California legislative leaders call for 100 percent renewable energy

Yesterday, the leader of the California Senate, Kevin de Leon, proposed a bill that would transition California to 100 percent renewable retail electricity.

That would improve upon the state’s existing renewable energy standard, which calls for 50 percent renewables by 2030. Under the new legislation the state would hit that target five years early, and would achieve its 100 percent renewable goal by 2045.

“I realized that the investor-owned utilities are going to hit 50 percent by the early-to-mid 2020s without breaking a sweat,” de Leon said. “So, we should accelerate this process and demonstrate to the entire world that we can actually generate 100 percent of our electricity with clean energy and put people to work.”

Danielle Osborn Mills, Director of AWEA’s California Caucus, praised the move:

“The wind industry stands ready to create jobs and provide affordable, reliable, clean energy to Californians. Wind energy is already a no-regrets alternative to fossil fuels, and it is a key component of a diverse, balanced, low-carbon grid. Accelerating our renewable energy targets to get to 50% renewables by 2026 can help Californians capture significant savings from the declining federal tax incentives for renewable energy, and will promote significant additional direct investment in California.

“This bill isn’t just about a long-term vision, it is about near-term action.  We cannot afford to delay.  SB 100 will ensure continued economic growth, improved environmental quality for all, and resilience in the face of uncertainty.”