit a Toxic Legacy | KQED",
"description": "Bayview residents want San Francisco’s next District 10 supervisor to keep pressure on the Hunters Point cleanup.",
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"headline": "San Francisco’s Next District 10 Supervisor Will Inherit a Toxic Legacy",
"datePublished": "2026-10-08T08:00:00-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>From the Hunters View housing project, San Francisco resident Joanne Abernathy can look out on two versions of the city: the radioactive, industrial legacy of the city’s past at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">Hunters Point Naval Shipyard\u003c/a> and a technology-driven future rising in downtown skyscrapers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abernathy grew up taking in this juxtaposition while walking up the hill from her family home in Bayview; her mom later lived in housing atop the slope.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can see everything from up here,” Abernathy said. “You can see the Bay Bridge, and when it’s the Fourth of July you can stand up here and see the fireworks.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://huntersview.info/\">Hunters View\u003c/a> was originally built as temporary housing for shipyard workers. Residents there have long had to advocate for themselves at City Hall, most recently as the promise of thousands of new homes in the city’s southeast corner threatens to push them out. And in the decadeslong cleanup of the contaminated shipyard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Abernathy hopes whoever wins the District 10 supervisor race in November will be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">neighborhood’s\u003c/a> voice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001940\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260901-D10Climate-04-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidates (from left) Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter, Theo Ellington, and J.R. Eppler participate in a debate at the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House in San Francisco on Sept. 1, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need to focus on a supervisor that’s going to stand up for us, because we’re almost one foot in the ground and one foot on the curb,” Abernathy said. “We need the community to have a say-so in [the cleanup]. Build around the community and stop just building around City Hall.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The race to replace Supervisor Shamann Walton comes at a pivotal moment for District 10, a large area on the city’s southeastern edge, as the environmental cleanup of the shipyard continues alongside plans to transform the site into housing, parks and business space. Walton’s replacement will inherit the task of advocating for the neighborhoods most affected by contamination, while also shaping what may become the city’s largest redevelopment projects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/supervisor-10th-district\">Nine candidates\u003c/a> are vying to represent the sprawling district from Potrero Hill through Bayview to Vistacion Valley. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098461/crypto-ceo-chris-larsen-donates-500000-to-support-political-moderate-in-supervisors-race\">race has caught the attention of the city’s biggest political funders\u003c/a>, like crypto billionaire Chris Larsen, who donated an eye-popping $500,000 to moderate Democrat Theo Ellington’s campaign. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The next supervisor should think about our health, and think about all the people that have been lost to cancer,” Abernathy said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the Cold War, the 866-acre shipyard’s soil and groundwater were contaminated with radioactive chemicals, heavy metals and petroleum fuels from ships brought there after atomic bomb tests. In 1989, the base was declared one of the nation’s most contaminated sites.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After the cleanup concludes — potentially in the middle of the next decade — the city plans to allow developers to reinvent the shipyard. When finished, the 693-acre \u003ca href=\"https://sfocii.org/projects/hunters-point-shipyard-candlestick-point-2/overview\">Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Shipyard project\u003c/a> could include more than 10,000 housing units, two new waterfront neighborhoods and more than 340 acres of parks and open space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Past city-led health surveys found that cancer “is \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfenvironment.org/sites/default/files/fliers/files/sfe_ej_sfhh_community_health_status_assessment.pdf\">a major cause of years of life lost\u003c/a> in Bayview Hunters Point,” but the city did not look into whether contamination at the shipyard contributed to these health problems\u003cstrong>.\u003c/strong> Residents are documenting their health conditions, and a local doctor has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1979614/for-these-black-bayview-hunters-point-residents-reparations-include-safeguarding-against-rising-toxic-contamination\">tested people to catalog who has been exposed\u003c/a> to dangerous chemicals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rachel Brahinsky, a University of San Francisco professor in urban studies and politics, said the next supervisor will need to actively “shine a light” on how the Superfund site is a “tremendous liability” that should be viewed as a “San Francisco problem.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They won’t “be treated as a central protagonist in the future of the city,” Brahinsky said. “They have to insist on it and make themselves and their neighborhood be seen in that way. History shows that that person will be sidelined if they don’t step up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘This is a city-wide issue’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Standing on the worn granite steps of City Hall in June, environmental advocates called on city leaders to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088662/toxic-land-protest-targets-sf-housing-plans-at-contaminated-hunters-point-naval-shipyard\">push for a full cleanup\u003c/a> at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The rally followed the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1999631/navy-apologizes-for-11-month-delay-in-reporting-radioactive-material-at-hunters-point\">U.S. Navy’\u003c/a>s disclosure this spring that it found a cabinet filled with several hundred radiological items at the shipyard, the latest discovery at the Superfund site.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two candidates for supervisor took to the microphone: Ellington and Dion-Jay “D.J.” Brookter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001943\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter crushes grapes at Gratta Wines during Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Ellington grew up in Bayview and leads the Ruth Williams Opera House, a performing arts and cultural center located there. He said the fight is personal because he lives with his family within the shipyards’ footprint. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If you want to protect the people, then you must protect the land,” Ellington said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brookter is a community advocate and former local nonprofit leader who moved to the neighborhood 16 years ago. He said the city needs to invest in the existing neighborhoods around Bayview, not just focus on building new housing. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are asking for what every family in San Francisco has the right to: clean land, honest science, a transparent government, and a future where our health is not sacrificed for someone else’s timeline,” Brookter said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three candidates have \u003ca href=\"https://campaign.sfethics.org/elections/2026-11-03/contests/bos10.html\">raised the most money\u003c/a>, so far — Ellington, Brookter, and J.R. Eppler — and all told KQED the shipyard would be a main focus. However, none explicitly listed it among their top three priorities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001939\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001939\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-11-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate J.R. Eppler talks with attendees at Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001936\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001936\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-15-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Theo Ellington speaks with Sandra O’Neil at Punkin’s 1 Stop Beauty Bar while campaigning in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ellington ranked housing, economic development and transportation as the most important issues. But decades of stalled and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993505/cleanup-of-san-francisco-superfund-site-has-been-badly-mishandled-lawsuit-alleges\">scandal-plagued cleanup efforts\u003c/a>, he said, have taught residents that “nobody takes anyone’s word” about how the Navy cleans up the site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As supervisor, Ellington would push for independent testing before land is transferred to developers, greater transparency and community involvement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have to use every rule in the book to push the Navy to do their part, and make sure this development is safe,” Ellington said, adding that he would fight for health screenings, because “exposure records kept today are the evidence families will need tomorrow.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brookter’s top three priorities include: housing stability, economic opportunity and effective government. On the shipyard, he said the “burden is on the government to prove” the land is safe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a city-wide issue,” Brookter said. “I want to bring my colleagues here to say, look, this is what San Franciscans are facing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brookter said he would fight for an independent review of the cleanup and ensure the community has “meaningful decision-making” in what happens next.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eppler describes his top three priorities as “building complete, vibrant, and connected neighborhoods.” On the shipyard, he told KQED the community needs more transparency from the Navy and regulatory agencies overseeing the cleanup. \u003cbr>\u003cbr>Navy officials have \u003ca href=\"https://www.navfac.navy.mil/Home/News-Detail/Article/4228126/navy-begins-final-soil-cleanup-at-former-hunters-point-naval-shipyard-warehouse/\">said\u003c/a> they are dedicated to ensuring the site is safe, environmentally sound, and benefits the surrounding community as it moves toward redevelopment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Residents should not be expected to take the Navy, its contractors, or City Hall at their word,” Eppler said. “I would push for every parcel to be cleaned to a residential standard and independently verified before it is transferred, opened to the public, or developed.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eppler said the cleanup should not be rushed. Still, other areas could be redeveloped in the meantime because “District 10 should not have to choose between protecting public health and creating economic opportunity.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The city needs to rediscover the southeast,” Eppler said. “We’ve built the arsenal of democracy at the shipyard. It’s time for us to be on the map of San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The district is ‘not forgotten’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gail Hampton lives in senior housing on the hill overlooking the shipyard. She moved to the district more than half a century ago.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The next supervisor needs to pay more attention to the shipyard, period,” Hampton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tonia Randell, a Bayview environmental advocate and resident, said the next supervisor must understand that the “environment has to be protected” if the neighborhood is going to thrive — especially as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979473/us-navy-acknowledges-toxic-groundwater-rising-in-bayview-hunters-point\">future floodwaters could expose the community\u003c/a> to further harm from the toxic site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260821-D10Climate-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Theo Ellington campaigns in the Bayview in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“If someone who’s in that office doesn’t understand that, doesn’t attend the meetings or listen to the experts, then we’re gonna be cooked,” Randell said. “It’s a beautiful place, but it has underlying secrets that are deadly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Arieann Harrison, executive director of the Marie Harrison Community Foundation, said she will miss Walton’s leadership.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“He has shown the community that he’s willing to step up and be a part of the actions that we are taking,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Harrison has helped spearhead a campaign for community oversight, independent testing, cleanup to the highest standards, reparations for impacted residents and long-term monitoring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She worries development could shift demographics and reduce representation for existing residents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001938\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260823-D10Climate-09-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">District 10 supervisor candidate Dion-Jay “DJ” Brookter talks with attendees at Sunday Streets in the Bayview neighborhood in San Francisco on Aug. 23, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“We will probably not have any representation moving forward after this election, that is, us — Black or people of color — because of the influx of money,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brahinsky, who is writing a book about Bayview environmental leaders, said: “The future is not written yet.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think there is still an opportunity because people like [Harrison] are pushing on the outcomes at the shipyard,” Brahinsky said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brahinsky hopes the district elects someone “who will represent the underdogs” and is “willing to keep pressure on continuously.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Sometimes that means someone who’s not worried about what’s next for them politically,” Brahinsky said. “The district is, in some ways, the last industrial heart of San Francisco. In that sense, it’s not forgotten at all and is central to the functioning of the city.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas",
"title": "Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas",
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"headTitle": "Here’s What All-Electric Bay Area Restaurants Have Learned From Ditching Gas | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001590\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee prepares a pizza before placing it in an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A deep fryer at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001589\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A gas-heavy state’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001896\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001896\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. The Jackson Lab examines how people affect the Earth and works on projects, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A healthier, more efficient kitchen\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jairo Pérez prepares food at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she was late to the gig and needed to boil a lot of water in a hurry for a 200-person event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But while the advantages are many, the barriers are still significant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Change is hard — and expensive \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001898\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brady Seals, Director of Electrification for Health, Human and Planetary Health, poses for a portrait at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A lot of the cost of converting to all-electric isn’t the appliances themselves; “it’s really the whole electrical system to support it,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You just have to keep an open mind that Asian cooking isn’t synonymous with the blue flame,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When cooks try induction cookware, they’re often surprised and don’t want to go back,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group did not respond to an interview request, but Jot Condie, the Association’s president and CEO, has previously \u003ca href=\"https://www.calrest.org/news/california-restaurant-association-continues-fight-against-ban-natural-gas-infrastructure\">said\u003c/a> that the loss of flame cooking “would dramatically impact restaurant kitchens” and that chefs rely on gas stoves to “grill vegetables, sear meats and create meals of all kinds inspired by cuisines from all over the world.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building momentum \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances, including its pizza ovens. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction advocates said the future is all-electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001594\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A deep fryer at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "‘A gas-heavy state’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jairo Pérez prepares food at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said she was late to the gig and needed to boil a lot of water in a hurry for a 200-person event.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001898\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brady Seals, Director of Electrification for Health, Human and Planetary Health, poses for a portrait at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A lot of the cost of converting to all-electric isn’t the appliances themselves; “it’s really the whole electrical system to support it,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When cooks try induction cookware, they’re often surprised and don’t want to go back,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The group did not respond to an interview request, but Jot Condie, the Association’s president and CEO, has previously \u003ca href=\"https://www.calrest.org/news/california-restaurant-association-continues-fight-against-ban-natural-gas-infrastructure\">said\u003c/a> that the loss of flame cooking “would dramatically impact restaurant kitchens” and that chefs rely on gas stoves to “grill vegetables, sear meats and create meals of all kinds inspired by cuisines from all over the world.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Electric kitchen conversions are expensive, but as California weans itself off fossil fuels, these chefs say it’s good for food quality, climate and health. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://next.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the highly partisan debate over which \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> restaurant makes the best pizza, Thomas McNaughton admitted his choice to use an electric oven is controversial. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For years, the CEO of Flour + Water Hospitality Group — a collection of six Bay Area restaurants and a food brand — couldn’t fathom an electric oven that produced the high heat critical for its award-winning pizza. Most pizza joints use gas or wood-fired ovens instead.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But that changed after he discovered professional electric pizza ovens around six years ago and fell in love with how they performed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If you’re talking deck ovens, the electric models now outperform gas ovens 100%,” McNaughton said. “I didn’t realize how evolved the technology really is. They’re incredibly powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the helm of a restaurant group that holds environmental sustainability as one of its core values, McNaughton realized Flour + Water could have an even greater impact if he switched the power source in their restaurants and kitchens from gas to electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001590\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-02-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee prepares a pizza before placing it in an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001594\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001594\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A deep fryer at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001589\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001589\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If this oven is so powerful, couldn’t we build our entire operation around electricity?” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s Oakland location, which opened Jan. 2026, is a testament to that vision. There, everything from the boozy slushie machine to the deep fryer, induction cooktops and pizza ovens — which churn out hundreds of pies a day — are 100% electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Three years ago, the company committed to all-electric power in all of its future buildouts, McNaughton said, including a planned pizza shop in Palo Alto and a dough production space in Oakland. Two of Flour + Water’s restaurants are now gas-less, and its flagship location in San Francisco’s pizza-dense North Beach neighborhood is mostly electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s much easier than people think, and I think there will be a point where it’s not an option,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001592\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thomas McNaughton, co-executive chef and CEO at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances in its kitchen. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs like McNaughton are part of a Bay Area culinary movement proving that all-electric restaurants are not only financially viable, but able to produce the same quality food — or even better — as their fossil-fueled peers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, these chefs are cutting against the grain in California, where restaurants still rely heavily on gas and industry groups have resisted the switch to electric cooking in the past, most notably by defeating Berkeley’s first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The switch to electric appliances — which are less polluting, safer and cleaner — continues to be hampered by transition costs and misconceptions about inferiority.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We’re truly not giving up a single thing,” McNaughton said. “In fact, we’re enhancing what we believe we’re doing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘A gas-heavy state’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite California’s goals to fight climate change, including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1279\">2045\u003c/a>, it’s a “gas-heavy state,” according to Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In California, 85% of restaurants use gas to power their appliances, Jackson said, higher than the \u003ca href=\"https://restaurant.org/nra/media/downloads/pdfs/advocacy/2022/banning-natural-gas-at-the-local-level.pdf\">national average\u003c/a> of 76%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001894\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-7-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rob Jackson, environmental scientist at Stanford University, poses for a portrait in the Jackson Lab in Stanford on Aug. 27, 2026. Jackson and his team examine how humans affect the Earth through global warming. He chairs the Global Carbon Project, which is working to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re to reach our climate goals, eventually that has to stop,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Buildings account for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the state, and restaurants require more energy to run than other commercial buildings, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Natural gas is mainly composed of methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent, but shorter-lasting, than carbon dioxide. Transitioning from natural gas to electric appliances is the best way for restaurants to reduce their environmental and carbon footprints, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001895\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an air pump to her ear to ensure air is pumping to the Aeris analyzer, which measures greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001896\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001896\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. The Jackson Lab examines how people affect the Earth and works on projects, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001892\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, a staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger that measures the temperature on ovens at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Utilities in the state are under a mandate from lawmakers to source 100% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The state is more than halfway to that goal, having sourced 67% of its energy from renewables in 2024. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But more emphasis needs to be put on decarbonizing the demand for energy in the state, said Brady Seals, director of electrification for health at Stanford’s Center for Human and Planetary Health. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ If we’re not addressing the demand side, we’re going to be building buildings that are going to be using [natural gas] for the next thirty to fifty years,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A healthier, more efficient kitchen\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Emissions released by burning natural gas may also enter the human body, posing serious health risks. Gas cooking exposes restaurant workers — and homeowners alike — to harmful gases such as methane, benzene and nitrogen dioxide, which leak from stoves whether on or off, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to nitrogen dioxide from gas and propane stoves may be responsible for up to 19,000 deaths annually in the United States, roughly 40% of the deaths attributable to secondhand smoke, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adm8680\">2024 study\u003c/a> which Jackson led.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You would never stand over the tailpipe of your car breathing in those pollutants, and yet people stand over the stove breathing the same pollutants day after day, meal after meal,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>He called commercial kitchens “amplifiers” of that pollution. Instead of using a single stove, like in a home, professional cooks may work at a 12-burner stove for hours, increasing their exposure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We know the pollution that’s created by burning fossil fuels is harmful, and there’s no reason to do that when cleaner, better technologies are available,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefs have reported other benefits from switching to induction cooktops, a type of electric stove which uses electromagnetic energy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas ones because they heat pots and pans directly, instead of a gas cooktop, where an open flame heats the air around cookware, indirectly warming it, Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ When people say ‘electric kitchen,’ they think about your average apartment stove with a little coil on it, and they’re like, ‘You expect me to run a restaurant on that?’ But that’s not what it is at all,” said Ava Agopsowicz, a line cook at Flour + Water’s Oakland location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Working at an induction cooktop feels “less greasy,” Agopsowicz said, adding that the kitchen also doesn’t get as hot as cooking with an open flame.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Induction cooktops give chefs what McNaughton described as an “insane” amount of temperature control.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You will never have a pot of cream boil over because they’re just so exact, which is really, really great,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops also drastically reduce the time restaurant workers spend cleaning their workstations, because they eliminate the soot and heat buildup characteristic of gas grills, said Jilly Middleton, program lead on chefs and cooktops for the Global Cooksafe Coalition.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ With induction it’s literally a 20-second wipe down, and you can have apprentices do it safely because it cools down as soon as you turn the heat off,” Middleton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Switching from gas to induction also reduces the risk of kitchen workplace hazards such as burns, fires and explosions, Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001595\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jairo Pérez prepares food at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Katie Chin, a Southern California-based “chefluencer” for the Building Decarbonization Coalition, a group that works to eliminate fossil fuels in buildings, said she was thankful to find an induction kitchen at a client’s house once working as a caterer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said she was late to the gig and needed to boil a lot of water in a hurry for a 200-person event.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Luckily that client had induction, so I was able to boil the water for six hundred dumplings in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken for me to use a gas stove and heat up all that water,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But while the advantages are many, the barriers are still significant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Let’s not sugarcoat it. It’s not easy to electrify when you already have gas,” Seals said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Change is hard — and expensive \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the biggest challenges for Flour + Water to realize its all-electric dreams has been finding spaces that can be upgraded to provide the massive amount of energy needed to power their electric ovens, McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“A lot of older properties we’re not able to look at, so that can feel somewhat constricting at times,” McNaughton said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whereas many commercial spaces come with gas lines sufficient for restaurant service already installed, McNaughton said setting up the electric service at their Oakland location was a challenge, as it required contractors to “push incredibly thick conduit through many different 90-degree turns,” a step that wouldn’t have been necessary if they opted to use gas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001898\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brady Seals, Director of Electrification for Health, Human and Planetary Health, poses for a portrait at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>A lot of the cost of converting to all-electric isn’t the appliances themselves; “it’s really the whole electrical system to support it,” Seals said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s highest-in-the-continental-U.S. electricity rates are also a consideration. Flour + Water’s Oakland location spends around $8,000 a month on electricity, according to a utility bill shared with KQED. Flour + Water’s most recent electric bill saw usage about 34 times greater than the average home in California uses in a month, according to the latest \u003ca href=\"https://www.eia.gov/electricity/sales_revenue_price/pdf/table_5A.pdf\">data\u003c/a> from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The rule of thumb for us is that it’s a small increase to purchase this equipment, and slightly more to run it on a monthly basis,” McNaughton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chefluencers like Chin are also working hard to dispel stereotypes about induction cooking, namely, that it doesn’t get hot enough to appropriately use culturally specific cooking techniques, like Asian Wok cooking. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ You just have to keep an open mind that Asian cooking isn’t synonymous with the blue flame,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001591\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260729-ELECTRICRESTAURANT-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee walks through a kitchen with all-electric appliances at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>On the contrary, induction wok burners get “super hot, so quickly,” and have actually improved her cooking due to induction’s superior temperature control, Chin said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“And I’m not so cranky because it’s cooler in my kitchen,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Learning to cook on induction does require some technique changes, “but we’re hearing that line cooks are picking it up in a matter of weeks, not months,” Middleton said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When cooks try induction cookware, they’re often surprised and don’t want to go back,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The idea that induction cooktops could replace gas ones has been challenged by restaurant industry trade groups, such as the California Restaurant Association, which has argued induction cooking is inadequate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The group did not respond to an interview request, but Jot Condie, the Association’s president and CEO, has previously \u003ca href=\"https://www.calrest.org/news/california-restaurant-association-continues-fight-against-ban-natural-gas-infrastructure\">said\u003c/a> that the loss of flame cooking “would dramatically impact restaurant kitchens” and that chefs rely on gas stoves to “grill vegetables, sear meats and create meals of all kinds inspired by cuisines from all over the world.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building momentum \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The city of Berkeley led the charge to incentivize building electrification in 2019 when it passed a first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas hookups in new construction.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The essential point of the bill was to say, if you’re building something new, then you would be putting in all-electric,” said Kate Harrison, a former Berkeley City Council member who spearheaded the ban. “We don’t want to expand the gas network.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Berkeley was ultimately forced to repeal the ban after a federal court sided with a lawsuit brought by the California Restaurant Association, which argued the city overstepped its authority and violated federal energy law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001891\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-3-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds an eye button that measures the temperature on stoves and wall heaters, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, other municipalities are moving forward with all-electric mandates of their own. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/news/2024-09/energy-commission-adopts-updated-building-standards-expanding-requirements-heat\">established\u003c/a> electric-ready infrastructure requirements for some newly constructed commercial kitchens in 2024, mandating that buildings be constructed with the wiring and circuits necessary to replace gas infrastructure. New York City has also successfully \u003ca href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/us-cities-seeking-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-buildings-just-got-a-big-win-in-court/\">defended\u003c/a> its own ban on natural gas in new buildings against legal challenges brought by plumbing and building trade groups. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As support for going all-electric builds, Harrison said she sees Berkeley’s original ban as a “proof of concept.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s inevitable. This is where we’re going,” Harrison said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electric-ready mandates in new construction are good policy if California is to meet its climate goals, Seals said. But retrofits — redesigning existing spaces to use electricity instead of gas — are “the hardest nut to crack,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002113\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260729-ElectricRestaurant-03-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An employee places a pizza into an all-electric oven at Flour + Water Pizza Shop in Oakland on July 29, 2026. The Oakland location uses all-electric appliances, including its pizza ovens. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“ Policymakers have a real role to play for spurring this market, and that’s going to be happening in places like building codes and other kinds of rulemaking,” Seals said. “ This is a sleeper issue that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention until recently, and we’re really in the beginning part of this wave, which I find to be very exciting.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Chin, encouraging electrification also means education tailored towards specific ethnic groups and overcoming language barriers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ I do feel like a lot of the Asian restaurant owners may not have access to learning about induction cooking,” Chin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Induction advocates said the future is all-electric. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ The Great British Bake Off is induction. Some of the top restaurants in the world are induction,” Seals said. “The momentum in the market is pushing toward renewable energy and electrification.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Flour + Water’s McNaughton isn’t looking back.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve never said, ‘Oh man, I really wish we had a six-burner all-gas range,’” he said. “I don’t miss it at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "commercial-gas-kitchens-expose-workers-to-a-soup-of-pollution-high-heat",
"title": "Commercial Gas Kitchens Expose Workers to a ‘Soup of Pollution,’ High Heat",
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"headTitle": "Commercial Gas Kitchens Expose Workers to a ‘Soup of Pollution,’ High Heat | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens outfitted with gas-fired appliances can reach temperatures as hot as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/california\">California’s\u003c/a> Death Valley in the summer and expose workers to harmful gases in excess of health-based guidelines, according to a first-of-its-kind \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae9d96\">study\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens where workers cook with all-electric appliances, on the other hand, were much cooler and did not exceed any health guidelines for pollution exposure, the study found.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The study authors said the research is the first U.S. analysis to compare air quality and heat between gas-burning commercial kitchens and all-electric ones under real-world working conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the majority of gas-fired kitchens we measured, the pollution levels exceeded health benchmarks for hours on end,” said Yannai Kashtan, air quality scientist at the nonprofit research institute PSE Healthy Energy, and the study’s first author.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The research was published Tuesday in the journal \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326\">\u003cem>Environmental Research Letters\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by scientists at Stanford University, New York University and PSE Healthy Energy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan’s team measured nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and air temperature in 21 gas kitchens, three propane kitchens and three all-electric kitchens across California, Pennsylvania and New York. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sampled kitchens included both fine-dining and casual restaurants, catering facilities and institutions serving senior living communities and schools. The researchers measured kitchen air quality with specialized sensors, and tracked gas concentrations and temperature when the spaces were both in service and not. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In about 70% of the gas-fired restaurants sampled, nitrogen dioxide concentrations during work hours exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization one-hour exposure guidelines, the study found. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can contribute to the development of asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, according to the EPA. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The study also found concentrations of carbon monoxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, in concentrations exceeding California’s 1-hour exposure guideline in three and five gas-fired kitchens, respectively. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The three electric kitchens had levels of pollution “pretty close to background levels,” according to Kashtan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not zero, but not much higher than you would be breathing just walking around,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said he was surprised to find that roughly two-thirds of gas-powered kitchens measured had higher levels of pollution when they weren’t in service, something he attributed to ventilation fans not operating while the pilot lights of gas ranges continued to sputter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That means cleaning crews or early arriving staff might be exposed to some of the highest levels of pollution, before the kitchen begins service and cooks turn on ventilation fans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One concrete, actionable thing that anybody can do is turn on the ventilation the minute you walk into the kitchen in the morning to flush out everything that’s built up overnight, and that’s going to keep you from breathing in this soup of pollution,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Restaurants with pilot lights could switch to more modern equipment that uses electronic spark ignition to prevent overnight pollution, said Theresa Pistochini, associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, although she acknowledged that could be expensive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001893\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, explains how her team uses the Aeris analyzers to measure greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“While there is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">debate in the restaurant industry\u003c/a> about whether all-electric cooking can meet the needs of chefs with specific cooking practices, it is safe to say that there is no tangible benefit to pilot lights,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Industry trade groups like the California Restaurant Association have opposed local governments’ attempts to establish electrification mandates. The group successfully challenged the city of Berkeley’s 2019 ban on natural gas hookups in new construction. The CRA has argued that restaurants would not be able to produce the same quality food with electric appliances as with gas ones.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">previous studies\u003c/a> have established a link between cooking with gas appliances and increased indoor air pollution in residential settings, commercial kitchens have received much less attention, according to Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at Stanford University, and a study co-author.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our study shows that burning gas in a restaurant kitchen is as suspect as burning it in our homes,” Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Death Valley in the summer’ \u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>Kitchens with gas-fired appliances were also substantially hotter than their electric counterparts. The study found that the temperature in a majority of gas kitchens, 68%, exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with four exceeding 122 degrees, according to measurements taken just outside a main vent hood. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s Death Valley in the summer,” Kashtan said. “It’s a very extreme environment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two of the electric restaurants had the lowest peak temperatures recorded, although the study acknowledged this had “low statistical power” based on the small sample size. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The findings of the study, that using electric appliances instead of gas ones reduces exposure to heat and harmful vapors, “generally align with expectations,” according to Pistochini.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger which measures the temperature on ovens, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Pistochini noted there was a high variability in gas exposure, something she attributed to differences in cooking practices and the effectiveness of kitchen ventilation systems, “which reinforces the importance of ventilation in commercial kitchens,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The study falls short of producing a “nationwide population-level exposure study,” Kashtan said, which would quantify the average heat and gas a commercial kitchen worker is exposed to across the country. He said that would require a much larger sample. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said areas of further study could focus on heat and gas exposure in dining rooms and places where waitstaff are, or in businesses or residences close to restaurants, such as in mixed-use buildings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The restaurant and foodservice industry provides 15.7 million jobs nationwide, according to the National Restaurant Association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We would never expect a software engineer or a teacher to put up with such a harsh workplace, but this is normal for the millions of people who go to work each day in commercial kitchens to make our meals,” said David Lehrer, communications director for the Center for Built Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said this kind of work shouldn’t require “a bunch of scientists with fancy instruments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It would be interesting to think about ways to require air quality monitoring in commercial kitchens,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens outfitted with gas-fired appliances can reach temperatures as hot as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/california\">California’s\u003c/a> Death Valley in the summer and expose workers to harmful gases in excess of health-based guidelines, according to a first-of-its-kind \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae9d96\">study\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens outfitted with gas-fired appliances can reach temperatures as hot as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/california\">California’s\u003c/a> Death Valley in the summer and expose workers to harmful gases in excess of health-based guidelines, according to a first-of-its-kind \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae9d96\">study\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens where workers cook with all-electric appliances, on the other hand, were much cooler and did not exceed any health guidelines for pollution exposure, the study found.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The study authors said the research is the first U.S. analysis to compare air quality and heat between gas-burning commercial kitchens and all-electric ones under real-world working conditions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens where workers cook with all-electric appliances, on the other hand, were much cooler and did not exceed any health guidelines for pollution exposure, the study found.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The study authors said the research is the first U.S. analysis to compare air quality and heat between gas-burning commercial kitchens and all-electric ones under real-world working conditions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ In the majority of gas-fired kitchens we measured, the pollution levels exceeded health benchmarks for hours on end,” said Yannai Kashtan, air quality scientist at the nonprofit research institute PSE Healthy Energy, and the study’s first author.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ In the majority of gas-fired kitchens we measured, the pollution levels exceeded health benchmarks for hours on end,” said Yannai Kashtan, air quality scientist at the nonprofit research institute PSE Healthy Energy, and the study’s first author.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The research was published Tuesday in the journal \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326\">\u003cem>Environmental Research Letters\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by scientists at Stanford University, New York University and PSE Healthy Energy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The research was published Tuesday in the journal \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326\">\u003cem>Environmental Research Letters\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by scientists at Stanford University, New York University and PSE Healthy Energy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kashtan’s team measured nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and air temperature in 21 gas kitchens, three propane kitchens and three all-electric kitchens across California, Pennsylvania and New York. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kashtan’s team measured nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and air temperature in 21 gas kitchens, three propane kitchens and three all-electric kitchens across California, Pennsylvania and New York. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sampled kitchens included both fine-dining and casual restaurants, catering facilities and institutions serving senior living communities and schools. The researchers measured kitchen air quality with specialized sensors, and tracked gas concentrations and temperature when the spaces were both in service and not. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sampled kitchens included both fine-dining and casual restaurants, catering facilities and institutions serving senior living communities and schools. The researchers measured kitchen air quality with specialized sensors, and tracked gas concentrations and temperature when the spaces were both in service and not. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In about 70% of the gas-fired restaurants sampled, nitrogen dioxide concentrations during work hours exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization one-hour exposure guidelines, the study found. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In about 70% of the gas-fired restaurants sampled, nitrogen dioxide concentrations during work hours exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization one-hour exposure guidelines, the study found. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exposure to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can contribute to the development of asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, according to the EPA. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Exposure to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can contribute to the development of asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, according to the EPA. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The study also found concentrations of carbon monoxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, in concentrations exceeding California’s 1-hour exposure guideline in three and five gas-fired kitchens, respectively. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The study also found concentrations of carbon monoxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, in concentrations exceeding California’s 1-hour exposure guideline in three and five gas-fired kitchens, respectively. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The three electric kitchens had levels of pollution “pretty close to background levels,” according to Kashtan. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The three electric kitchens had levels of pollution “pretty close to background levels,” according to Kashtan. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Not zero, but not much higher than you would be breathing just walking around,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Not zero, but not much higher than you would be breathing just walking around,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kashtan said he was surprised to find that roughly two-thirds of gas-powered kitchens measured had higher levels of pollution when they weren’t in service, something he attributed to ventilation fans not operating while the pilot lights of gas ranges continued to sputter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kashtan said he was surprised to find that roughly two-thirds of gas-powered kitchens measured had higher levels of pollution when they weren’t in service, something he attributed to ventilation fans not operating while the pilot lights of gas ranges continued to sputter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That means cleaning crews or early arriving staff might be exposed to some of the highest levels of pollution, before the kitchen begins service and cooks turn on ventilation fans.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That means cleaning crews or early arriving staff might be exposed to some of the highest levels of pollution, before the kitchen begins service and cooks turn on ventilation fans.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One concrete, actionable thing that anybody can do is turn on the ventilation the minute you walk into the kitchen in the morning to flush out everything that’s built up overnight, and that’s going to keep you from breathing in this soup of pollution,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“One concrete, actionable thing that anybody can do is turn on the ventilation the minute you walk into the kitchen in the morning to flush out everything that’s built up overnight, and that’s going to keep you from breathing in this soup of pollution,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Restaurants with pilot lights could switch to more modern equipment that uses electronic spark ignition to prevent overnight pollution, said Theresa Pistochini, associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, although she acknowledged that could be expensive.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Restaurants with pilot lights could switch to more modern equipment that uses electronic spark ignition to prevent overnight pollution, said Theresa Pistochini, associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, although she acknowledged that could be expensive.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001893\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, explains how her team uses the Aeris analyzers to measure greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001893\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, explains how her team uses the Aeris analyzers to measure greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“While there is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">debate in the restaurant industry\u003c/a> about whether all-electric cooking can meet the needs of chefs with specific cooking practices, it is safe to say that there is no tangible benefit to pilot lights,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Industry trade groups like the California Restaurant Association have opposed local governments’ attempts to establish electrification mandates. The group successfully challenged the city of Berkeley’s 2019 ban on natural gas hookups in new construction. The CRA has argued that restaurants would not be able to produce the same quality food with electric appliances as with gas ones.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Industry trade groups like the California Restaurant Association have opposed local governments’ attempts to establish electrification mandates. The group successfully challenged the city of Berkeley’s 2019 ban on natural gas hookups in new construction. The CRA has argued that restaurants would not be able to produce the same quality food with electric appliances as with gas ones.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">previous studies\u003c/a> have established a link between cooking with gas appliances and increased indoor air pollution in residential settings, commercial kitchens have received much less attention, according to Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at Stanford University, and a study co-author.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">previous studies\u003c/a> have established a link between cooking with gas appliances and increased indoor air pollution in residential settings, commercial kitchens have received much less attention, according to Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at Stanford University, and a study co-author.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Our study shows that burning gas in a restaurant kitchen is as suspect as burning it in our homes,” Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Death Valley in the summer’ \u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>Kitchens with gas-fired appliances were also substantially hotter than their electric counterparts. The study found that the temperature in a majority of gas kitchens, 68%, exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with four exceeding 122 degrees, according to measurements taken just outside a main vent hood. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Death Valley in the summer’ \u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>Kitchens with gas-fired appliances were also substantially hotter than their electric counterparts. The study found that the temperature in a majority of gas kitchens, 68%, exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with four exceeding 122 degrees, according to measurements taken just outside a main vent hood. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That’s Death Valley in the summer,” Kashtan said. “It’s a very extreme environment.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Two of the electric restaurants had the lowest peak temperatures recorded, although the study acknowledged this had “low statistical power” based on the small sample size. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Two of the electric restaurants had the lowest peak temperatures recorded, although the study acknowledged this had “low statistical power” based on the small sample size. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The findings of the study, that using electric appliances instead of gas ones reduces exposure to heat and harmful vapors, “generally align with expectations,” according to Pistochini.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The findings of the study, that using electric appliances instead of gas ones reduces exposure to heat and harmful vapors, “generally align with expectations,” according to Pistochini.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger which measures the temperature on ovens, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Pistochini noted there was a high variability in gas exposure, something she attributed to differences in cooking practices and the effectiveness of kitchen ventilation systems, “which reinforces the importance of ventilation in commercial kitchens,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Pistochini noted there was a high variability in gas exposure, something she attributed to differences in cooking practices and the effectiveness of kitchen ventilation systems, “which reinforces the importance of ventilation in commercial kitchens,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The study falls short of producing a “nationwide population-level exposure study,” Kashtan said, which would quantify the average heat and gas a commercial kitchen worker is exposed to across the country. He said that would require a much larger sample. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kashtan said areas of further study could focus on heat and gas exposure in dining rooms and places where waitstaff are, or in businesses or residences close to restaurants, such as in mixed-use buildings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We would never expect a software engineer or a teacher to put up with such a harsh workplace, but this is normal for the millions of people who go to work each day in commercial kitchens to make our meals,” said David Lehrer, communications director for the Center for Built Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A new study from Bay Area researchers found that gas-powered kitchens can expose workers to dangerous levels of indoor air pollution and heat, while all-electric kitchens are cooler and cleaner. ",
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"title": "Commercial Gas Kitchens Expose Workers to a ‘Soup of Pollution,’ High Heat | KQED",
"description": "A new study from Bay Area researchers found that gas-powered kitchens can expose workers to dangerous levels of indoor air pollution and heat, while all-electric kitchens are cooler and cleaner. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens outfitted with gas-fired appliances can reach temperatures as hot as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/tag/california\">California’s\u003c/a> Death Valley in the summer and expose workers to harmful gases in excess of health-based guidelines, according to a first-of-its-kind \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ae9d96\">study\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Commercial kitchens where workers cook with all-electric appliances, on the other hand, were much cooler and did not exceed any health guidelines for pollution exposure, the study found.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The study authors said the research is the first U.S. analysis to compare air quality and heat between gas-burning commercial kitchens and all-electric ones under real-world working conditions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ In the majority of gas-fired kitchens we measured, the pollution levels exceeded health benchmarks for hours on end,” said Yannai Kashtan, air quality scientist at the nonprofit research institute PSE Healthy Energy, and the study’s first author.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1358\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001890\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-768x521.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-2-KQED-1536x1043.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Aeris analyzers, which measure methane, ethane, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and monoxide, in the air rest at the Jackson Lab at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The research was published Tuesday in the journal \u003ca href=\"https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326\">\u003cem>Environmental Research Letters\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by scientists at Stanford University, New York University and PSE Healthy Energy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan’s team measured nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and air temperature in 21 gas kitchens, three propane kitchens and three all-electric kitchens across California, Pennsylvania and New York. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sampled kitchens included both fine-dining and casual restaurants, catering facilities and institutions serving senior living communities and schools. The researchers measured kitchen air quality with specialized sensors, and tracked gas concentrations and temperature when the spaces were both in service and not. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In about 70% of the gas-fired restaurants sampled, nitrogen dioxide concentrations during work hours exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization one-hour exposure guidelines, the study found. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exposure to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can contribute to the development of asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, according to the EPA. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The study also found concentrations of carbon monoxide and benzene, a known carcinogen, in concentrations exceeding California’s 1-hour exposure guideline in three and five gas-fired kitchens, respectively. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The three electric kitchens had levels of pollution “pretty close to background levels,” according to Kashtan. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Not zero, but not much higher than you would be breathing just walking around,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said he was surprised to find that roughly two-thirds of gas-powered kitchens measured had higher levels of pollution when they weren’t in service, something he attributed to ventilation fans not operating while the pilot lights of gas ranges continued to sputter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That means cleaning crews or early arriving staff might be exposed to some of the highest levels of pollution, before the kitchen begins service and cooks turn on ventilation fans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“One concrete, actionable thing that anybody can do is turn on the ventilation the minute you walk into the kitchen in the morning to flush out everything that’s built up overnight, and that’s going to keep you from breathing in this soup of pollution,” Kashtan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Restaurants with pilot lights could switch to more modern equipment that uses electronic spark ignition to prevent overnight pollution, said Theresa Pistochini, associate director of the Western Cooling Efficiency Center, although she acknowledged that could be expensive.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001893\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, explains how her team uses the Aeris analyzers to measure greenhouse gases in the air, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>“While there is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2002089/heres-what-all-electric-bay-area-restaurants-have-learned-from-ditching-gas\">debate in the restaurant industry\u003c/a> about whether all-electric cooking can meet the needs of chefs with specific cooking practices, it is safe to say that there is no tangible benefit to pilot lights,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Industry trade groups like the California Restaurant Association have opposed local governments’ attempts to establish electrification mandates. The group successfully challenged the city of Berkeley’s 2019 ban on natural gas hookups in new construction. The CRA has argued that restaurants would not be able to produce the same quality food with electric appliances as with gas ones.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">previous studies\u003c/a> have established a link between cooking with gas appliances and increased indoor air pollution in residential settings, commercial kitchens have received much less attention, according to Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at Stanford University, and a study co-author.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our study shows that burning gas in a restaurant kitchen is as suspect as burning it in our homes,” Jackson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Death Valley in the summer’ \u003cbr>\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>Kitchens with gas-fired appliances were also substantially hotter than their electric counterparts. The study found that the temperature in a majority of gas kitchens, 68%, exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with four exceeding 122 degrees, according to measurements taken just outside a main vent hood. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“That’s Death Valley in the summer,” Kashtan said. “It’s a very extreme environment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Two of the electric restaurants had the lowest peak temperatures recorded, although the study acknowledged this had “low statistical power” based on the small sample size. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The findings of the study, that using electric appliances instead of gas ones reduces exposure to heat and harmful vapors, “generally align with expectations,” according to Pistochini.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001892\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/20260827_ElectricKitchens_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Samea Derrick, staff researcher at the Jackson Lab, holds a thermocouple logger which measures the temperature on ovens, at Stanford University on Aug. 27, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Pistochini noted there was a high variability in gas exposure, something she attributed to differences in cooking practices and the effectiveness of kitchen ventilation systems, “which reinforces the importance of ventilation in commercial kitchens,” Pistochini said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The study falls short of producing a “nationwide population-level exposure study,” Kashtan said, which would quantify the average heat and gas a commercial kitchen worker is exposed to across the country. He said that would require a much larger sample. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said areas of further study could focus on heat and gas exposure in dining rooms and places where waitstaff are, or in businesses or residences close to restaurants, such as in mixed-use buildings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The restaurant and foodservice industry provides 15.7 million jobs nationwide, according to the National Restaurant Association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We would never expect a software engineer or a teacher to put up with such a harsh workplace, but this is normal for the millions of people who go to work each day in commercial kitchens to make our meals,” said David Lehrer, communications director for the Center for Built Environment at the University of California, Berkeley. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kashtan said this kind of work shouldn’t require “a bunch of scientists with fancy instruments.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It would be interesting to think about ways to require air quality monitoring in commercial kitchens,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-officially-legalizes-balcony-solar-opening-the-market-to-the-new-technology",
"title": "California Officially Legalizes Balcony Solar, Opening the Market to the New Technology",
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"headTitle": "California Officially Legalizes Balcony Solar, Opening the Market to the New Technology | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">legalizing balcony, or “plug-in,” solar\u003c/a> Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The device is a twist on rooftop solar: smaller, portable, and relatively inexpensive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/small-plug-in-solar-panels-gain-traction-as-an-affordable-way-to-cut-electricity-bills\">Balcony solar\u003c/a> kits consist of just a few panels, an inverter that converts solar energy into the kind used in a home, and cables. In places where the technology is popular, like Germany, it can be plugged into a standard wall outlet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law comes as Californians struggle to pay outsized electricity bills, which have risen substantially in recent years. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">Plug-in devices\u003c/a> open the solar market to renters, people with unsuitable roofs, and those without the money to invest in a rooftop system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These small, easy-to-use solar panels will give everyone, including renters, the relief they desperately need on our outrageous energy bills,” said state Senator Scott Wiener (D – San Francisco) in a press release. Wiener authored the legislation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001784\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, for KQED on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">bill\u003c/a> received overwhelming bipartisan support from state lawmakers before landing on Newsom’s desk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Panels can hang from a balcony, out a window, or be tented in the backyard. Existing models range from \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/\">$300\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://craftstrom.com/\">$2200\u003c/a>, depending on size. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One reason the technology is substantially less expensive than rooftop solar is that it cuts out the costs of installation. Customers themselves set it up, which some have said is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001795/these-bay-area-residents-have-had-plug-in-solar-for-a-year-heres-how-its-going\">straightforward and others have found more challenging than advertised\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>California’s law comes with a wrinkle, however. Plug-in solar panels must be certified by an outside safety organization. Since the technology is new in the U.S., there is just \u003ca href=\"https://www.ul.com/news/ul-solutions-debuts-testing-and-certification-framework-safer-plug-solar-across-united-states\">one existing certification\u003c/a> offered by Underwriters Laboratories. Depending on how manufacturers innovate and roll out products, some may require an electrician’s help to install, while others may be truly “plug and play.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electrical experts and other advocates of California’s new law are still calling its passage a massive win, and expect the safety certification to evolve and eventually allow the plug-in panels to connect to a standard wall outlet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are celebrating,” said Cora Stryker, co-founder of plug-in solar advocacy group Bright Saver. “The market is sending a clear signal to manufacturers that they need to develop a California system.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law will exempt plug-in panels from the typical way rooftop solar must be registered with utilities. Instead of paying upwards of a hundred dollars and waiting days to weeks, the new registration process will be free, straightforward, and immediate.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>A handful of states have passed similar legislation within the past 18 months. Utah was the first, with a law passed in March 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ten states now have bills on the books that allow a relatively straightforward process for purchasing and setting up balcony solar systems, including Colorado, Virginia and Maine.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Supporters of the technology include hundreds of environmental and community groups, who argue plug-in solar democratizes access to solar power. They believe adoption by the most populous state would be a boon for the nascent U.S. balcony solar market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the state’s largest investor-owned utilities, including PG&E and SDG&E opposed the legislation, citing safety and a concern that the systems would shift energy costs to people without solar power in any form.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Labor unions representing firefighters and PG&E employees initially opposed the bill, but took a neutral stance once lawmakers included requirements that systems must comply with state and national electrical codes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some Californians have already installed plug-in solar panels, but utilities ask them to complete an interconnection agreement, citing \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/Rule21/\">state rules\u003c/a>. If done through PG&E for example, representatives from the utility said that process would cost between roughly $100 to $800 and take about an hour. Typically, the approval comes through in three days, PG&E staff said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar advocates argued that the interconnection process defeated the plug-and-play goal of the technology, and could double or triple its cost.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Their hope is to make the panels as ubiquitous and easy to install as any off-the-shelf appliance dotting the racks of a Home Depot or Costco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1997035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington on May 23, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proponents of the technology say it can meet up to 20% of a home’s electricity needs and save as much as $500 annually for a small apartment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law outlines several device requirements. The balcony solar systems must not generate more than 1,200 watts per home — enough energy to power a window air-conditioning unit — and offset a customer’s onsite electricity use. They must be certified by an outside safety organization and have a feature that would prevent electricity from feeding back into the grid if there’s a power outage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar products currently on the market do not yet meet the outlined requirements, and customers therefore must still register the available systems as though they are rooftop solar. The sale of non-compliant systems will become illegal in 2030.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Groups that sponsored the bill said there are a few companies already developing systems meeting the specific California standards, and they expect these models to hit the market in the spring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislation goes into effect in 2027, and sunsets Jan. 1, 2030, “making it a fight that continues,” said Stryker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">legalizing balcony, or “plug-in,” solar\u003c/a> Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">legalizing balcony, or “plug-in,” solar\u003c/a> Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The device is a twist on rooftop solar: smaller, portable, and relatively inexpensive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The device is a twist on rooftop solar: smaller, portable, and relatively inexpensive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/small-plug-in-solar-panels-gain-traction-as-an-affordable-way-to-cut-electricity-bills\">Balcony solar\u003c/a> kits consist of just a few panels, an inverter that converts solar energy into the kind used in a home, and cables. In places where the technology is popular, like Germany, it can be plugged into a standard wall outlet. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/small-plug-in-solar-panels-gain-traction-as-an-affordable-way-to-cut-electricity-bills\">Balcony solar\u003c/a> kits consist of just a few panels, an inverter that converts solar energy into the kind used in a home, and cables. In places where the technology is popular, like Germany, it can be plugged into a standard wall outlet. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The new law comes as Californians struggle to pay outsized electricity bills, which have risen substantially in recent years. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">Plug-in devices\u003c/a> open the solar market to renters, people with unsuitable roofs, and those without the money to invest in a rooftop system.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The new law comes as Californians struggle to pay outsized electricity bills, which have risen substantially in recent years. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">Plug-in devices\u003c/a> open the solar market to renters, people with unsuitable roofs, and those without the money to invest in a rooftop system.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“These small, easy-to-use solar panels will give everyone, including renters, the relief they desperately need on our outrageous energy bills,” said state Senator Scott Wiener (D – San Francisco) in a press release. Wiener authored the legislation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“These small, easy-to-use solar panels will give everyone, including renters, the relief they desperately need on our outrageous energy bills,” said state Senator Scott Wiener (D – San Francisco) in a press release. Wiener authored the legislation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001784\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, for KQED on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001784\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, for KQED on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">bill\u003c/a> received overwhelming bipartisan support from state lawmakers before landing on Newsom’s desk. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">bill\u003c/a> received overwhelming bipartisan support from state lawmakers before landing on Newsom’s desk. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Panels can hang from a balcony, out a window, or be tented in the backyard. Existing models range from \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/\">$300\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://craftstrom.com/\">$2200\u003c/a>, depending on size. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Panels can hang from a balcony, out a window, or be tented in the backyard. Existing models range from \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/\">$300\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://craftstrom.com/\">$2200\u003c/a>, depending on size. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One reason the technology is substantially less expensive than rooftop solar is that it cuts out the costs of installation. Customers themselves set it up, which some have said is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001795/these-bay-area-residents-have-had-plug-in-solar-for-a-year-heres-how-its-going\">straightforward and others have found more challenging than advertised\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>California’s law comes with a wrinkle, however. Plug-in solar panels must be certified by an outside safety organization. Since the technology is new in the U.S., there is just \u003ca href=\"https://www.ul.com/news/ul-solutions-debuts-testing-and-certification-framework-safer-plug-solar-across-united-states\">one existing certification\u003c/a> offered by Underwriters Laboratories. Depending on how manufacturers innovate and roll out products, some may require an electrician’s help to install, while others may be truly “plug and play.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One reason the technology is substantially less expensive than rooftop solar is that it cuts out the costs of installation. Customers themselves set it up, which some have said is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001795/these-bay-area-residents-have-had-plug-in-solar-for-a-year-heres-how-its-going\">straightforward and others have found more challenging than advertised\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>California’s law comes with a wrinkle, however. Plug-in solar panels must be certified by an outside safety organization. Since the technology is new in the U.S., there is just \u003ca href=\"https://www.ul.com/news/ul-solutions-debuts-testing-and-certification-framework-safer-plug-solar-across-united-states\">one existing certification\u003c/a> offered by Underwriters Laboratories. Depending on how manufacturers innovate and roll out products, some may require an electrician’s help to install, while others may be truly “plug and play.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electrical experts and other advocates of California’s new law are still calling its passage a massive win, and expect the safety certification to evolve and eventually allow the plug-in panels to connect to a standard wall outlet.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Electrical experts and other advocates of California’s new law are still calling its passage a massive win, and expect the safety certification to evolve and eventually allow the plug-in panels to connect to a standard wall outlet.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are celebrating,” said Cora Stryker, co-founder of plug-in solar advocacy group Bright Saver. “The market is sending a clear signal to manufacturers that they need to develop a California system.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We are celebrating,” said Cora Stryker, co-founder of plug-in solar advocacy group Bright Saver. “The market is sending a clear signal to manufacturers that they need to develop a California system.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The new law will exempt plug-in panels from the typical way rooftop solar must be registered with utilities. Instead of paying upwards of a hundred dollars and waiting days to weeks, the new registration process will be free, straightforward, and immediate.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>A handful of states have passed similar legislation within the past 18 months. Utah was the first, with a law passed in March 2025. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The new law will exempt plug-in panels from the typical way rooftop solar must be registered with utilities. Instead of paying upwards of a hundred dollars and waiting days to weeks, the new registration process will be free, straightforward, and immediate.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>A handful of states have passed similar legislation within the past 18 months. Utah was the first, with a law passed in March 2025. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Ten states now have bills on the books that allow a relatively straightforward process for purchasing and setting up balcony solar systems, including Colorado, Virginia and Maine.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Supporters of the technology include hundreds of environmental and community groups, who argue plug-in solar democratizes access to solar power. They believe adoption by the most populous state would be a boon for the nascent U.S. balcony solar market. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Ten states now have bills on the books that allow a relatively straightforward process for purchasing and setting up balcony solar systems, including Colorado, Virginia and Maine.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Supporters of the technology include hundreds of environmental and community groups, who argue plug-in solar democratizes access to solar power. They believe adoption by the most populous state would be a boon for the nascent U.S. balcony solar market. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some of the state’s largest investor-owned utilities, including PG&E and SDG&E opposed the legislation, citing safety and a concern that the systems would shift energy costs to people without solar power in any form.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Labor unions representing firefighters and PG&E employees initially opposed the bill, but took a neutral stance once lawmakers included requirements that systems must comply with state and national electrical codes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some of the state’s largest investor-owned utilities, including PG&E and SDG&E opposed the legislation, citing safety and a concern that the systems would shift energy costs to people without solar power in any form.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Labor unions representing firefighters and PG&E employees initially opposed the bill, but took a neutral stance once lawmakers included requirements that systems must comply with state and national electrical codes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some Californians have already installed plug-in solar panels, but utilities ask them to complete an interconnection agreement, citing \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/Rule21/\">state rules\u003c/a>. If done through PG&E for example, representatives from the utility said that process would cost between roughly $100 to $800 and take about an hour. Typically, the approval comes through in three days, PG&E staff said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some Californians have already installed plug-in solar panels, but utilities ask them to complete an interconnection agreement, citing \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/Rule21/\">state rules\u003c/a>. If done through PG&E for example, representatives from the utility said that process would cost between roughly $100 to $800 and take about an hour. Typically, the approval comes through in three days, PG&E staff said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar advocates argued that the interconnection process defeated the plug-and-play goal of the technology, and could double or triple its cost.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Their hope is to make the panels as ubiquitous and easy to install as any off-the-shelf appliance dotting the racks of a Home Depot or Costco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar advocates argued that the interconnection process defeated the plug-and-play goal of the technology, and could double or triple its cost.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Their hope is to make the panels as ubiquitous and easy to install as any off-the-shelf appliance dotting the racks of a Home Depot or Costco. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1997035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington on May 23, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The new law outlines several device requirements. The balcony solar systems must not generate more than 1,200 watts per home — enough energy to power a window air-conditioning unit — and offset a customer’s onsite electricity use. They must be certified by an outside safety organization and have a feature that would prevent electricity from feeding back into the grid if there’s a power outage. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar products currently on the market do not yet meet the outlined requirements, and customers therefore must still register the available systems as though they are rooftop solar. The sale of non-compliant systems will become illegal in 2030.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Groups that sponsored the bill said there are a few companies already developing systems meeting the specific California standards, and they expect these models to hit the market in the spring. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The legislation goes into effect in 2027, and sunsets Jan. 1, 2030, “making it a fight that continues,” said Stryker.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"excerpt": "Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation to make it simpler for Californians to install plug-in solar panels. Models that meet state standards are expected to be on sale in mid-2027.\n",
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"title": "California Officially Legalizes Balcony Solar, Opening the Market to the New Technology | KQED",
"description": "Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation to make it simpler for Californians to install plug-in solar panels. Models that meet state standards are expected to be on sale in mid-2027.\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost?\u003c/em>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">legalizing balcony, or “plug-in,” solar\u003c/a> Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The device is a twist on rooftop solar: smaller, portable, and relatively inexpensive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/small-plug-in-solar-panels-gain-traction-as-an-affordable-way-to-cut-electricity-bills\">Balcony solar\u003c/a> kits consist of just a few panels, an inverter that converts solar energy into the kind used in a home, and cables. In places where the technology is popular, like Germany, it can be plugged into a standard wall outlet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law comes as Californians struggle to pay outsized electricity bills, which have risen substantially in recent years. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">Plug-in devices\u003c/a> open the solar market to renters, people with unsuitable roofs, and those without the money to invest in a rooftop system.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These small, easy-to-use solar panels will give everyone, including renters, the relief they desperately need on our outrageous energy bills,” said state Senator Scott Wiener (D – San Francisco) in a press release. Wiener authored the legislation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001784\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, for KQED on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">bill\u003c/a> received overwhelming bipartisan support from state lawmakers before landing on Newsom’s desk. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Panels can hang from a balcony, out a window, or be tented in the backyard. Existing models range from \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/\">$300\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://craftstrom.com/\">$2200\u003c/a>, depending on size. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One reason the technology is substantially less expensive than rooftop solar is that it cuts out the costs of installation. Customers themselves set it up, which some have said is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001795/these-bay-area-residents-have-had-plug-in-solar-for-a-year-heres-how-its-going\">straightforward and others have found more challenging than advertised\u003c/a>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>California’s law comes with a wrinkle, however. Plug-in solar panels must be certified by an outside safety organization. Since the technology is new in the U.S., there is just \u003ca href=\"https://www.ul.com/news/ul-solutions-debuts-testing-and-certification-framework-safer-plug-solar-across-united-states\">one existing certification\u003c/a> offered by Underwriters Laboratories. Depending on how manufacturers innovate and roll out products, some may require an electrician’s help to install, while others may be truly “plug and play.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electrical experts and other advocates of California’s new law are still calling its passage a massive win, and expect the safety certification to evolve and eventually allow the plug-in panels to connect to a standard wall outlet.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are celebrating,” said Cora Stryker, co-founder of plug-in solar advocacy group Bright Saver. “The market is sending a clear signal to manufacturers that they need to develop a California system.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law will exempt plug-in panels from the typical way rooftop solar must be registered with utilities. Instead of paying upwards of a hundred dollars and waiting days to weeks, the new registration process will be free, straightforward, and immediate.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>A handful of states have passed similar legislation within the past 18 months. Utah was the first, with a law passed in March 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ten states now have bills on the books that allow a relatively straightforward process for purchasing and setting up balcony solar systems, including Colorado, Virginia and Maine.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Supporters of the technology include hundreds of environmental and community groups, who argue plug-in solar democratizes access to solar power. They believe adoption by the most populous state would be a boon for the nascent U.S. balcony solar market. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some of the state’s largest investor-owned utilities, including PG&E and SDG&E opposed the legislation, citing safety and a concern that the systems would shift energy costs to people without solar power in any form.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Labor unions representing firefighters and PG&E employees initially opposed the bill, but took a neutral stance once lawmakers included requirements that systems must comply with state and national electrical codes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some Californians have already installed plug-in solar panels, but utilities ask them to complete an interconnection agreement, citing \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/Rule21/\">state rules\u003c/a>. If done through PG&E for example, representatives from the utility said that process would cost between roughly $100 to $800 and take about an hour. Typically, the approval comes through in three days, PG&E staff said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar advocates argued that the interconnection process defeated the plug-and-play goal of the technology, and could double or triple its cost.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Their hope is to make the panels as ubiquitous and easy to install as any off-the-shelf appliance dotting the racks of a Home Depot or Costco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1997035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington on May 23, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Proponents of the technology say it can meet up to 20% of a home’s electricity needs and save as much as $500 annually for a small apartment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The new law outlines several device requirements. The balcony solar systems must not generate more than 1,200 watts per home — enough energy to power a window air-conditioning unit — and offset a customer’s onsite electricity use. They must be certified by an outside safety organization and have a feature that would prevent electricity from feeding back into the grid if there’s a power outage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar products currently on the market do not yet meet the outlined requirements, and customers therefore must still register the available systems as though they are rooftop solar. The sale of non-compliant systems will become illegal in 2030.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Groups that sponsored the bill said there are a few companies already developing systems meeting the specific California standards, and they expect these models to hit the market in the spring. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The legislation goes into effect in 2027, and sunsets Jan. 1, 2030, “making it a fight that continues,” said Stryker.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "heres-what-california-is-learning-from-solar-panels-built-over-irrigation-canals",
"title": "Here’s What California Is Learning From Solar Panels Built Over Irrigation Canals",
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"headTitle": "Here’s What California Is Learning From Solar Panels Built Over Irrigation Canals | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost? \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Driving from Los Angeles to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Jordan Harris saw the concrete canals that transport water across the state slowly evaporating under the scorching West Coast sun.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Harris said he spent a lot of his life in France, where he noticed how trees lined the canals and protected their precious water from the wind and sun. “And so I started thinking, could we do something similar in California?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s extensive network of canals and aqueducts is the lifeblood of the state, providing clean water to populous cities and expansive farms that wouldn’t otherwise have it. While the state has long struggled with evaporation, researchers at UC Davis estimate that California’s total water supply could \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/blog/california-risks-billions-economic-losses-without-water-supply-action\">shrink\u003c/a> by up to 25% by 2050, the equivalent of two Lake Shastas. They attribute the decline, in part, to hotter temperatures caused by climate change. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an effort to limit warming poised to dry out the state, California pledged to shift to 100% clean electricity by 2045. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001988\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state currently generates \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2024-total-system-electric-generation\">62%\u003c/a> of its electricity from renewable and zero-carbon sources, with the largest percentage of that coming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2024-total-system-electric-generation\">solar\u003c/a>. But meeting California’s energy demand will require an \u003ca href=\"https://www.scienceforconservation.org/assets/downloads/TNC_The_Pace_of_Solar_Progress_Final_Report.pdf\">unprecedented expansion of solar and storage capacity\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thinking back to the baking concrete canals, Harris pitched an “obvious” solution to his friend Robin Raj: Why not build solar panels on top of California’s 4,000 miles of open canals that transport water across the state? The panels would produce clean energy while limiting evaporation by shading the canal — a win-win. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The duo went on to start Solar Aquagrid, an advocacy firm dedicated to reimagining aging canals, and partnered with the Turlock Irrigation District, UC Merced and the California Department of Water Resources to cover small sections of Turlock’s canals with solar panels. The new “solar canal” provides shade to limit evaporation and generates power all in one neat package. They call it Project Nexus, and it operates at the intersection of the state’s need for clean water and energy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Project Nexus tests not one, but three different solar canal models. A wide-span canopy rises over one of Turlock’s 115-foot canals, resembling the top of a barn. A more classic set of slanting solar panels sits atop a 20-foot canal. And accordion-like retractable panels are positioned low across the narrow canal, ready to roll up at a moment’s notice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raj affectionately called the wide-span canopy his “singular field of dream.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Roger Bales, a professor at UC Merced who co-authored a \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/content/qt8cj5j07p/qt8cj5j07p.pdf\">2021\u003c/a> study that helped convince the state to invest in this pilot, said his initial calculations indicate that putting panels over 100 miles of Turlock’s narrow canals could save enough water for 2,700 households annually. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the state put panels over 100 miles of the wide canals, it could save 11,000 households’ worth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He also estimates that the narrow and the wide canal could generate 330 to 1,400 megawatts per hundred miles respectively — enough to power 77,000 to 304,000 households.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pilot was fully completed and energized last year. Earlier this month, Harris walked alongside the solar panels that arched over a 115-foot canal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001982\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar AquaGrid co-founders Jordan Harris (left) and Robin Raj walk alongside solar panels covering part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. Solar AquaGrid helped develop Project Nexus, a pilot project testing the use of solar panels over working irrigation canals. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These are disturbed spaces,” Harris said, pointing to the concrete ditch filled with murky water. “So why not take advantage of the fact that we’ve already done that and help them work harder, be more efficient, produce more and protect what’s around us?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The research team also found numerous “co-benefits,” or silver linings that make the project more valuable than the sum of its water and power. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bales said shading the canals led to less algal growth and less fixed aquatic weed growth — reducing maintenance and improving water quality.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Preventing new solar development on natural land benefits both people and planet, Bale added, emphasizing how preserving these lands is essential for maintaining life “as we know it on the Earth.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Acquiring permits to build on undeveloped land can be a major bottleneck for developers, too. Building on open space takes 621 days on average, compared with 110 days for projects on developed land, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.scienceforconservation.org/assets/downloads/TNC_The_Pace_of_Solar_Progress_Final_Report.pdf\">study\u003c/a> from The Nature Conservancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001987\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Given the numerous benefits, Bales said the project “just makes sense.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But just because something makes sense does not mean it’s easy to implement. “We often talk about the challenges of getting to the obvious,” Harris said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Projects touching land, water and power often involve coordinating many stakeholders. California’s canals can be managed by state or federal water agencies, as well as municipal governments and local irrigation districts. These operators often do not own the land around the canal, let alone the infrastructure to transmit the power to utilities — one of the most expensive parts of renewable energy projects, according to Harris. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Harris and Raj found their “ideal” partner in Turlock Irrigation District, a 139-year-old irrigation district operating 250 miles of canals that provides both water and power to nearly 5,000 farmers in the Central Valley growing everything from beans to peaches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is one of four irrigation districts in California providing both water and retail power, noted Josh Weimer, a spokesperson for Turlock.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weimer said that the project received little pushback from locals, in part because, while the Irrigation District used some staff time for the project, a $20 million state grant paid for both the research and the infrastructure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weimer described the project as a “proof of concept” that generates just 1.7 megawatts of energy, a tiny fraction of the 56 megawatts that they generate with a solar farm in the desert. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the canal site hosts more than just panels. Bales said they “have instruments out there to measure temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, incoming radiation, outgoing radiation, and a prototype instrument to measure evaporation directly.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it comes to algae, the panels helped. “Last year when we drained the canal at the end of the irrigation season, there was a physical line on the sun side of the canal that had algae growth and then not algae growth from where the shade was,” Weimer said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Turlock’s solar panels tower above the water because the irrigation district cleans the canals on a regular basis with equipment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001981\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This isn’t gonna be the only way to do it,” Weimer said — describing how they drag a massive anchor chain through the water to rip out weeds. Similar panels in India and Arizona sit low over the canals, leaving little room for the kind of cleaning that Turlock needs to do. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over in Contra Costa County, the urban landscape makes any kind of solar canal project unrealistic, said Jennifer Allen, a spokesperson for the county’s water district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Contra Costa Water District manages 48 miles of canals winding from Knightsen to Martinez. The Bureau of Reclamation built the system back in the 1930s when the region was predominantly farmland — much like Turlock. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, the canal system runs through backyards and public parks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Something like Project Nexus wouldn’t work because maintenance workers need to access the canals and have limited space to work alongside them, Allen said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar AquaGrid co-founder Robin Raj stands near solar panels covering part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. The company helped develop Project Nexus, a pilot project testing solar panels over working irrigation canals. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even though the canal is fenced in, “we have instances where we have cars go into the canal — we’ll have people go into the canal, and animals go into the canal,” Allen said, describing some of the challenges they faced as an urban water district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What Turlock is doing with their projects is very impressive, but we have a different-looking canal system going through our service area,” Allen said. They are looking to put their canals into pipes to avoid evaporation, instead. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andrew Schwarz, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of Water Resources, said that they are waiting to see the final report before deciding to invest in more projects. “These canals vary widely — from narrow, unlined dirt channels that deliver irrigation water to individual fields, to concrete-lined channels over a hundred feet wide that transport water across California,” Schwarz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state remains focused on “evaluation, continued study, potential scaling and lessons learned.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Critical infrastructure change is really hard, and if you don’t have science behind it to justify the expense and be able to quantify the benefits, then you’re not gonna scale,” Harris said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are fortunate to live in California where this is a priority and where our state agencies are open to this level of examination and exploration,” Raj said. “That can’t be taken for granted.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The final report comes out later this year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost? \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost? \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Driving from Los Angeles to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Jordan Harris saw the concrete canals that transport water across the state slowly evaporating under the scorching West Coast sun.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Driving from Los Angeles to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Jordan Harris saw the concrete canals that transport water across the state slowly evaporating under the scorching West Coast sun.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Harris said he spent a lot of his life in France, where he noticed how trees lined the canals and protected their precious water from the wind and sun. “And so I started thinking, could we do something similar in California?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Harris said he spent a lot of his life in France, where he noticed how trees lined the canals and protected their precious water from the wind and sun. “And so I started thinking, could we do something similar in California?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s extensive network of canals and aqueducts is the lifeblood of the state, providing clean water to populous cities and expansive farms that wouldn’t otherwise have it. While the state has long struggled with evaporation, researchers at UC Davis estimate that California’s total water supply could \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/blog/california-risks-billions-economic-losses-without-water-supply-action\">shrink\u003c/a> by up to 25% by 2050, the equivalent of two Lake Shastas. They attribute the decline, in part, to hotter temperatures caused by climate change. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California’s extensive network of canals and aqueducts is the lifeblood of the state, providing clean water to populous cities and expansive farms that wouldn’t otherwise have it. While the state has long struggled with evaporation, researchers at UC Davis estimate that California’s total water supply could \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/blog/california-risks-billions-economic-losses-without-water-supply-action\">shrink\u003c/a> by up to 25% by 2050, the equivalent of two Lake Shastas. They attribute the decline, in part, to hotter temperatures caused by climate change. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In an effort to limit warming poised to dry out the state, California pledged to shift to 100% clean electricity by 2045. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In an effort to limit warming poised to dry out the state, California pledged to shift to 100% clean electricity by 2045. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001988\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001988\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state currently generates \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2024-total-system-electric-generation\">62%\u003c/a> of its electricity from renewable and zero-carbon sources, with the largest percentage of that coming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2024-total-system-electric-generation\">solar\u003c/a>. But meeting California’s energy demand will require an \u003ca href=\"https://www.scienceforconservation.org/assets/downloads/TNC_The_Pace_of_Solar_Progress_Final_Report.pdf\">unprecedented expansion of solar and storage capacity\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The state currently generates \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2024-total-system-electric-generation\">62%\u003c/a> of its electricity from renewable and zero-carbon sources, with the largest percentage of that coming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2024-total-system-electric-generation\">solar\u003c/a>. But meeting California’s energy demand will require an \u003ca href=\"https://www.scienceforconservation.org/assets/downloads/TNC_The_Pace_of_Solar_Progress_Final_Report.pdf\">unprecedented expansion of solar and storage capacity\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Thinking back to the baking concrete canals, Harris pitched an “obvious” solution to his friend Robin Raj: Why not build solar panels on top of California’s 4,000 miles of open canals that transport water across the state? The panels would produce clean energy while limiting evaporation by shading the canal — a win-win. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Thinking back to the baking concrete canals, Harris pitched an “obvious” solution to his friend Robin Raj: Why not build solar panels on top of California’s 4,000 miles of open canals that transport water across the state? The panels would produce clean energy while limiting evaporation by shading the canal — a win-win. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The duo went on to start Solar Aquagrid, an advocacy firm dedicated to reimagining aging canals, and partnered with the Turlock Irrigation District, UC Merced and the California Department of Water Resources to cover small sections of Turlock’s canals with solar panels. The new “solar canal” provides shade to limit evaporation and generates power all in one neat package. They call it Project Nexus, and it operates at the intersection of the state’s need for clean water and energy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Project Nexus tests not one, but three different solar canal models. A wide-span canopy rises over one of Turlock’s 115-foot canals, resembling the top of a barn. A more classic set of slanting solar panels sits atop a 20-foot canal. And accordion-like retractable panels are positioned low across the narrow canal, ready to roll up at a moment’s notice. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Project Nexus tests not one, but three different solar canal models. A wide-span canopy rises over one of Turlock’s 115-foot canals, resembling the top of a barn. A more classic set of slanting solar panels sits atop a 20-foot canal. And accordion-like retractable panels are positioned low across the narrow canal, ready to roll up at a moment’s notice. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raj affectionately called the wide-span canopy his “singular field of dream.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Roger Bales, a professor at UC Merced who co-authored a \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/content/qt8cj5j07p/qt8cj5j07p.pdf\">2021\u003c/a> study that helped convince the state to invest in this pilot, said his initial calculations indicate that putting panels over 100 miles of Turlock’s narrow canals could save enough water for 2,700 households annually. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If the state put panels over 100 miles of the wide canals, it could save 11,000 households’ worth. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He also estimates that the narrow and the wide canal could generate 330 to 1,400 megawatts per hundred miles respectively — enough to power 77,000 to 304,000 households.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The pilot was fully completed and energized last year. Earlier this month, Harris walked alongside the solar panels that arched over a 115-foot canal. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001982\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar AquaGrid co-founders Jordan Harris (left) and Robin Raj walk alongside solar panels covering part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. Solar AquaGrid helped develop Project Nexus, a pilot project testing the use of solar panels over working irrigation canals.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“These are disturbed spaces,” Harris said, pointing to the concrete ditch filled with murky water. “So why not take advantage of the fact that we’ve already done that and help them work harder, be more efficient, produce more and protect what’s around us?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The research team also found numerous “co-benefits,” or silver linings that make the project more valuable than the sum of its water and power. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bales said shading the canals led to less algal growth and less fixed aquatic weed growth — reducing maintenance and improving water quality.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Preventing new solar development on natural land benefits both people and planet, Bale added, emphasizing how preserving these lands is essential for maintaining life “as we know it on the Earth.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Acquiring permits to build on undeveloped land can be a major bottleneck for developers, too. Building on open space takes 621 days on average, compared with 110 days for projects on developed land, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.scienceforconservation.org/assets/downloads/TNC_The_Pace_of_Solar_Progress_Final_Report.pdf\">study\u003c/a> from The Nature Conservancy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001987\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Given the numerous benefits, Bales said the project “just makes sense.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But just because something makes sense does not mean it’s easy to implement. “We often talk about the challenges of getting to the obvious,” Harris said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Projects touching land, water and power often involve coordinating many stakeholders. California’s canals can be managed by state or federal water agencies, as well as municipal governments and local irrigation districts. These operators often do not own the land around the canal, let alone the infrastructure to transmit the power to utilities — one of the most expensive parts of renewable energy projects, according to Harris. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Projects touching land, water and power often involve coordinating many stakeholders. California’s canals can be managed by state or federal water agencies, as well as municipal governments and local irrigation districts. These operators often do not own the land around the canal, let alone the infrastructure to transmit the power to utilities — one of the most expensive parts of renewable energy projects, according to Harris. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Harris and Raj found their “ideal” partner in Turlock Irrigation District, a 139-year-old irrigation district operating 250 miles of canals that provides both water and power to nearly 5,000 farmers in the Central Valley growing everything from beans to peaches. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It is one of four irrigation districts in California providing both water and retail power, noted Josh Weimer, a spokesperson for Turlock.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Weimer said that the project received little pushback from locals, in part because, while the Irrigation District used some staff time for the project, a $20 million state grant paid for both the research and the infrastructure. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Weimer described the project as a “proof of concept” that generates just 1.7 megawatts of energy, a tiny fraction of the 56 megawatts that they generate with a solar farm in the desert. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the canal site hosts more than just panels. Bales said they “have instruments out there to measure temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, incoming radiation, outgoing radiation, and a prototype instrument to measure evaporation directly.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When it comes to algae, the panels helped. “Last year when we drained the canal at the end of the irrigation season, there was a physical line on the sun side of the canal that had algae growth and then not algae growth from where the shade was,” Weimer said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When it comes to algae, the panels helped. “Last year when we drained the canal at the end of the irrigation season, there was a physical line on the sun side of the canal that had algae growth and then not algae growth from where the shade was,” Weimer said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Turlock’s solar panels tower above the water because the irrigation district cleans the canals on a regular basis with equipment. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001981\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001981\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This isn’t gonna be the only way to do it,” Weimer said — describing how they drag a massive anchor chain through the water to rip out weeds. Similar panels in India and Arizona sit low over the canals, leaving little room for the kind of cleaning that Turlock needs to do. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This isn’t gonna be the only way to do it,” Weimer said — describing how they drag a massive anchor chain through the water to rip out weeds. Similar panels in India and Arizona sit low over the canals, leaving little room for the kind of cleaning that Turlock needs to do. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over in Contra Costa County, the urban landscape makes any kind of solar canal project unrealistic, said Jennifer Allen, a spokesperson for the county’s water district.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Contra Costa Water District manages 48 miles of canals winding from Knightsen to Martinez. The Bureau of Reclamation built the system back in the 1930s when the region was predominantly farmland — much like Turlock. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Contra Costa Water District manages 48 miles of canals winding from Knightsen to Martinez. The Bureau of Reclamation built the system back in the 1930s when the region was predominantly farmland — much like Turlock. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Today, the canal system runs through backyards and public parks.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Something like Project Nexus wouldn’t work because maintenance workers need to access the canals and have limited space to work alongside them, Allen said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001984\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar AquaGrid co-founder Robin Raj stands near solar panels covering part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. The company helped develop Project Nexus, a pilot project testing solar panels over working irrigation canals.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even though the canal is fenced in, “we have instances where we have cars go into the canal — we’ll have people go into the canal, and animals go into the canal,” Allen said, describing some of the challenges they faced as an urban water district. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Even though the canal is fenced in, “we have instances where we have cars go into the canal — we’ll have people go into the canal, and animals go into the canal,” Allen said, describing some of the challenges they faced as an urban water district. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What Turlock is doing with their projects is very impressive, but we have a different-looking canal system going through our service area,” Allen said. They are looking to put their canals into pipes to avoid evaporation, instead. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“What Turlock is doing with their projects is very impressive, but we have a different-looking canal system going through our service area,” Allen said. They are looking to put their canals into pipes to avoid evaporation, instead. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Andrew Schwarz, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of Water Resources, said that they are waiting to see the final report before deciding to invest in more projects. “These canals vary widely — from narrow, unlined dirt channels that deliver irrigation water to individual fields, to concrete-lined channels over a hundred feet wide that transport water across California,” Schwarz said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Andrew Schwarz, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of Water Resources, said that they are waiting to see the final report before deciding to invest in more projects. “These canals vary widely — from narrow, unlined dirt channels that deliver irrigation water to individual fields, to concrete-lined channels over a hundred feet wide that transport water across California,” Schwarz said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state remains focused on “evaluation, continued study, potential scaling and lessons learned.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Critical infrastructure change is really hard, and if you don’t have science behind it to justify the expense and be able to quantify the benefits, then you’re not gonna scale,” Harris said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Critical infrastructure change is really hard, and if you don’t have science behind it to justify the expense and be able to quantify the benefits, then you’re not gonna scale,” Harris said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are fortunate to live in California where this is a priority and where our state agencies are open to this level of examination and exploration,” Raj said. “That can’t be taken for granted.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We are fortunate to live in California where this is a priority and where our state agencies are open to this level of examination and exploration,” Raj said. “That can’t be taken for granted.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The final report comes out later this year.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n"
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"excerpt": "California solar panels tower over canals in Turlock, proving to save water, produce clean energy and improve local water quality.",
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"title": "Here’s What California Is Learning From Solar Panels Built Over Irrigation Canals | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/flippingtheswitch\">Flipping the Switch\u003c/a>, KQED’s series about California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? And how much does it cost? \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Driving from Los Angeles to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, Jordan Harris saw the concrete canals that transport water across the state slowly evaporating under the scorching West Coast sun.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Harris said he spent a lot of his life in France, where he noticed how trees lined the canals and protected their precious water from the wind and sun. “And so I started thinking, could we do something similar in California?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s extensive network of canals and aqueducts is the lifeblood of the state, providing clean water to populous cities and expansive farms that wouldn’t otherwise have it. While the state has long struggled with evaporation, researchers at UC Davis estimate that California’s total water supply could \u003ca href=\"https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/blog/california-risks-billions-economic-losses-without-water-supply-action\">shrink\u003c/a> by up to 25% by 2050, the equivalent of two Lake Shastas. They attribute the decline, in part, to hotter temperatures caused by climate change. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In an effort to limit warming poised to dry out the state, California pledged to shift to 100% clean electricity by 2045. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001988\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-27-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state currently generates \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2024-total-system-electric-generation\">62%\u003c/a> of its electricity from renewable and zero-carbon sources, with the largest percentage of that coming from \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/california-electricity-data/2024-total-system-electric-generation\">solar\u003c/a>. But meeting California’s energy demand will require an \u003ca href=\"https://www.scienceforconservation.org/assets/downloads/TNC_The_Pace_of_Solar_Progress_Final_Report.pdf\">unprecedented expansion of solar and storage capacity\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Thinking back to the baking concrete canals, Harris pitched an “obvious” solution to his friend Robin Raj: Why not build solar panels on top of California’s 4,000 miles of open canals that transport water across the state? The panels would produce clean energy while limiting evaporation by shading the canal — a win-win. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The duo went on to start Solar Aquagrid, an advocacy firm dedicated to reimagining aging canals, and partnered with the Turlock Irrigation District, UC Merced and the California Department of Water Resources to cover small sections of Turlock’s canals with solar panels. The new “solar canal” provides shade to limit evaporation and generates power all in one neat package. They call it Project Nexus, and it operates at the intersection of the state’s need for clean water and energy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Project Nexus tests not one, but three different solar canal models. A wide-span canopy rises over one of Turlock’s 115-foot canals, resembling the top of a barn. A more classic set of slanting solar panels sits atop a 20-foot canal. And accordion-like retractable panels are positioned low across the narrow canal, ready to roll up at a moment’s notice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Raj affectionately called the wide-span canopy his “singular field of dream.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Roger Bales, a professor at UC Merced who co-authored a \u003ca href=\"https://escholarship.org/content/qt8cj5j07p/qt8cj5j07p.pdf\">2021\u003c/a> study that helped convince the state to invest in this pilot, said his initial calculations indicate that putting panels over 100 miles of Turlock’s narrow canals could save enough water for 2,700 households annually. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If the state put panels over 100 miles of the wide canals, it could save 11,000 households’ worth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He also estimates that the narrow and the wide canal could generate 330 to 1,400 megawatts per hundred miles respectively — enough to power 77,000 to 304,000 households.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pilot was fully completed and energized last year. Earlier this month, Harris walked alongside the solar panels that arched over a 115-foot canal. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001982\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar AquaGrid co-founders Jordan Harris (left) and Robin Raj walk alongside solar panels covering part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. Solar AquaGrid helped develop Project Nexus, a pilot project testing the use of solar panels over working irrigation canals. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“These are disturbed spaces,” Harris said, pointing to the concrete ditch filled with murky water. “So why not take advantage of the fact that we’ve already done that and help them work harder, be more efficient, produce more and protect what’s around us?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The research team also found numerous “co-benefits,” or silver linings that make the project more valuable than the sum of its water and power. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bales said shading the canals led to less algal growth and less fixed aquatic weed growth — reducing maintenance and improving water quality.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Preventing new solar development on natural land benefits both people and planet, Bale added, emphasizing how preserving these lands is essential for maintaining life “as we know it on the Earth.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Acquiring permits to build on undeveloped land can be a major bottleneck for developers, too. Building on open space takes 621 days on average, compared with 110 days for projects on developed land, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.scienceforconservation.org/assets/downloads/TNC_The_Pace_of_Solar_Progress_Final_Report.pdf\">study\u003c/a> from The Nature Conservancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001987\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-25-BL-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Given the numerous benefits, Bales said the project “just makes sense.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But just because something makes sense does not mean it’s easy to implement. “We often talk about the challenges of getting to the obvious,” Harris said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Projects touching land, water and power often involve coordinating many stakeholders. California’s canals can be managed by state or federal water agencies, as well as municipal governments and local irrigation districts. These operators often do not own the land around the canal, let alone the infrastructure to transmit the power to utilities — one of the most expensive parts of renewable energy projects, according to Harris. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Harris and Raj found their “ideal” partner in Turlock Irrigation District, a 139-year-old irrigation district operating 250 miles of canals that provides both water and power to nearly 5,000 farmers in the Central Valley growing everything from beans to peaches. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It is one of four irrigation districts in California providing both water and retail power, noted Josh Weimer, a spokesperson for Turlock.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weimer said that the project received little pushback from locals, in part because, while the Irrigation District used some staff time for the project, a $20 million state grant paid for both the research and the infrastructure. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Weimer described the project as a “proof of concept” that generates just 1.7 megawatts of energy, a tiny fraction of the 56 megawatts that they generate with a solar farm in the desert. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the canal site hosts more than just panels. Bales said they “have instruments out there to measure temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, incoming radiation, outgoing radiation, and a prototype instrument to measure evaporation directly.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it comes to algae, the panels helped. “Last year when we drained the canal at the end of the irrigation season, there was a physical line on the sun side of the canal that had algae growth and then not algae growth from where the shade was,” Weimer said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Turlock’s solar panels tower above the water because the irrigation district cleans the canals on a regular basis with equipment. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001981\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar panels cover part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal as part of Project Nexus in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This isn’t gonna be the only way to do it,” Weimer said — describing how they drag a massive anchor chain through the water to rip out weeds. Similar panels in India and Arizona sit low over the canals, leaving little room for the kind of cleaning that Turlock needs to do. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over in Contra Costa County, the urban landscape makes any kind of solar canal project unrealistic, said Jennifer Allen, a spokesperson for the county’s water district.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Contra Costa Water District manages 48 miles of canals winding from Knightsen to Martinez. The Bureau of Reclamation built the system back in the 1930s when the region was predominantly farmland — much like Turlock. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Today, the canal system runs through backyards and public parks.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Something like Project Nexus wouldn’t work because maintenance workers need to access the canals and have limited space to work alongside them, Allen said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001984\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/260904-ClimateSolutionsSolarCanal-15-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Solar AquaGrid co-founder Robin Raj stands near solar panels covering part of a Turlock Irrigation District canal in Hickman, California, on Sept. 4, 2026. The company helped develop Project Nexus, a pilot project testing solar panels over working irrigation canals. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Even though the canal is fenced in, “we have instances where we have cars go into the canal — we’ll have people go into the canal, and animals go into the canal,” Allen said, describing some of the challenges they faced as an urban water district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What Turlock is doing with their projects is very impressive, but we have a different-looking canal system going through our service area,” Allen said. They are looking to put their canals into pipes to avoid evaporation, instead. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Andrew Schwarz, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of Water Resources, said that they are waiting to see the final report before deciding to invest in more projects. “These canals vary widely — from narrow, unlined dirt channels that deliver irrigation water to individual fields, to concrete-lined channels over a hundred feet wide that transport water across California,” Schwarz said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state remains focused on “evaluation, continued study, potential scaling and lessons learned.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Critical infrastructure change is really hard, and if you don’t have science behind it to justify the expense and be able to quantify the benefits, then you’re not gonna scale,” Harris said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are fortunate to live in California where this is a priority and where our state agencies are open to this level of examination and exploration,” Raj said. “That can’t be taken for granted.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The final report comes out later this year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "newsom-signs-new-law-to-clear-confusion-around-smoke-damage",
"title": "Newsom Signs New Law to Clear Confusion Around Smoke Damage",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>One of the paradoxes facing people whose homes survive a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire\u003c/a> is that they are often still victims of it. Sometimes, they have the least help for restoring their home to how it was. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>How insurance ought to address the damage caused by heat and smoke, even if the building never caught on fire, has been unclear, leaving survivors fighting to prove their homes were unsafe and to have their claims covered — until now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of legislation into law that establishes the nation’s first enforceable standards for testing and fixing smoke-damaged homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For future fire survivors, they will have peace of mind as well as safety,” said Joy Chen, executive director of the advocacy group Every Fire Survivor’s Network. Her home suffered smoke damage during the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ideally we’ll get some settled science on the question, ‘Is my house safe?’” Chen said. “‘What needs to be done to make it safe?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1998770\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The remains of a house in Altadena, California, after the Eaton Fire swept through the area northeast of Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles firestorm were among the strongest advocates for changes. More than a quarter of all insurance claims stemming from the fires were for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047275/6-months-after-januarys-fires-recovery-is-just-beginning-for-many\">smoke damage\u003c/a> to homes that didn’t burn, according to estimates from the California Department of Insurance. Smoke-damaged homes can be polluted with lead, asbestos, benzene and other toxic substances. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“California will not leave survivors to navigate recovery alone,” Newsom said in a press release. “These new protections will make insurer obligations clearer and give homeowners more financial flexibility when they need it most.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1795\">bill\u003c/a>, AB 1795, was authored by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Los Angeles) and sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For too many wildfire survivors, the end of the fire has never meant the end of the disaster. Families have spent months, and sometimes years, fighting over whether their homes were safe while navigating confusing and inconsistent insurance claims,” Lara said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This law closes a dangerous gap that left wildfire survivors without clear standards, clear answers, and often a clear path home.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under the new law, the California Air Resources Board and the Department of Toxic Substances Control will develop standards for testing, remediating and restoring the lead and asbestos contamination that can come from wildfire smoke. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Insurance companies will have to assume that smoke damage from a wildfire impact zone came from the fire — meaning homeowners will not have to find a way to prove the cause — and will have to pay for the necessary testing, remediation and the living expenses of the household until the home is fixed and safe. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Policyholders will still have the right to select the restoration contractors of their choice. Insurance adjusters will get specialized training for handling smoke-damage claims. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Insurance broker Karl Susman, who lives in Southern California, said what he observed wasn’t so much the problem of claims getting denied, “they just were getting paid so inconsistently.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You might have one company that says, ‘We’re going to come in there, clean it all up, and we’re going to pay for you to live somewhere while we’re doing it.’ Another company would come in and say, ‘Yeah, just get a vacuum and you should be good.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other companies, he noted, might say the damage was so bad that everything in the house, including drywall, needed replacing. Each company is following interpretations of their own policies, he said, “but clearly a different outcome.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some industry groups opposed the bill, saying in part that it would increase costs for policy holders. A request for comment to the Personal Insurance Federation of California, one of the registered opponents of the bill, was not responded to by deadline. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Survivors of the LA fires were among the strongest advocates for the new law. The bill is not retroactive, however, so survivors will not in general be able to take care of the newfound clarity around insurance company’s responsibilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, the consumer protection win was celebrated by advocates, including Amy Bach, executive director of San Francisco-based advocacy group United Policyholders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The organization “has been fighting for over a decade to get insurers to routinely test and thoroughly restore wildfire-damaged homes and not mislead residents that their homes are safe to move back into when they aren’t,” Bach said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The Governor’s signature on AB 1795 paves the way for better outcomes and fewer disputes going forward. We commend the Commissioner’s team for the countless hours spent with survivors, insurers, scientists, and professionals to craft these protections.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“For future fire survivors, they will have peace of mind as well as safety,” said Joy Chen, executive director of the advocacy group Every Fire Survivor’s Network. Her home suffered smoke damage during the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1998770\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The remains of a house in Altadena, California, after the Eaton Fire swept through the area northeast of Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles firestorm were among the strongest advocates for changes. More than a quarter of all insurance claims stemming from the fires were for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047275/6-months-after-januarys-fires-recovery-is-just-beginning-for-many\">smoke damage\u003c/a> to homes that didn’t burn, according to estimates from the California Department of Insurance. Smoke-damaged homes can be polluted with lead, asbestos, benzene and other toxic substances. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“California will not leave survivors to navigate recovery alone,” Newsom said in a press release. “These new protections will make insurer obligations clearer and give homeowners more financial flexibility when they need it most.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1795\">bill\u003c/a>, AB 1795, was authored by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Los Angeles) and sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Insurance companies will have to assume that smoke damage from a wildfire impact zone came from the fire — meaning homeowners will not have to find a way to prove the cause — and will have to pay for the necessary testing, remediation and the living expenses of the household until the home is fixed and safe. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Policyholders will still have the right to select the restoration contractors of their choice. Insurance adjusters will get specialized training for handling smoke-damage claims. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Insurance broker Karl Susman, who lives in Southern California, said what he observed wasn’t so much the problem of claims getting denied, “they just were getting paid so inconsistently.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You might have one company that says, ‘We’re going to come in there, clean it all up, and we’re going to pay for you to live somewhere while we’re doing it.’ Another company would come in and say, ‘Yeah, just get a vacuum and you should be good.’” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other companies, he noted, might say the damage was so bad that everything in the house, including drywall, needed replacing. Each company is following interpretations of their own policies, he said, “but clearly a different outcome.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other companies, he noted, might say the damage was so bad that everything in the house, including drywall, needed replacing. Each company is following interpretations of their own policies, he said, “but clearly a different outcome.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some industry groups opposed the bill, saying in part that it would increase costs for policy holders. A request for comment to the Personal Insurance Federation of California, one of the registered opponents of the bill, was not responded to by deadline. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Some industry groups opposed the bill, saying in part that it would increase costs for policy holders. A request for comment to the Personal Insurance Federation of California, one of the registered opponents of the bill, was not responded to by deadline. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Survivors of the LA fires were among the strongest advocates for the new law. The bill is not retroactive, however, so survivors will not in general be able to take care of the newfound clarity around insurance company’s responsibilities. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Survivors of the LA fires were among the strongest advocates for the new law. The bill is not retroactive, however, so survivors will not in general be able to take care of the newfound clarity around insurance company’s responsibilities. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Still, the consumer protection win was celebrated by advocates, including Amy Bach, executive director of San Francisco-based advocacy group United Policyholders. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The organization “has been fighting for over a decade to get insurers to routinely test and thoroughly restore wildfire-damaged homes and not mislead residents that their homes are safe to move back into when they aren’t,” Bach said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The organization “has been fighting for over a decade to get insurers to routinely test and thoroughly restore wildfire-damaged homes and not mislead residents that their homes are safe to move back into when they aren’t,” Bach said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The Governor’s signature on AB 1795 paves the way for better outcomes and fewer disputes going forward. We commend the Commissioner’s team for the countless hours spent with survivors, insurers, scientists, and professionals to craft these protections.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The Governor’s signature on AB 1795 paves the way for better outcomes and fewer disputes going forward. We commend the Commissioner’s team for the countless hours spent with survivors, insurers, scientists, and professionals to craft these protections.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "California sets nation’s first standards for smoke-damaged homes.",
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"title": "Newsom Signs New Law to Clear Confusion Around Smoke Damage | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>One of the paradoxes facing people whose homes survive a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire\u003c/a> is that they are often still victims of it. Sometimes, they have the least help for restoring their home to how it was. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>How insurance ought to address the damage caused by heat and smoke, even if the building never caught on fire, has been unclear, leaving survivors fighting to prove their homes were unsafe and to have their claims covered — until now. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of legislation into law that establishes the nation’s first enforceable standards for testing and fixing smoke-damaged homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For future fire survivors, they will have peace of mind as well as safety,” said Joy Chen, executive director of the advocacy group Every Fire Survivor’s Network. Her home suffered smoke damage during the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Ideally we’ll get some settled science on the question, ‘Is my house safe?’” Chen said. “‘What needs to be done to make it safe?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1998770\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/10/240109-CAWindStorm-076_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The remains of a house in Altadena, California, after the Eaton Fire swept through the area northeast of Los Angeles on Jan. 9, 2025. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles firestorm were among the strongest advocates for changes. More than a quarter of all insurance claims stemming from the fires were for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12047275/6-months-after-januarys-fires-recovery-is-just-beginning-for-many\">smoke damage\u003c/a> to homes that didn’t burn, according to estimates from the California Department of Insurance. Smoke-damaged homes can be polluted with lead, asbestos, benzene and other toxic substances. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“California will not leave survivors to navigate recovery alone,” Newsom said in a press release. “These new protections will make insurer obligations clearer and give homeowners more financial flexibility when they need it most.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1795\">bill\u003c/a>, AB 1795, was authored by Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Los Angeles) and sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“For too many wildfire survivors, the end of the fire has never meant the end of the disaster. Families have spent months, and sometimes years, fighting over whether their homes were safe while navigating confusing and inconsistent insurance claims,” Lara said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This law closes a dangerous gap that left wildfire survivors without clear standards, clear answers, and often a clear path home.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Under the new law, the California Air Resources Board and the Department of Toxic Substances Control will develop standards for testing, remediating and restoring the lead and asbestos contamination that can come from wildfire smoke. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Insurance companies will have to assume that smoke damage from a wildfire impact zone came from the fire — meaning homeowners will not have to find a way to prove the cause — and will have to pay for the necessary testing, remediation and the living expenses of the household until the home is fixed and safe. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Policyholders will still have the right to select the restoration contractors of their choice. Insurance adjusters will get specialized training for handling smoke-damage claims. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Insurance broker Karl Susman, who lives in Southern California, said what he observed wasn’t so much the problem of claims getting denied, “they just were getting paid so inconsistently.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You might have one company that says, ‘We’re going to come in there, clean it all up, and we’re going to pay for you to live somewhere while we’re doing it.’ Another company would come in and say, ‘Yeah, just get a vacuum and you should be good.’” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other companies, he noted, might say the damage was so bad that everything in the house, including drywall, needed replacing. Each company is following interpretations of their own policies, he said, “but clearly a different outcome.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Some industry groups opposed the bill, saying in part that it would increase costs for policy holders. A request for comment to the Personal Insurance Federation of California, one of the registered opponents of the bill, was not responded to by deadline. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Survivors of the LA fires were among the strongest advocates for the new law. The bill is not retroactive, however, so survivors will not in general be able to take care of the newfound clarity around insurance company’s responsibilities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, the consumer protection win was celebrated by advocates, including Amy Bach, executive director of San Francisco-based advocacy group United Policyholders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The organization “has been fighting for over a decade to get insurers to routinely test and thoroughly restore wildfire-damaged homes and not mislead residents that their homes are safe to move back into when they aren’t,” Bach said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The Governor’s signature on AB 1795 paves the way for better outcomes and fewer disputes going forward. We commend the Commissioner’s team for the countless hours spent with survivors, insurers, scientists, and professionals to craft these protections.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "these-bay-area-residents-have-had-plug-in-solar-for-a-year-heres-how-its-going",
"title": "These Bay Area Residents Have Had Balcony Solar for a Year. Here’s How It’s Going",
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"headTitle": "These Bay Area Residents Have Had Balcony Solar for a Year. Here’s How It’s Going | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each winter, retired teacher Agnes Chan would prepare for her utility bills to skyrocket, and the draft in her hundred-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> home to chill her to the bone. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She’d tape long, thin pillows to the bottoms of her doors to stop airflow, ready her warmest belongings, and set her thermostat to 60.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I would be so stingy with my usage that I would take one blanket, another blanket, a sleeping bag to sit in my room, which is no fun,” Chan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She upgraded her windows and doors to be double-paned years ago, but she worried that insulating her craftsman home could cause rot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001781\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A cord connected to solar panels plugs into an outlet in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Living alone and on a fixed income, Chan would “make myself suffer,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan had long wanted to defray the costs of her bills, which would rise to almost $300 a month in the winter, by installing rooftop solar. But the price was prohibitive, in the tens of thousands of dollars.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So Chan turned to something else: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">plug-in solar\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plug-in, or balcony, solar is a kit consisting of a few solar panels, an inverter and cables. The devices can be hung from balconies or windows, tented in a backyard or placed on a roof. Their small size generates enough electricity to offset just a portion of someone’s energy use, but can meaningfully decrease monthly bills. Systems already being sold in California range in price from $300 to $2,200, depending on size. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">passed a bill \u003c/a>to formally legalize plug-in solar, which previously existed in a legal gray area. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">That bill\u003c/a> now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001782\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>If signed, it would take effect in January, and products will likely hit the California market in the spring, said Erik Mebust, communications director for Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill’s author. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The policy would exempt plug-in solar devices that meet safety and technical standards from the costly registration process required for rooftop solar arrays. That exemption would sunset in 2030, and advocates of the technology are already gearing up for a fight to see that date extended or erased. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By then, plug-in solar products sold would be required to meet standards outlined by independent safety organizations like Underwriters Laboratories. For now, any product already on the market can continue to be sold, but utilities say customers must register them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Given California’s huge market, sunny weather and high electricity costs, supporters of the technology believe it will take off in the state in the coming years. Many of those who jumped on the plug-in solar bandwagon early have been happy with their purchases, while others offer some cautionary words about a market in its infancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan, for one, is very pleased with her system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She purchased her kit through the plug-in solar nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/\">Bright Saver\u003c/a>. It consists of two panels, an inverter, and cables that plug right into her existing 120-volt outdoor outlet. All told, she paid $400. The Bright Saver team installed her panels for free, something they typically do not do, since Chan is in her 80s and asked for assistance. It took less than an hour. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I am getting a lot of energy on a sunny day. And even on half-foggy days, I’m still getting some. So, I’m pretty happy with that,” Chan said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more, Chan shed her frugal approach and winter sleeping bag get-up. Now, she pads around her one-story home in normal clothes with an electric heater in tow, which she feels is a luxury. Her average monthly bill is down to $200, a price that reflects what she called “comfort and warmth.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan’s panels are on top of the accessory dwelling unit in her backyard, and recently, she added a small backup battery. It’s a simple plug-in unit, a large metallic rectangle, about the size of two laptops stacked atop one another. Chan said her battery is fully charged each night, from the excess solar she does not use during the day. She estimated the battery then powers her fridge and internet for the next few hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other early adopters have run into roadblocks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Misha Rashkin lives in Hayward and had wanted solar for years. He thought plug-in solar would be a great option to avoid being the first in his homeowners association to forge the path for approval for rooftop solar. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001784\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001789\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001789\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A space heater in Agnes Chan’s home in Berkeley, California. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001786\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001786\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A draft stopper, which prevents air from traveling through door cracks, is taped to the bottom of a door in Agnes Chan’s home. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I have a balcony, and it seemed like the perfect fit for me,” Rashkin said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rashkin paid around $2,200 for what the manufacturer billed as a “plug-and-play solar” system, and sunk an additional $1,200 to install a new circuit and plug for it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it arrived, Rashkin attempted to put it together but was quickly overwhelmed, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He enlisted a handyman’s help for about $600. Once installation was complete, and his panels were plugged in, Rashkin said he was unable to sync the system’s various parts since it is a smart technology.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s just absolutely the opposite of what I need from a product that is called ‘plug and play,’” Rashkin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agnes Chan uses an app to monitor how much energy she uses at her home in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001788\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001788\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agnes Chan lifts the curtains she uses to keep drafts from circulating in her home. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001787\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001787\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Draft stoppers, which prevent air from traveling through door cracks, are placed around the perimeter of a door in Agnes Chan’s home to keep the house warm. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After several attempts to fix the issues with his system through replacement parts, Rashkin grew frustrated, packaged up the bulky panels and returned the product to the manufacturer, \u003ca href=\"https://craftstrom.com/\">Craftstrom\u003c/a>, who refunded the purchase. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stephan Scherer, Craftstrom’s CEO and founder, said he understood the criticism about the system being a little less user-friendly than people expect. Germany was an early adopter of the technology, and he said people there can literally buy a system and plug it in. He said safety and code requirements in the U.S. necessitate some additional steps. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Craftstrom’s product, that means installing a small black cube called a power meter in a customer’s breaker box. The meter prevents electricity from feeding back into the grid, ensures circuits don’t get overloaded with power and calibrates how much power the panels produce to what is needed in the home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Scherer said a lot of his customers install all the components themselves, but, for those who don’t feel comfortable doing it, his team recommends hiring an electrician for the power meter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are actually innovating and trying to figure out ways to make this even more plug and play,” Scherer said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is especially important as Scherer has noticed customers are shifting. Many of the early adopters were older people with more time on their hands, or people with engineering backgrounds. Now, customers are younger and less tech-savvy, Scherer said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Balcony solar “is a young industry,” he continued. “We’re all learning, and we’re learning with our customers.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other Bay Area residents have had luck with the same company. Joe Tenenbaum installed four Craftstrom solar panels at his family’s Orinda home last year, and hopes to add a battery. He estimated they’re saving $60 to $70 on their monthly electricity bills. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The panels have also changed his family’s behavior around when they use their appliances. When it comes to laundry, he said, “I’m actually trying to use the electricity when the sun is out.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tenenbaum noted, agreeingly: “A lot of people have said this is a gateway drug. I definitely want more.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Berkeley resident Matthew Milner was one of Bright Saver’s first customers in May 2025. He’d wanted rooftop solar, but the upfront costs were staggering.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“This allows us to dip our toe in a little bit without having a huge financial cost and see how it works for us,” Milner said in an interview last summer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>More than a year later, he said: “They’ve worked like a charm, no real complaints, no real issues.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Milner hopes to add more solar panels to those angled against his backyard fence, and install a battery, too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said it’s not quite as simple as plug and play. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not that level yet, you have to have some basic understanding of electricity and everything else,” Milner said. “It’s not idiot-proof, let’s put it that way.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each winter, retired teacher Agnes Chan would prepare for her utility bills to skyrocket, and the draft in her hundred-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> home to chill her to the bone. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each winter, retired teacher Agnes Chan would prepare for her utility bills to skyrocket, and the draft in her hundred-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> home to chill her to the bone. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I would be so stingy with my usage that I would take one blanket, another blanket, a sleeping bag to sit in my room, which is no fun,” Chan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I would be so stingy with my usage that I would take one blanket, another blanket, a sleeping bag to sit in my room, which is no fun,” Chan said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She upgraded her windows and doors to be double-paned years ago, but she worried that insulating her craftsman home could cause rot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She upgraded her windows and doors to be double-paned years ago, but she worried that insulating her craftsman home could cause rot. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001781\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A cord connected to solar panels plugs into an outlet in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001781\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A cord connected to solar panels plugs into an outlet in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chan had long wanted to defray the costs of her bills, which would rise to almost $300 a month in the winter, by installing rooftop solar. But the price was prohibitive, in the tens of thousands of dollars.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Chan had long wanted to defray the costs of her bills, which would rise to almost $300 a month in the winter, by installing rooftop solar. But the price was prohibitive, in the tens of thousands of dollars.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So Chan turned to something else: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">plug-in solar\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So Chan turned to something else: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">plug-in solar\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plug-in, or balcony, solar is a kit consisting of a few solar panels, an inverter and cables. The devices can be hung from balconies or windows, tented in a backyard or placed on a roof. Their small size generates enough electricity to offset just a portion of someone’s energy use, but can meaningfully decrease monthly bills. Systems already being sold in California range in price from $300 to $2,200, depending on size. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Plug-in, or balcony, solar is a kit consisting of a few solar panels, an inverter and cables. The devices can be hung from balconies or windows, tented in a backyard or placed on a roof. Their small size generates enough electricity to offset just a portion of someone’s energy use, but can meaningfully decrease monthly bills. Systems already being sold in California range in price from $300 to $2,200, depending on size. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">passed a bill \u003c/a>to formally legalize plug-in solar, which previously existed in a legal gray area. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">That bill\u003c/a> now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">passed a bill \u003c/a>to formally legalize plug-in solar, which previously existed in a legal gray area. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">That bill\u003c/a> now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001782\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If signed, it would take effect in January, and products will likely hit the California market in the spring, said Erik Mebust, communications director for Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill’s author. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If signed, it would take effect in January, and products will likely hit the California market in the spring, said Erik Mebust, communications director for Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill’s author. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The policy would exempt plug-in solar devices that meet safety and technical standards from the costly registration process required for rooftop solar arrays. That exemption would sunset in 2030, and advocates of the technology are already gearing up for a fight to see that date extended or erased. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The policy would exempt plug-in solar devices that meet safety and technical standards from the costly registration process required for rooftop solar arrays. That exemption would sunset in 2030, and advocates of the technology are already gearing up for a fight to see that date extended or erased. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>By then, plug-in solar products sold would be required to meet standards outlined by independent safety organizations like Underwriters Laboratories. For now, any product already on the market can continue to be sold, but utilities say customers must register them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>By then, plug-in solar products sold would be required to meet standards outlined by independent safety organizations like Underwriters Laboratories. For now, any product already on the market can continue to be sold, but utilities say customers must register them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Given California’s huge market, sunny weather and high electricity costs, supporters of the technology believe it will take off in the state in the coming years. Many of those who jumped on the plug-in solar bandwagon early have been happy with their purchases, while others offer some cautionary words about a market in its infancy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Given California’s huge market, sunny weather and high electricity costs, supporters of the technology believe it will take off in the state in the coming years. Many of those who jumped on the plug-in solar bandwagon early have been happy with their purchases, while others offer some cautionary words about a market in its infancy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chan, for one, is very pleased with her system. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She purchased her kit through the plug-in solar nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/\">Bright Saver\u003c/a>. It consists of two panels, an inverter, and cables that plug right into her existing 120-volt outdoor outlet. All told, she paid $400. The Bright Saver team installed her panels for free, something they typically do not do, since Chan is in her 80s and asked for assistance. It took less than an hour. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She purchased her kit through the plug-in solar nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/\">Bright Saver\u003c/a>. It consists of two panels, an inverter, and cables that plug right into her existing 120-volt outdoor outlet. All told, she paid $400. The Bright Saver team installed her panels for free, something they typically do not do, since Chan is in her 80s and asked for assistance. It took less than an hour. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I am getting a lot of energy on a sunny day. And even on half-foggy days, I’m still getting some. So, I’m pretty happy with that,” Chan said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I am getting a lot of energy on a sunny day. And even on half-foggy days, I’m still getting some. So, I’m pretty happy with that,” Chan said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What’s more, Chan shed her frugal approach and winter sleeping bag get-up. Now, she pads around her one-story home in normal clothes with an electric heater in tow, which she feels is a luxury. Her average monthly bill is down to $200, a price that reflects what she called “comfort and warmth.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What’s more, Chan shed her frugal approach and winter sleeping bag get-up. Now, she pads around her one-story home in normal clothes with an electric heater in tow, which she feels is a luxury. Her average monthly bill is down to $200, a price that reflects what she called “comfort and warmth.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Chan’s panels are on top of the accessory dwelling unit in her backyard, and recently, she added a small backup battery. It’s a simple plug-in unit, a large metallic rectangle, about the size of two laptops stacked atop one another. Chan said her battery is fully charged each night, from the excess solar she does not use during the day. She estimated the battery then powers her fridge and internet for the next few hours. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Chan’s panels are on top of the accessory dwelling unit in her backyard, and recently, she added a small backup battery. It’s a simple plug-in unit, a large metallic rectangle, about the size of two laptops stacked atop one another. Chan said her battery is fully charged each night, from the excess solar she does not use during the day. She estimated the battery then powers her fridge and internet for the next few hours. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other early adopters have run into roadblocks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Misha Rashkin lives in Hayward and had wanted solar for years. He thought plug-in solar would be a great option to avoid being the first in his homeowners association to forge the path for approval for rooftop solar. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Misha Rashkin lives in Hayward and had wanted solar for years. He thought plug-in solar would be a great option to avoid being the first in his homeowners association to forge the path for approval for rooftop solar. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I have a balcony, and it seemed like the perfect fit for me,” Rashkin said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rashkin paid around $2,200 for what the manufacturer billed as a “plug-and-play solar” system, and sunk an additional $1,200 to install a new circuit and plug for it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He enlisted a handyman’s help for about $600. Once installation was complete, and his panels were plugged in, Rashkin said he was unable to sync the system’s various parts since it is a smart technology.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s just absolutely the opposite of what I need from a product that is called ‘plug and play,’” Rashkin said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After several attempts to fix the issues with his system through replacement parts, Rashkin grew frustrated, packaged up the bulky panels and returned the product to the manufacturer, \u003ca href=\"https://craftstrom.com/\">Craftstrom\u003c/a>, who refunded the purchase. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Stephan Scherer, Craftstrom’s CEO and founder, said he understood the criticism about the system being a little less user-friendly than people expect. Germany was an early adopter of the technology, and he said people there can literally buy a system and plug it in. He said safety and code requirements in the U.S. necessitate some additional steps. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Stephan Scherer, Craftstrom’s CEO and founder, said he understood the criticism about the system being a little less user-friendly than people expect. Germany was an early adopter of the technology, and he said people there can literally buy a system and plug it in. He said safety and code requirements in the U.S. necessitate some additional steps. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Craftstrom’s product, that means installing a small black cube called a power meter in a customer’s breaker box. The meter prevents electricity from feeding back into the grid, ensures circuits don’t get overloaded with power and calibrates how much power the panels produce to what is needed in the home.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For Craftstrom’s product, that means installing a small black cube called a power meter in a customer’s breaker box. The meter prevents electricity from feeding back into the grid, ensures circuits don’t get overloaded with power and calibrates how much power the panels produce to what is needed in the home.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Scherer said a lot of his customers install all the components themselves, but, for those who don’t feel comfortable doing it, his team recommends hiring an electrician for the power meter. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Scherer said a lot of his customers install all the components themselves, but, for those who don’t feel comfortable doing it, his team recommends hiring an electrician for the power meter. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are actually innovating and trying to figure out ways to make this even more plug and play,” Scherer said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is especially important as Scherer has noticed customers are shifting. Many of the early adopters were older people with more time on their hands, or people with engineering backgrounds. Now, customers are younger and less tech-savvy, Scherer said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Balcony solar “is a young industry,” he continued. “We’re all learning, and we’re learning with our customers.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other Bay Area residents have had luck with the same company. Joe Tenenbaum installed four Craftstrom solar panels at his family’s Orinda home last year, and hopes to add a battery. He estimated they’re saving $60 to $70 on their monthly electricity bills. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other Bay Area residents have had luck with the same company. Joe Tenenbaum installed four Craftstrom solar panels at his family’s Orinda home last year, and hopes to add a battery. He estimated they’re saving $60 to $70 on their monthly electricity bills. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The panels have also changed his family’s behavior around when they use their appliances. When it comes to laundry, he said, “I’m actually trying to use the electricity when the sun is out.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The panels have also changed his family’s behavior around when they use their appliances. When it comes to laundry, he said, “I’m actually trying to use the electricity when the sun is out.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tenenbaum noted, agreeingly: “A lot of people have said this is a gateway drug. I definitely want more.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Berkeley resident Matthew Milner was one of Bright Saver’s first customers in May 2025. He’d wanted rooftop solar, but the upfront costs were staggering.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“This allows us to dip our toe in a little bit without having a huge financial cost and see how it works for us,” Milner said in an interview last summer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Berkeley resident Matthew Milner was one of Bright Saver’s first customers in May 2025. He’d wanted rooftop solar, but the upfront costs were staggering.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“This allows us to dip our toe in a little bit without having a huge financial cost and see how it works for us,” Milner said in an interview last summer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>More than a year later, he said: “They’ve worked like a charm, no real complaints, no real issues.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Milner hopes to add more solar panels to those angled against his backyard fence, and install a battery, too. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said it’s not quite as simple as plug and play. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s not that level yet, you have to have some basic understanding of electricity and everything else,” Milner said. “It’s not idiot-proof, let’s put it that way.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s not that level yet, you have to have some basic understanding of electricity and everything else,” Milner said. “It’s not idiot-proof, let’s put it that way.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n"
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"excerpt": "State legislators passed a bill to make plug-in solar simpler to install, and it’s on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. Here’s what Bay Area residents who already have it are saying. ",
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"title": "These Bay Area Residents Have Had Balcony Solar for a Year. Here’s How It’s Going | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Each winter, retired teacher Agnes Chan would prepare for her utility bills to skyrocket, and the draft in her hundred-year-old \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> home to chill her to the bone. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She’d tape long, thin pillows to the bottoms of her doors to stop airflow, ready her warmest belongings, and set her thermostat to 60.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I would be so stingy with my usage that I would take one blanket, another blanket, a sleeping bag to sit in my room, which is no fun,” Chan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She upgraded her windows and doors to be double-paned years ago, but she worried that insulating her craftsman home could cause rot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001781\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00824_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A cord connected to solar panels plugs into an outlet in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Living alone and on a fixed income, Chan would “make myself suffer,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan had long wanted to defray the costs of her bills, which would rise to almost $300 a month in the winter, by installing rooftop solar. But the price was prohibitive, in the tens of thousands of dollars.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So Chan turned to something else: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">plug-in solar\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Plug-in, or balcony, solar is a kit consisting of a few solar panels, an inverter and cables. The devices can be hung from balconies or windows, tented in a backyard or placed on a roof. Their small size generates enough electricity to offset just a portion of someone’s energy use, but can meaningfully decrease monthly bills. Systems already being sold in California range in price from $300 to $2,200, depending on size. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">passed a bill \u003c/a>to formally legalize plug-in solar, which previously existed in a legal gray area. \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">That bill\u003c/a> now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001782\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00883_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>If signed, it would take effect in January, and products will likely hit the California market in the spring, said Erik Mebust, communications director for Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), the bill’s author. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The policy would exempt plug-in solar devices that meet safety and technical standards from the costly registration process required for rooftop solar arrays. That exemption would sunset in 2030, and advocates of the technology are already gearing up for a fight to see that date extended or erased. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By then, plug-in solar products sold would be required to meet standards outlined by independent safety organizations like Underwriters Laboratories. For now, any product already on the market can continue to be sold, but utilities say customers must register them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Given California’s huge market, sunny weather and high electricity costs, supporters of the technology believe it will take off in the state in the coming years. Many of those who jumped on the plug-in solar bandwagon early have been happy with their purchases, while others offer some cautionary words about a market in its infancy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan, for one, is very pleased with her system. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She purchased her kit through the plug-in solar nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/\">Bright Saver\u003c/a>. It consists of two panels, an inverter, and cables that plug right into her existing 120-volt outdoor outlet. All told, she paid $400. The Bright Saver team installed her panels for free, something they typically do not do, since Chan is in her 80s and asked for assistance. It took less than an hour. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I am getting a lot of energy on a sunny day. And even on half-foggy days, I’m still getting some. So, I’m pretty happy with that,” Chan said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What’s more, Chan shed her frugal approach and winter sleeping bag get-up. Now, she pads around her one-story home in normal clothes with an electric heater in tow, which she feels is a luxury. Her average monthly bill is down to $200, a price that reflects what she called “comfort and warmth.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Chan’s panels are on top of the accessory dwelling unit in her backyard, and recently, she added a small backup battery. It’s a simple plug-in unit, a large metallic rectangle, about the size of two laptops stacked atop one another. Chan said her battery is fully charged each night, from the excess solar she does not use during the day. She estimated the battery then powers her fridge and internet for the next few hours. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other early adopters have run into roadblocks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Misha Rashkin lives in Hayward and had wanted solar for years. He thought plug-in solar would be a great option to avoid being the first in his homeowners association to forge the path for approval for rooftop solar. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001784\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00927_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plug-in solar panels sit on top of an accessory dwelling unit in Agnes Chan’s backyard in Berkeley, California. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001789\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001789\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01110_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A space heater in Agnes Chan’s home in Berkeley, California. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001786\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001786\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01049_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A draft stopper, which prevents air from traveling through door cracks, is taped to the bottom of a door in Agnes Chan’s home. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I have a balcony, and it seemed like the perfect fit for me,” Rashkin said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rashkin paid around $2,200 for what the manufacturer billed as a “plug-and-play solar” system, and sunk an additional $1,200 to install a new circuit and plug for it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it arrived, Rashkin attempted to put it together but was quickly overwhelmed, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He enlisted a handyman’s help for about $600. Once installation was complete, and his panels were plugged in, Rashkin said he was unable to sync the system’s various parts since it is a smart technology.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s just absolutely the opposite of what I need from a product that is called ‘plug and play,’” Rashkin said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agnes Chan uses an app to monitor how much energy she uses at her home in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001788\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001788\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01100_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agnes Chan lifts the curtains she uses to keep drafts from circulating in her home. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"2001787\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001787\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-01058_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Draft stoppers, which prevent air from traveling through door cracks, are placed around the perimeter of a door in Agnes Chan’s home to keep the house warm. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After several attempts to fix the issues with his system through replacement parts, Rashkin grew frustrated, packaged up the bulky panels and returned the product to the manufacturer, \u003ca href=\"https://craftstrom.com/\">Craftstrom\u003c/a>, who refunded the purchase. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Stephan Scherer, Craftstrom’s CEO and founder, said he understood the criticism about the system being a little less user-friendly than people expect. Germany was an early adopter of the technology, and he said people there can literally buy a system and plug it in. He said safety and code requirements in the U.S. necessitate some additional steps. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Craftstrom’s product, that means installing a small black cube called a power meter in a customer’s breaker box. The meter prevents electricity from feeding back into the grid, ensures circuits don’t get overloaded with power and calibrates how much power the panels produce to what is needed in the home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Scherer said a lot of his customers install all the components themselves, but, for those who don’t feel comfortable doing it, his team recommends hiring an electrician for the power meter. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are actually innovating and trying to figure out ways to make this even more plug and play,” Scherer said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is especially important as Scherer has noticed customers are shifting. Many of the early adopters were older people with more time on their hands, or people with engineering backgrounds. Now, customers are younger and less tech-savvy, Scherer said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Balcony solar “is a young industry,” he continued. “We’re all learning, and we’re learning with our customers.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other Bay Area residents have had luck with the same company. Joe Tenenbaum installed four Craftstrom solar panels at his family’s Orinda home last year, and hopes to add a battery. He estimated they’re saving $60 to $70 on their monthly electricity bills. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The panels have also changed his family’s behavior around when they use their appliances. When it comes to laundry, he said, “I’m actually trying to use the electricity when the sun is out.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Tenenbaum noted, agreeingly: “A lot of people have said this is a gateway drug. I definitely want more.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Berkeley resident Matthew Milner was one of Bright Saver’s first customers in May 2025. He’d wanted rooftop solar, but the upfront costs were staggering.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“This allows us to dip our toe in a little bit without having a huge financial cost and see how it works for us,” Milner said in an interview last summer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>More than a year later, he said: “They’ve worked like a charm, no real complaints, no real issues.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Milner hopes to add more solar panels to those angled against his backyard fence, and install a battery, too. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He said it’s not quite as simple as plug and play. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s not that level yet, you have to have some basic understanding of electricity and everything else,” Milner said. “It’s not idiot-proof, let’s put it that way.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal",
"title": "What Will It Take for California to Meet Its 100% Green Energy Goal?",
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"headTitle": "What Will It Take for California to Meet Its 100% Green Energy Goal? | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s transition away from fossil fuels is no longer just about building more solar panels and batteries. The state is also changing how Californians heat their homes, drive their cars and power their businesses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California set a goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2045, as part of its broader effort to reach carbon neutrality. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That transition is already underway, but it’s happening at different speeds across the state’s energy systems. And while cleaner technologies are becoming more common, Californians are also facing high electricity bills, expensive home upgrades and questions about how low-income communities that can’t afford to go fully electric will be affected.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914754/flipping-the-switch-what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal\">episode of KQED Forum,\u003c/a> state and local leaders discussed where California is making real progress toward its green energy goal and where it’s falling short. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does California’s energy transition actually involve?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California is midway through a transition away from its old fossil-fuel system, which remains substantial, while building a new future powered by a clean energy system that is still growing. Experts call it “midtransition.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Energy Commission Vice Chair Siva Gunda said the state is essentially trying to coordinate three transitions at once: cleaning up the electric grid, reducing petroleum use and beginning to reduce natural gas use. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You have the electric system and petroleum entering midtransition. And natural gas hasn’t really come into midtransition yet. So how do you harmonize the timing of those three systems?” he asked. “And that’s the complexity we face.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1997035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington, California, on May 23, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electricity generation is one sector that is furthest along this bridge. But it is also happening in vehicle transportation and the heating and cooling of buildings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>More Californians are driving electric vehicles, while homes and businesses are increasingly switching from gas furnaces and water heaters to electric heat pumps.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gasoline sales have declined, while natural gas use has fallen about 12% over the past five years, said Merrian Borgeson, the California climate and energy policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are Californians actually using less fossil fuel?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Borgeson said California is running gas power plants less frequently as clean energy resources expand and the state becomes more connected to neighboring electricity markets. Some older gas plants could eventually be retired, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, electrification is reshaping homes. Heat pumps can both heat and cool a home without burning fuel. In the first quarter of 2026, about 70% of new California homes were being built with electric space and water heating, Borgeson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agnes Chan uses an app to monitor how much energy she uses at her home in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electric vehicle adoption is also growing. In San José, more than 10% of cars are electric, according to Lori Mitchell, director of San José Clean Energy, and more than half of new car sales in recent years have been electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José has moved particularly quickly on clean energy. Through San José Clean Energy, its community choice energy provider, it now offers electricity that is more than 90% carbon-free, Mitchell said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But getting people to adopt these technologies depends on more than functionality. It also depends on whether people can afford them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does going electric actually save people money?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is one of the biggest questions facing Californians as the state asks households to switch from fossil fuels to electricity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electricity rates have risen substantially in recent years, in part because utilities are spending more on wildfire prevention, including vegetation management and, in some areas, paying to put power lines underground. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the same time, the economics of electrification vary depending on households’ existing appliances, energy use and income. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Electrical power lines and pylons in California. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State programs tracking tens of thousands of heat-pump installations have found that many households save money after switching, Borgeson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For people who are replacing an existing air conditioner and gas furnace with a heat pump, the average savings are about $300 a year. Households without air conditioning that add a heat pump may instead save an average of about $80 a year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But even when a technology saves money over time, the up-front cost can be difficult to afford.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In San José, a heat pump water heater typically costs about $6,500 to $8,500, Mitchell said. Rebates from community choice energy programs and the state can help \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosecleanenergy.org/ecohome-rebate/\">offset\u003c/a> that expense.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who gets left behind?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Affordability is one of the biggest equity challenges in California’s energy transition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Energy Commission’s Gunda recalled visiting a household in Imperial Valley where someone earning $1,200 a month was spending $500 on energy. “That is not an example we want to create in California,” the vice chair said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1931178\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Electric cars are growing in the Bay Area but are only 6% of new vehicle sales statewide. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not everyone can transition at the same pace. A homeowner with money to spend can install solar panels, buy an electric vehicle and replace a gas furnace with a heat pump. A renter may not be able to make those decisions at all. And a lower-income household may not have thousands of dollars available for an appliance upgrade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mitchell said San José has tried to address that gap with larger incentives for lower-income residents, as well as discounts through the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-costs/care-fera-program\">utility programs\u003c/a> that help reduce monthly energy costs for income-qualified households.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The goal is to ensure customers can afford both the new technology and the electricity required to operate it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens to the natural gas system as people electrify? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There is another, less visible problem that could become increasingly important: What happens to California’s natural gas infrastructure as fewer people use it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gas utilities continue to maintain and replace pipelines that serve homes and businesses. But if more customers leave the gas system, those costs could increasingly fall on a smaller group of remaining customers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Borgeson gave an example from her own home. Her gas utility was preparing to replace the service line to her house while her family was in the process of electrifying their home. “What happened with me is, they redid our pipe,” she said. “And now, next month, I’m leaving the gas system. And every other customer is left holding the bag.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001913\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Valero Benicia Refinery in Benicia on May 8, 2025, which processes up to 170,000 barrels of oil a day, making gasoline, diesel and other fuels for California. Valero plans to shut down the Benicia refinery by April 2026, citing high costs and strict environmental rules. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Utilities can spend $15,000 to $20,000 replacing a gas service line, she said, with those costs ultimately shared among customers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her concern was that the investment would become unnecessary almost immediately if a household switches entirely to electricity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gunda said this illustrates why California’s energy transition needs to be better coordinated.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Much of our early work was very gadget-by-gadget replacement. But now the work is more integrated across energy systems, and it has to be really well coordinated,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What options do people have if they can’t afford a major upgrade? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electrification doesn’t always require a person to renovate their house. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smaller heat-pump units can help people who rarely turn on their gas furnaces to heat their homes. They can cost substantially less than installing a central system, and some can be installed in a window or through a wall to heat a single room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The heat-pump unit outside Maria Franco’s home in Van Nuys, California. (Jules Hotz for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Renters face another challenge because they generally can’t install rooftop solar or replace major appliances themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One potential solution is plug-in or balcony solar, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">which lawmakers just voted to formally legalize in California\u003c/a>. Plug-in solar connects to a standard electrical outlet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Community choice aggregators can also provide assistance. These local agencies purchase electricity and often offer rebates and technical assistance to help residents electrify.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can California make the transition affordable and reliable?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gunda is cautiously optimistic about the grid’s ability to support the transition. But electricity demand is expected to grow as more vehicles, buildings and other parts of the economy become electrified. Large new electricity users, including data centers, could add another challenge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gunda said California needs to make sure the costs of that new demand don’t fall unfairly on existing ratepayers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state’s clean energy system has been decades in the making. California has built it while trying to keep energy reliable, affordable and accessible to people who don’t have the same resources to make the switch.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s transition away from fossil fuels is no longer just about building more solar panels and batteries. The state is also changing how Californians heat their homes, drive their cars and power their businesses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s transition away from fossil fuels is no longer just about building more solar panels and batteries. The state is also changing how Californians heat their homes, drive their cars and power their businesses. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California set a goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2045, as part of its broader effort to reach carbon neutrality. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That transition is already underway, but it’s happening at different speeds across the state’s energy systems. And while cleaner technologies are becoming more common, Californians are also facing high electricity bills, expensive home upgrades and questions about how low-income communities that can’t afford to go fully electric will be affected.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That transition is already underway, but it’s happening at different speeds across the state’s energy systems. And while cleaner technologies are becoming more common, Californians are also facing high electricity bills, expensive home upgrades and questions about how low-income communities that can’t afford to go fully electric will be affected.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914754/flipping-the-switch-what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal\">episode of KQED Forum,\u003c/a> state and local leaders discussed where California is making real progress toward its green energy goal and where it’s falling short. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914754/flipping-the-switch-what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal\">episode of KQED Forum,\u003c/a> state and local leaders discussed where California is making real progress toward its green energy goal and where it’s falling short. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "What does California’s energy transition actually involve?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California is midway through a transition away from its old fossil-fuel system, which remains substantial, while building a new future powered by a clean energy system that is still growing. Experts call it “midtransition.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California is midway through a transition away from its old fossil-fuel system, which remains substantial, while building a new future powered by a clean energy system that is still growing. Experts call it “midtransition.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Energy Commission Vice Chair Siva Gunda said the state is essentially trying to coordinate three transitions at once: cleaning up the electric grid, reducing petroleum use and beginning to reduce natural gas use. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California Energy Commission Vice Chair Siva Gunda said the state is essentially trying to coordinate three transitions at once: cleaning up the electric grid, reducing petroleum use and beginning to reduce natural gas use. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You have the electric system and petroleum entering midtransition. And natural gas hasn’t really come into midtransition yet. So how do you harmonize the timing of those three systems?” he asked. “And that’s the complexity we face.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You have the electric system and petroleum entering midtransition. And natural gas hasn’t really come into midtransition yet. So how do you harmonize the timing of those three systems?” he asked. “And that’s the complexity we face.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1997035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington, California, on May 23, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1997035\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington, California, on May 23, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electricity generation is one sector that is furthest along this bridge. But it is also happening in vehicle transportation and the heating and cooling of buildings. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Electricity generation is one sector that is furthest along this bridge. But it is also happening in vehicle transportation and the heating and cooling of buildings. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>More Californians are driving electric vehicles, while homes and businesses are increasingly switching from gas furnaces and water heaters to electric heat pumps.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>More Californians are driving electric vehicles, while homes and businesses are increasingly switching from gas furnaces and water heaters to electric heat pumps.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gasoline sales have declined, while natural gas use has fallen about 12% over the past five years, said Merrian Borgeson, the California climate and energy policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gasoline sales have declined, while natural gas use has fallen about 12% over the past five years, said Merrian Borgeson, the California climate and energy policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Are Californians actually using less fossil fuel?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are Californians actually using less fossil fuel?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Borgeson said California is running gas power plants less frequently as clean energy resources expand and the state becomes more connected to neighboring electricity markets. Some older gas plants could eventually be retired, she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Borgeson said California is running gas power plants less frequently as clean energy resources expand and the state becomes more connected to neighboring electricity markets. Some older gas plants could eventually be retired, she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, electrification is reshaping homes. Heat pumps can both heat and cool a home without burning fuel. In the first quarter of 2026, about 70% of new California homes were being built with electric space and water heating, Borgeson said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, electrification is reshaping homes. Heat pumps can both heat and cool a home without burning fuel. In the first quarter of 2026, about 70% of new California homes were being built with electric space and water heating, Borgeson said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agnes Chan uses an app to monitor how much energy she uses at her home in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001783\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agnes Chan uses an app to monitor how much energy she uses at her home in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electric vehicle adoption is also growing. In San José, more than 10% of cars are electric, according to Lori Mitchell, director of San José Clean Energy, and more than half of new car sales in recent years have been electric.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Electric vehicle adoption is also growing. In San José, more than 10% of cars are electric, according to Lori Mitchell, director of San José Clean Energy, and more than half of new car sales in recent years have been electric.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San José has moved particularly quickly on clean energy. Through San José Clean Energy, its community choice energy provider, it now offers electricity that is more than 90% carbon-free, Mitchell said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San José has moved particularly quickly on clean energy. Through San José Clean Energy, its community choice energy provider, it now offers electricity that is more than 90% carbon-free, Mitchell said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But getting people to adopt these technologies depends on more than functionality. It also depends on whether people can afford them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "Does going electric actually save people money?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does going electric actually save people money?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is one of the biggest questions facing Californians as the state asks households to switch from fossil fuels to electricity. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electricity rates have risen substantially in recent years, in part because utilities are spending more on wildfire prevention, including vegetation management and, in some areas, paying to put power lines underground. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the same time, the economics of electrification vary depending on households’ existing appliances, energy use and income. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the same time, the economics of electrification vary depending on households’ existing appliances, energy use and income. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Electrical power lines and pylons in California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>State programs tracking tens of thousands of heat-pump installations have found that many households save money after switching, Borgeson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For people who are replacing an existing air conditioner and gas furnace with a heat pump, the average savings are about $300 a year. Households without air conditioning that add a heat pump may instead save an average of about $80 a year. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For people who are replacing an existing air conditioner and gas furnace with a heat pump, the average savings are about $300 a year. Households without air conditioning that add a heat pump may instead save an average of about $80 a year. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But even when a technology saves money over time, the up-front cost can be difficult to afford.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In San José, a heat pump water heater typically costs about $6,500 to $8,500, Mitchell said. Rebates from community choice energy programs and the state can help \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosecleanenergy.org/ecohome-rebate/\">offset\u003c/a> that expense.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In San José, a heat pump water heater typically costs about $6,500 to $8,500, Mitchell said. Rebates from community choice energy programs and the state can help \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosecleanenergy.org/ecohome-rebate/\">offset\u003c/a> that expense.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Who gets left behind?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who gets left behind?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who gets left behind?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Affordability is one of the biggest equity challenges in California’s energy transition. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Affordability is one of the biggest equity challenges in California’s energy transition. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California Energy Commission’s Gunda recalled visiting a household in Imperial Valley where someone earning $1,200 a month was spending $500 on energy. “That is not an example we want to create in California,” the vice chair said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The California Energy Commission’s Gunda recalled visiting a household in Imperial Valley where someone earning $1,200 a month was spending $500 on energy. “That is not an example we want to create in California,” the vice chair said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1931178\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Electric cars are growing in the Bay Area but are only 6% of new vehicle sales statewide.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Not everyone can transition at the same pace. A homeowner with money to spend can install solar panels, buy an electric vehicle and replace a gas furnace with a heat pump. A renter may not be able to make those decisions at all. And a lower-income household may not have thousands of dollars available for an appliance upgrade.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Not everyone can transition at the same pace. A homeowner with money to spend can install solar panels, buy an electric vehicle and replace a gas furnace with a heat pump. A renter may not be able to make those decisions at all. And a lower-income household may not have thousands of dollars available for an appliance upgrade.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mitchell said San José has tried to address that gap with larger incentives for lower-income residents, as well as discounts through the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-costs/care-fera-program\">utility programs\u003c/a> that help reduce monthly energy costs for income-qualified households.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Mitchell said San José has tried to address that gap with larger incentives for lower-income residents, as well as discounts through the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-costs/care-fera-program\">utility programs\u003c/a> that help reduce monthly energy costs for income-qualified households.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The goal is to ensure customers can afford both the new technology and the electricity required to operate it. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The goal is to ensure customers can afford both the new technology and the electricity required to operate it. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What happens to the natural gas system as people electrify? ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens to the natural gas system as people electrify? \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens to the natural gas system as people electrify? \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There is another, less visible problem that could become increasingly important: What happens to California’s natural gas infrastructure as fewer people use it?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>There is another, less visible problem that could become increasingly important: What happens to California’s natural gas infrastructure as fewer people use it?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gas utilities continue to maintain and replace pipelines that serve homes and businesses. But if more customers leave the gas system, those costs could increasingly fall on a smaller group of remaining customers.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Gas utilities continue to maintain and replace pipelines that serve homes and businesses. But if more customers leave the gas system, those costs could increasingly fall on a smaller group of remaining customers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Borgeson gave an example from her own home. Her gas utility was preparing to replace the service line to her house while her family was in the process of electrifying their home. “What happened with me is, they redid our pipe,” she said. “And now, next month, I’m leaving the gas system. And every other customer is left holding the bag.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Borgeson gave an example from her own home. Her gas utility was preparing to replace the service line to her house while her family was in the process of electrifying their home. “What happened with me is, they redid our pipe,” she said. “And now, next month, I’m leaving the gas system. And every other customer is left holding the bag.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001913\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Valero Benicia Refinery in Benicia on May 8, 2025, which processes up to 170,000 barrels of oil a day, making gasoline, diesel and other fuels for California. Valero plans to shut down the Benicia refinery by April 2026, citing high costs and strict environmental rules.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001913\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Valero Benicia Refinery in Benicia on May 8, 2025, which processes up to 170,000 barrels of oil a day, making gasoline, diesel and other fuels for California. Valero plans to shut down the Benicia refinery by April 2026, citing high costs and strict environmental rules.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Utilities can spend $15,000 to $20,000 replacing a gas service line, she said, with those costs ultimately shared among customers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Utilities can spend $15,000 to $20,000 replacing a gas service line, she said, with those costs ultimately shared among customers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her concern was that the investment would become unnecessary almost immediately if a household switches entirely to electricity. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Her concern was that the investment would become unnecessary almost immediately if a household switches entirely to electricity. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gunda said this illustrates why California’s energy transition needs to be better coordinated.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Much of our early work was very gadget-by-gadget replacement. But now the work is more integrated across energy systems, and it has to be really well coordinated,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gunda said this illustrates why California’s energy transition needs to be better coordinated.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Much of our early work was very gadget-by-gadget replacement. But now the work is more integrated across energy systems, and it has to be really well coordinated,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "What options do people have if they can’t afford a major upgrade? ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What options do people have if they can’t afford a major upgrade? \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Electrification doesn’t always require a person to renovate their house. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Smaller heat-pump units can help people who rarely turn on their gas furnaces to heat their homes. They can cost substantially less than installing a central system, and some can be installed in a window or through a wall to heat a single room. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Smaller heat-pump units can help people who rarely turn on their gas furnaces to heat their homes. They can cost substantially less than installing a central system, and some can be installed in a window or through a wall to heat a single room. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The heat-pump unit outside Maria Franco’s home in Van Nuys, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jules Hotz for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001321\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The heat-pump unit outside Maria Franco’s home in Van Nuys, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jules Hotz for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Renters face another challenge because they generally can’t install rooftop solar or replace major appliances themselves.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One potential solution is plug-in or balcony solar, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">which lawmakers just voted to formally legalize in California\u003c/a>. Plug-in solar connects to a standard electrical outlet. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One potential solution is plug-in or balcony solar, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">which lawmakers just voted to formally legalize in California\u003c/a>. Plug-in solar connects to a standard electrical outlet. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Community choice aggregators can also provide assistance. These local agencies purchase electricity and often offer rebates and technical assistance to help residents electrify.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Community choice aggregators can also provide assistance. These local agencies purchase electricity and often offer rebates and technical assistance to help residents electrify.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Can California make the transition affordable and reliable?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can California make the transition affordable and reliable?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gunda is cautiously optimistic about the grid’s ability to support the transition. But electricity demand is expected to grow as more vehicles, buildings and other parts of the economy become electrified. Large new electricity users, including data centers, could add another challenge. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gunda is cautiously optimistic about the grid’s ability to support the transition. But electricity demand is expected to grow as more vehicles, buildings and other parts of the economy become electrified. Large new electricity users, including data centers, could add another challenge. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gunda said California needs to make sure the costs of that new demand don’t fall unfairly on existing ratepayers.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gunda said California needs to make sure the costs of that new demand don’t fall unfairly on existing ratepayers.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state’s clean energy system has been decades in the making. California has built it while trying to keep energy reliable, affordable and accessible to people who don’t have the same resources to make the switch.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The state’s clean energy system has been decades in the making. California has built it while trying to keep energy reliable, affordable and accessible to people who don’t have the same resources to make the switch.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n",
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"\n\u003cimg class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n"
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"excerpt": "Where is California making real progress toward its green energy goal, and where is it falling short?",
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"title": "What Will It Take for California to Meet Its 100% Green Energy Goal? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s transition away from fossil fuels is no longer just about building more solar panels and batteries. The state is also changing how Californians heat their homes, drive their cars and power their businesses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California set a goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2045, as part of its broader effort to reach carbon neutrality. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That transition is already underway, but it’s happening at different speeds across the state’s energy systems. And while cleaner technologies are becoming more common, Californians are also facing high electricity bills, expensive home upgrades and questions about how low-income communities that can’t afford to go fully electric will be affected.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914754/flipping-the-switch-what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal\">episode of KQED Forum,\u003c/a> state and local leaders discussed where California is making real progress toward its green energy goal and where it’s falling short. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does California’s energy transition actually involve?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California is midway through a transition away from its old fossil-fuel system, which remains substantial, while building a new future powered by a clean energy system that is still growing. Experts call it “midtransition.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Energy Commission Vice Chair Siva Gunda said the state is essentially trying to coordinate three transitions at once: cleaning up the electric grid, reducing petroleum use and beginning to reduce natural gas use. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You have the electric system and petroleum entering midtransition. And natural gas hasn’t really come into midtransition yet. So how do you harmonize the timing of those three systems?” he asked. “And that’s the complexity we face.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1997035\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-13-KQED-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington, California, on May 23, 2025. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electricity generation is one sector that is furthest along this bridge. But it is also happening in vehicle transportation and the heating and cooling of buildings. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>More Californians are driving electric vehicles, while homes and businesses are increasingly switching from gas furnaces and water heaters to electric heat pumps.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gasoline sales have declined, while natural gas use has fallen about 12% over the past five years, said Merrian Borgeson, the California climate and energy policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are Californians actually using less fossil fuel?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Borgeson said California is running gas power plants less frequently as clean energy resources expand and the state becomes more connected to neighboring electricity markets. Some older gas plants could eventually be retired, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, electrification is reshaping homes. Heat pumps can both heat and cool a home without burning fuel. In the first quarter of 2026, about 70% of new California homes were being built with electric space and water heating, Borgeson said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001783\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/08/260823-PLUGINSOLARFOLO-00906_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Agnes Chan uses an app to monitor how much energy she uses at her home in Berkeley, California, on Aug. 23, 2026. (Tâm Vũ for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electric vehicle adoption is also growing. In San José, more than 10% of cars are electric, according to Lori Mitchell, director of San José Clean Energy, and more than half of new car sales in recent years have been electric.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>San José has moved particularly quickly on clean energy. Through San José Clean Energy, its community choice energy provider, it now offers electricity that is more than 90% carbon-free, Mitchell said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But getting people to adopt these technologies depends on more than functionality. It also depends on whether people can afford them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does going electric actually save people money?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is one of the biggest questions facing Californians as the state asks households to switch from fossil fuels to electricity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electricity rates have risen substantially in recent years, in part because utilities are spending more on wildfire prevention, including vegetation management and, in some areas, paying to put power lines underground. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the same time, the economics of electrification vary depending on households’ existing appliances, energy use and income. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001907\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/ElectricGridGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Electrical power lines and pylons in California. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>State programs tracking tens of thousands of heat-pump installations have found that many households save money after switching, Borgeson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For people who are replacing an existing air conditioner and gas furnace with a heat pump, the average savings are about $300 a year. Households without air conditioning that add a heat pump may instead save an average of about $80 a year. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But even when a technology saves money over time, the up-front cost can be difficult to afford.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In San José, a heat pump water heater typically costs about $6,500 to $8,500, Mitchell said. Rebates from community choice energy programs and the state can help \u003ca href=\"https://sanjosecleanenergy.org/ecohome-rebate/\">offset\u003c/a> that expense.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who gets left behind?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Affordability is one of the biggest equity challenges in California’s energy transition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The California Energy Commission’s Gunda recalled visiting a household in Imperial Valley where someone earning $1,200 a month was spending $500 on energy. “That is not an example we want to create in California,” the vice chair said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1931178\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-960x540.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-240x135.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-375x211.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2018/09/ElectricCars_AW_06-520x293.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Electric cars are growing in the Bay Area but are only 6% of new vehicle sales statewide. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Not everyone can transition at the same pace. A homeowner with money to spend can install solar panels, buy an electric vehicle and replace a gas furnace with a heat pump. A renter may not be able to make those decisions at all. And a lower-income household may not have thousands of dollars available for an appliance upgrade.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Mitchell said San José has tried to address that gap with larger incentives for lower-income residents, as well as discounts through the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-costs/care-fera-program\">utility programs\u003c/a> that help reduce monthly energy costs for income-qualified households.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The goal is to ensure customers can afford both the new technology and the electricity required to operate it. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What happens to the natural gas system as people electrify? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There is another, less visible problem that could become increasingly important: What happens to California’s natural gas infrastructure as fewer people use it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gas utilities continue to maintain and replace pipelines that serve homes and businesses. But if more customers leave the gas system, those costs could increasingly fall on a smaller group of remaining customers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Borgeson gave an example from her own home. Her gas utility was preparing to replace the service line to her house while her family was in the process of electrifying their home. “What happened with me is, they redid our pipe,” she said. “And now, next month, I’m leaving the gas system. And every other customer is left holding the bag.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001913\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/09/250509-BeniciaRefinery-30-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Valero Benicia Refinery in Benicia on May 8, 2025, which processes up to 170,000 barrels of oil a day, making gasoline, diesel and other fuels for California. Valero plans to shut down the Benicia refinery by April 2026, citing high costs and strict environmental rules. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Utilities can spend $15,000 to $20,000 replacing a gas service line, she said, with those costs ultimately shared among customers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her concern was that the investment would become unnecessary almost immediately if a household switches entirely to electricity. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gunda said this illustrates why California’s energy transition needs to be better coordinated.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Much of our early work was very gadget-by-gadget replacement. But now the work is more integrated across energy systems, and it has to be really well coordinated,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What options do people have if they can’t afford a major upgrade? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Electrification doesn’t always require a person to renovate their house. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Smaller heat-pump units can help people who rarely turn on their gas furnaces to heat their homes. They can cost substantially less than installing a central system, and some can be installed in a window or through a wall to heat a single room. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2001321\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/2026_06_11_HEAT_PUMP_00200-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The heat-pump unit outside Maria Franco’s home in Van Nuys, California. (Jules Hotz for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Renters face another challenge because they generally can’t install rooftop solar or replace major appliances themselves.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One potential solution is plug-in or balcony solar, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall\">which lawmakers just voted to formally legalize in California\u003c/a>. Plug-in solar connects to a standard electrical outlet. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Community choice aggregators can also provide assistance. These local agencies purchase electricity and often offer rebates and technical assistance to help residents electrify.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can California make the transition affordable and reliable?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gunda is cautiously optimistic about the grid’s ability to support the transition. But electricity demand is expected to grow as more vehicles, buildings and other parts of the economy become electrified. Large new electricity users, including data centers, could add another challenge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gunda said California needs to make sure the costs of that new demand don’t fall unfairly on existing ratepayers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state’s clean energy system has been decades in the making. California has built it while trying to keep energy reliable, affordable and accessible to people who don’t have the same resources to make the switch.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium aligncenter\" style=\"width: 500px;margin: 80px auto 40px\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-your-support-makes-this-work-possible-500x353@2x.png\" alt=\"Your support makes this work possible.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"706\" />\nFrom KQED’s Climate desk, “Flipping the Switch” documents California’s transition to clean energy and what it means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by donating today.\n\u003ca href=\"https://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"width: 272px;margin: 40px auto\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/KQED-membership-support-kqed-journalism-272x57@2x.png\" alt=\"Button: Support KQED journalism\" width=\"544\" height=\"114\" />\u003c/a>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"soldout": {
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