California begs its refineries to stay.
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The Myth and The Moment in the wild: California loves its refineries, suddenly
You’d be hard-pressed to find a state more committed to climate ambition than California. But lately, its leaders have been sounding surprisingly… pragmatic. The Myth of an Easy Energy Transition is colliding head-on with Californians who need to refuel their cars. (Crash!)
Refiners make convenient villains—until they vanish. Faced with shrinking in-state refining capacity and soaring fuel prices, state officials are urging refineries not to leave. “We have a crisis on our hands that may have been self-created by the actions perhaps taken by the state, by regulators,” Assemblyman David Alvarez, Democrat from San Diego, said in a California Assembly committee meeting.
The concern is real: In April, Valero Energy announced it would shutter its Benecia refinery within a year. That facility alone accounts for 9 percent of California’s refining capacity. This follows last fall’s announcement that Phillips 66 will close its Los Angeles refinery in 2025—taking out another 8 percent.
Governor Gavin Newsom is paying attention. In a letter to the vice chair of the California Energy Commission, he urged the agency to “redouble the State’s efforts to work closely with refiners … to help ensure that Californians continue to have access to a safe, affordable, and reliable supply of transportation fuels, and that refiners continue to see the value in serving the California market … ”
The letter also includes a striking dose of realism: California is “a market where demand for gasoline will still exist for years to come.”
Even California—poster child for The Myth—is recalibrating as bold visions crash into stubborn realities.
Book news and more
I’m in the final stretch of book publication! The Myth and The Moment: From Polarization to Progress in the New Energy Landscape drops this fall. Until then:
- Book a fall briefing to explore what The Myth’s unraveling means for your team.
- Got a wild example? Send it my way—I’d love to feature where you’re seeing the tension between The Myth and reality.
- Enjoying this series? Hit the heart to keep our pragmatic energy conversation going.
I’ll be back in two weeks once the book is at design!
Stay refined,
Tisha
