California Forward
CA FWD continues to push for economic growth into industries that support the state’s climate resilience, energy transition, and shared prosperity goals. This year, we’re produce roadmaps for the incoming governor and legislative leadership on two priority industry sectors: Bioeconomy and Battery Manufacturing.
The bioeconomy—the use of bio-based materials like wood or organic material to create a range of end products—represents a unique, “win-win” opportunity for California, driving regional economic growth that also delivers on the state’s climate agenda. It’s also a key part of a serious energy transition given that bio-based products may be able to replace petroleum not only in fuels, but also building materials, fabrics, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. But unlocking the bioeconomy requires California to overcome real pinch-points on implementation, which cannot be resolved by individual regions or projects alone.
With support from CALFIRE, CA FWD is developing a comprehensive California Bioeconomy Roadmap that drives coordination and investment into this critical set of industries. This roadmap will be published in late 2026 and identify a key set of state actions to address barriers that communities and regions face, including a set of recommendations around activating end markets for bio-based products.
Batteries are at the heart of an electrified economy. They have been critical for balancing California’s electricity grid, driving down emissions, and deploying electric vehicles. California’s innovation ecosystem has been responsible for many of the recent breakthroughs in battery storage technologies.
Yet, too often, companies look outside of California and the United States to scale their manufacturing, limiting the economic and jobs benefits of this industry for Californians and creating fragmented battery supply chains.
At SF Climate Week 2026, CA FWD had the privilege of co-hosting a next-generation battery roundtable discussing these challenges and more, and will continue working with regional, state, labor, community, and industry partners to chart a battery manufacturing strategy for California and the broader Western U.S.
Plugging marginal wells is cost-effective and straightforward, with significant co-benefits for local air quality, land reuse, and job creation for oil and gas workers.
CA FWD’s Regionalism and Energy Transition Fellows testified at the Senate Select Committee on Economic Development and Technological Innovation hearing, providing testimony on California’s economic development system and regional industrial strategy.
This legislative session ended with historic and important deals on energy and climate – but also underlined how much remains to be done.
An update on CA FWD and the UC Berkeley Possibility Lab’s work to build the capacity of regions and communities to engage effectively in negotiations with energy project developers.