For Quick Launch: February 22, 2022
SACRAMENTO — Information from the California Power Fee (CEC) exhibits that 59 % of the state’s electrical energy got here from renewable and zero-carbon sources in 2020.
The CEC estimates that in 2020, 34.5 % of the state’s retail electrical energy gross sales had been served by Renewables Portfolio Commonplace (RPS)-eligible sources akin to photo voltaic and wind. When sources of zero-carbon vitality akin to giant hydroelectric era and nuclear are included, 59 % of the state’s retail electrical energy gross sales got here from non-fossil gasoline sources in 2020.
In 2019, over 60 % of the state’s electrical energy got here from renewable and zero-carbon sources. The lower is 2020 is because of decline in hydroelectric era brought on by extreme drought, in addition to pandemic-related delays to new renewable vitality initiatives.
“California is absolutely dedicated to reaching 100% clear electrical energy” stated CEC Chair David Hochschild, “The associated fee discount and innovation taking place within the renewable vitality business have created the circumstances the place renewables are mainstream and fossil fuels are actually changing into the choice vitality.”
Annual numbers additionally point out that California surpassed the 2020 RPS targets in 2018, when an estimated 34 % of retail electrical gross sales got here from RPS-eligible sources.
Senate Invoice 100 (2018) accelerates the RPS objective to 60 % by 2030. The landmark coverage additionally requires RPS-eligible sources and zero-carbon assets to provide one hundred pc of California’s electrical energy retail gross sales and electrical energy procured to serve state companies by 2045.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2022-23 finances proposal contains almost $2 billion to spur further innovation and deployment of unpolluted vitality applied sciences to help the state’s transition to one hundred pc clear electrical energy. This contains funding for long-duration storage and planning for offshore wind, two essential assets that may assist cowl the hole that happens on the finish of the day when renewable era akin to photo voltaic drops and demand for energy rises.
The info exhibits the 2020 lower is primarily resulting from a virtually 20 % decline in giant hydroelectric era in comparison with 2019. The small lower within the quantity of RPS-eligible renewables is usually resulting from decreased manufacturing from small hydroelectric amenities which dropped by simply over 40 % in comparison with 2019. Moreover, pandemic-related delays to new clear vitality initiatives contributed to a 50 % drop in new in-state RPS era.
For extra info on the state’s progress in direction of one hundred pc clear electrical energy for all, obtain the 2021 Annual California Clear Power Almanac on the CEC’s Power Almanac web page.