California Goes 100% Clean Energy
California — home to Silicon Valley and Hollywood — is the 5th largest economy in the world, behind only Germany, Japan, China, and the U.S. (Business Insider). It’s also where nearly 40 million people reside, and all those Californians will soon live off of clean energy.
California’s state government passed a bill setting a target of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2045.
This marks a huge step for environmental sustainability because it will trailblaze a path for other states and countries to follow. In the past decade, California’s economy has flourished while emissions have continued to drop, proving that environmental sustainability can go hand-in-hand with economic progress.
The 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018
In 2002, California legislature established a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that set a goal for the state to generate 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2017. With the actual amount of renewable energy outpacing the set goal, the RPS has been bumped up a few times.
Utility companies in California have been hitting the RPS targets ahead of schedule. Today, many utilities are already close to meeting their 2030 clean energy goal.
Here’s how the Renewable Portfolio Standard has affected California’s energy supply over the past decade:
For all you poker players, raising the RPS is like raising the blinds during a tournament. At the end of the day, the best player or technology is still going to win; this just keeps the process moving. Raising the RPS raises the stakes by inciting action.
Now, the 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018 raises the RPS to a bold target of 100 percent by 2045.
The Specifics of the Law
Milestones have been set along the way to reach a clean electricity grid:
2026: 50% Renewable Resources Target
2030: 60% Renewable Resources Target
2045: 100% Zero-Carbon Resources
Notice the difference between ‘Renewable Resources Target’ and ‘Zero-Carbon Resources’. The latter includes renewable resources such as solar, wind, and hydro, but also allows for nuclear power and fossil-fuels if they are used with carbon capture and storage (CCS), a technology Cleantech Rising previously discussed.
This subtle yet critical difference in phrasing will leave the door open to new clean technologies that develop in the next 25 years. As long as the end result is net-zero carbon emissions, the best technology will win in California’s energy market (California Legislative Information).
The Golden State Again
Vox’s David Roberts says, “in what is effectively a climate Dark Ages in the US, California is carrying a torch. It has systematically and deliberately bet on renewable energy, and that bet has paid off for its economy, making it home to a dizzying diversity of clean energy businesses and jobs.”
So where will the growth in renewable energy come from?
Solar power is a front-runner. According to the LA Times, solar power contributed a mere 0.5% to California’s electricity production in 2010. Contrast that with today as solar produces more than 10% of the state’s electricity. That’s a growth factor of 20x in just seven years…
The Golden State, named for the gold rush beginning in 1848 (hence, the football team, ‘The 49ers’), will aptly symbolize California again 200 years later; solar power from golden rays of sunshine will help the state boom once again.
ACT ON CLIMATE
Our partner, the Clean Energy Leadership Institute, which continues to develop some of the brightest young talent in cleantech, is hosting its first conference in D.C. October 24–25.
It is the first conference dedicated to young professionals driving change in the clean energy sector.
LET’S TALK CLEANTECH
Which source of clean energy will grow the most between now and 2045 to achieve California’s 100% goal?
