Data Access - California Climate and Energy Collaborative

Barrier 10: Data Access

Barrier Statement

California lacks consistent access to data about consumption, energy supply infrastructure, and other information that can inform CAPs, capital projects, and cost affordability impact analyses.

Filterable Database

How communities are experiencing this barrier

View the details on what communities have shared with SLECC from across the state.

Key challenge discussed in - San Diego

Tribal representatives flagged that engagement often ignores tribal data sovereignty, with agencies expecting tribes to share sensitive cultural or ecological knowledge without guarantees of control over how it’s used

Key challenge discussed in - San Diego

Technical expertise gaps: Local staff often lack the ability to analyze raw utility/VMT data, requiring costly outsourcing to consultants

Key challenge discussed in - San Diego

Public mistrust: Lack of transparency in transportation and utility data reporting (e.g., toll revenues, modeling) undermines confidence in CAP monitoring

Key challenge discussed in - San Diego

Utilities’ data request processes are legalistic and slow, often requiring attorneys and creating delays for local governments

Key challenge discussed in - San Diego

CPUC requires utilities to provide energy consumption data for local GHG inventories but prohibits making that data public, limiting transparency and usefulness for planning

Local Solution Opportunities

SLECC stakeholders have brainstormed the following solution opportunities that can be taken by local leaders. Existing examples of progress or pathways to make further progress are highlighted if known.

Local Solution

Integrate equity data into CAPs – Local governments recommended including equity indicators (e.g., affordability, resilience gaps) into climate action plans to fill gaps left by state or utility datasets

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

Local Solution

Community-driven data collection – Empower local residents and CBOs to gather and validate data (e.g., air quality, outage impacts, energy burden) that reflects lived experiences and can complement official datasets

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

Local Solution

Regional data-sharing frameworks – Create regional governance structures that facilitate sharing of energy and climate data across jurisdictions, utilities, and agencies

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

State Solution Opportunities

SLECC stakeholders have brainstormed the following solution opportunities that can be taken by state leaders. Existing examples of progress or pathways to make further progress are highlighted if known.

State Solution

Provide accessible state datasets – Agencies should centralize and release standardized datasets on energy use, utility infrastructure, and climate impacts for local governments to apply in CAPs

Existing Examples of Progress:

CEC’s expanded authority on local energy data and planning is a positive step toward enabling data-sharing and cross-agency coordination on local distribution challenges

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): Inland Deserts, San Diego

State Solution

Harmonize agency requirements – State should align data requirements across regulatory agencies, reducing duplication and delays for local governments trying to update CAPs

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

State Solution

Capacity support for small jurisdictions – Offer technical assistance and training so under-resourced jurisdictions can access and use state and utility data effectively

Existing Examples of Progress:

Further Progress Pathways

Region(s): San Diego

Solution Spotlight

No results found.

Help us strengthen our knowledge base!

Help us to expand our database. Either share new ideas, best practices or general feedback via this form, or click on a particular item to share additional feedback, information, examples of progress on that particular item.

Additional Resources

Please share any additional resources you would like to include by emailing eecoordinator@civicwell.org.