Even though Washington seems to be having a hard time putting a national energy plan in place, California isn’t standing by waiting. The California Air Resources Board today has set a new standard that one third of the electricity sold in the state come from clean renewable energy such as solar, wind and geothermal sources. The new 33% goal must be met by 2020. The regulation applies to all entities that deliver electricity, including investor owned utilities and publicly owned utilities including municipal utilities.
“This standard is going to further diversify and secure our energy supply while also growing California’s leading green technology market, which will lead to cost savings for consumers.” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “It will help clean our air and bring new solar and wind energy facilities to California with thousands of jobs in construction, operation and spin off industries,”
Work on the standard began immediately following Governor Schwarzenegger‘s Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) Executive Order, signed on September 15, 2009. The goal of 33 percent renewable electricity was, adopted by the Board in December 2008 in a move toward fulfilling AB 32, the requirements of California’s climate change legislation.
The standard is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about the equivalent of 12 to 13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year in 2020. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the regulation will result in hundreds of tons of statewide reductions in smog-forming and toxic air pollutants by displacing the use of dirtier fossil fueled generation, providing a range of health related benefits. RES is one of many measures designed to reach the goals set out by AB 32, California’s law requiring the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. RDA