California, aspiring to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2045, faces a disturbing corruption scandal related to its renewable energy projects. Allegations surfaced surrounding the Genesis Solar Energy Project, where accusations of sex scandals between developers and officials arose, alongside desecration of Native American cultural sites. A study from Boston University explored these claims, revealing a troubling pattern of unethical behavior, including a DOI investigation into a romance between a government official and a lobbyist, which allegedly allowed the company to bypass critical environmental assessments.
According to a 2025 study called "Sex for solar? Examining patterns of public and private sector corruption within the booming California solar energy market," Boston University researchers identified several patterns of corruption within the state's renewable energy industry from 2010 to 2024.
Though it seems outlandish, public government documents appear to support this claim. In 2011, a Department of Interior official and aide to former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar was reportedly dating a lobbyist for NextEra.
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