Yesterday California lawmakers passed an historic bill mandating 100% clean power generation by 2045. This makes California (the 5th largest economy in the world) the biggest economy on Earth to commit to 100% carbon-free electrical power generation.
This is not only an important symbolic achievement, but a key to slowing global warming and climate change. As I and other have been pointing out, we need to stop burning fossil fuels and transition to an all-electric energy future. The two largest energy sectors are electrical power generation and transportation. This new law directly addresses power generation, but it also is a key to making progress in the transportation sector.
As we move toward electric cars and trucks, and elctrify public transportation, we are going to need an increasing amount of electrical power – to charge batteries and supply power to electric trains and other forms of public transportation. As the utility companies know, the best (and lowest cost in the long run) way to do that is electricity generation from wind farms, solar energy, and, where feasible, hydroelectric plants, backed up by storage batteries and hydrogen fuels cells which can supply power after dark.
Congratulation California! You are now the clean energy leader of the world.