SEP 14

Last Friday, the California legislature approved a new renewable energy standard for the state requiring 33 percent of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020, but Governor Schwarzenegger has vowed to veto it.

The good news is that it's not the size of the clean energy standard that the governor has an issue with, it's the part of the bill that requires two-thirds of that energy to be generated in-state.  Schwarzenegger plans to issue an executive order that also calls for a portfolio of 33 percent renewble energy by 2020, but puts no limit on the amount of clean energy the state can import.  It's possible that he will also expand the definition of "clean energy" to include nuclear and hydroelectric power.

One downside of this portfolio standard coming as an executive order is that it may no longer be binding when Schwarzenegger leaves office in 2010.  He's supposed to issue the order by the end of the week.

Either way, California will end up with the largest renewable energy standard in the country.  The state is already requiring its largest utilities to get 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2010 - a goal none of them are likely to meet.  One of those utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric, only got 6.1 percent of it electricity from clean sources last year.

via LA Times

Comments (4)

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NIMBY
written by Jay Tee, September 15, 2009

Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein are weighing in with their input on this bill. They support this mandate, as long as there is no solar power, because the california desert tortoise needs an undisturbed landscape. Also, California must avoid wind turbines because of their danger to bat and bird populations. Biofuels should not be used either, because they take away land from food crops. Geothermal installations can't be allowed either because of the risk of causing earthquakes. Wave power would be great, but not in California because it would destroy the ocean views and the sea otters seem to be stressed by the buoys.

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Free The Grid
written by Alvin, September 15, 2009

If Arnold the Great wants to get 33% of California's elctricity from renewables, then he should work with Attorney General Jerry Brown to pass a a fee-in tarrif, so that business and residential producers of clean, renewable energy get paid retail rates or higher for excess capacity put into the grid.

He would likely get better than 50% renewable energy by 2020.

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20% by 2020 ... no problem!
written by John Rowell, September 16, 2009

"a goal none of them are likely to meet" - how can you say that, Meagan? Two of the state's largest utilities, PG&E and SCE, currently get 14% and 16% of their energy from renewables! 20% would be easy.

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...
written by Ian E, September 21, 2009

Some smaller power companies are reaching that goal. Alameda Municipal Power gets over 80% of their power from renewable sources:
http://www.alamedamp.com/aboutus/

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