California mandates 100% clean energy by 2045
PG&E: ‘If it’s not affordable, it’s not sustainable’
In a major environmental milestone, Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed a law requiring California to obtain 100 percent of its electricity from clean sources such as solar, wind and hydropower from large dams by 2045.
The new law keeps California at the forefront of addressing climate change, and essentially commits the world’s fifthlargest economy with 40 million people to a phase-out of fossil fuels from power plants. It also requires that 50 percent of the state’s electricity come from renewable energy by 2026 and 60 percent by 2030, up from the current level of 32 percent.
At a ceremony in the state Capitol, Brown signed SB 100, by State Sen. Kevin de León, Dlos Angeles. The new law gives California the most far-reaching clean energy goals of any U.S. state, along with Hawaii, which set a similar target in 2015 of 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045.
“It will not be easy. It will not be immediate. But it must be done,” Brown said.
Brown’s action comes as thousands of scientists, political leaders, celebrities and others are arriving in San Francisco this week for the “Global Climate Action Summit,” a meeting at the Moscone Center that is spearheaded by Brown and United Nations officials. The summit aims to secure commitments from cities, states, provinces, countries and corporations to reduce greenhouse gases that the world’s leading scientific organizations say are trapping heat in the atmosphere and warming the planet.
The new law also marks the latest, and perhaps most high-profile, push back by California on environmental issues against the White House. President Trump has denied climate science, begun steps to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris climate agreement, and worked to expand the use of coal, one of the most polluting fuels, to generate American electricity.
Supporters of the measure included most of the state’s leading environmental groups and renewable energy trade associations, along with the American Lung Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the League of Women Voters and business groups, including the Silicon Valley Leadership Council, Adobe, Nike, Gap Inc., and Levi Strauss.
Opponents included major utilities, such as Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison, oil interests like the Western States Petroleum Association, and the California Farm Bureau Federation and California Chamber of Commerce.
Critics said they were concerned that the bill would bring higher electricity prices.
“We’ve reached all these great goals with renewables, but at the same time our families have paid the price with an increase in their electric bills every year,” said Devon Mathis, R-visalia, during the Assembly debate.
PG&E echoed that concern Monday.
“If it’s not affordable, it’s not sustainable,” the utility said in a statement. “We believe customers must be protected from unreasonable rate and bill impacts.”
Opponents also noted that transportation – mostly gasoline and diesel fuel burned by cars and trucks – generates 41 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, more than double the 16 percent that power plants produce.
The bill passed the state Assembly by a vote of 44-33 and the state Senate 25-13 late last month. Nearly every yes vote came from Democrats. The only Republican to vote yes was Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-san Ramon. In the week of the final vote, former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote a letter of support.