California faces rising electricity prices, surging energy demand and ambitious clean energy goals. To stabilize costs and reliably power its economy, the state needs to be able to bring new clean power online quickly and efficiently.

Right now it’s difficult, costly and slow to add new power to the grid. Clean energy projects often wait years for investor-owned utilities to make equipment upgrades needed to accommodate the new power. The California Public Utilities Commission these delays affect nearly two-thirds of upgrades in two investor-owned utilities’ territories.

AB 2493 would require an independent auditor to assess the utilities’ progress in resolving the delays and would employ a mix of carrots and sticks to get utilities to prioritize the upgrades. It would prioritize upgrades where clean energy projects are waiting, speeding new power to the grid, saving money and making it easier for California to stay on top of rising demand.

Key takeaways:

• Hundreds of thousands of people around the world live near and work in proximity to operating wind turbines with no ill health effects. More than 100 peer-reviewed scientific studies soundly discredit the claim that wind farms cause negative health impacts.
• The strongest epidemiological study suggests that there is not an association between noise from wind turbines and measures of psychological distress or mental health, nor is there evidence to link the noise to sleep disturbance or other physical health impacts.
• There is no scientific evidence to suggest that shadow flicker negatively affects human health. Several studies also conclude that shadow flicker from wind turbines does not pose a seizure risk.
• EMF levels measured at wind projects were four orders of magnitude lower than the levels known to cause harm to human health.

At the same time, wind energy delivers significant health benefits by reducing air pollution and lowering emissions tied to respiratory disease and premature mortality.

Key Considerations:

Why Farmland Is Sometimes Used for Solar

• Farmers may lease land for solar to create long‑term, stable supplemental income that strengthens farm financial resilience.
• Farmland’s flat, cleared terrain reduces grading and site‑prep costs, making it operationally efficient for solar siting.
  Projects sited on or near agricultural land can help minimize conflicts with sensitive resources (e.g., wildlife habitat, cultural sites).
• Brownfields, rooftops, and parking lots are also viable but come with higher costs, size limitations, additional permits, or liability risks, making them insufficient alone to meet national solar demand.

Solar as Part of a Long Tradition of Energy Production on Farms

• U.S. farmers already dedicate 40 million acres to corn for ethanol each year.
• Combined land use of corn‑for‑ethanol plus solar still totals under 6% of contiguous U.S. farmland.
• Solar provides 30–100× more energy per acre than corn grown for ethanol.

How Much Farmland Solar Actually Uses

• In 36 states, utility‑scale solar occupies less than 0.1% of prime farmland.
• In 12 states, solar occupies less than 0.01% of prime farmland.
• Nationally, the state average is just 0.07% of prime farmland used by solar.
• Only two states exceed 0.25% of prime farmland used for solar: California – 0.33% and Rhode Island – 0.31%
• Across 95% of counties with solar, it occupies less than 0.25% of total farmland.

Future Land Needs for Solar

• Even in the most land‑intensive 2050 scenarios modeled by DOE, about 10.3 million acres would be needed for new solar development.
• If all of this were placed on farmland (a scenario the fact sheet calls “highly unlikely”), it would affect less than 1.2% of existing U.S. farmland.

The primary avenue by which industry works with the Department of Defense (DoD) to address national security concerns about potential wind projects, both on- and offshore, is through the DoD Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse (“Clearinghouse”).

This fact sheet provides background on ensuring offshore wind projects are compatible with military readiness.

Wind energy stands as one of America’s most wildlife-friendly energy sources, providing affordable, domestically-produced power while supporting crucial conservation values. The evidence is clear: wind power delivers clean electricity with one of the lowest environmental footprints of any utility-scale generation method.

The Facts: Wind’s Limited Wildlife Impact

• Wind energy accounts for less than 0.01% of human-caused bird fatalities – far below buildings, vehicles, and pesticides.
• Eagle populations remain compatible with wind development – bald eagle populations have thrived while golden eagle numbers remain stable.
• Wind turbines leave 98% of project land undisturbed – preserving valuable habitat for wildlife.
• Each turbine offsets its carbon footprint within six months – then provides decades of emissions-free electricity.

Download this fact sheet to discover how the industry takes steps to minimize its impact on wildlife and foster American conservation values while providing clean, affordable American energy.

• Numerous studies show that the planning, construction, and operation of utility-scale wind turbine installations have no long-term negative impact on property values.
• Limited research suggests that the installation of wind turbines can lead to a regional increase in property values, particularly in rural communities.
• Wind installations can economically benefit communities in numerous ways by bolstering the tax base, providing jobs, and raising per-capita income.

Utility-scale wind energy is the largest source of renewable electricity generation in the United States and is growing continuously. There are over 73,000 wind turbines deployed across the U.S., capable of generating 153 gigawatts of clean, reliable electricity – enough wind power to serve 46 million American homes.

However, a concern among some homeowners is the perception that wind turbine installations can reduce property values in an area. Extensive research indicates this is not the case.

• 46,050 megawatts of wind, solar and energy storage
• 340,900 jobs
• $104 billion industry investment
• 12.7 million homes powered
• and more

Update: The expanded regional market proposed in SB 540 was transferred to a new legislative vehicle, . Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill in September 2025.

The legislation would clear the way for California utilities to participate in expanded regional markets with the potential to save ratepayers $1 billion per year. With access to a bigger market, California could sell more of its abundant daytime solar, helping keep utility bills down, while expanding its access to competitively priced clean resources such as New Mexico wind.

The California Independent System Operator would operate the expanded markets with oversight from an independent body with representation from around the West. California would retain its authority over its own clean energy goals. SB 540 is backed by an expansive coalition of supporters in California including labor, business, climate advocates, clean energy advocates, public utilities, community choice aggregators and consumer advocates.

Utilities and power suppliers around the West have pledged to join the California-based markets if they’re independently governed, unlocking projected savings of as much as $1 billion per year. 

If California doesn’t act now, many of those organizations will instead join a competing market based in Arkansas. Californians would lose out on the benefits and the state’s grid could become isolated, making energy prices and supplies more volatile.