California sets goal to double clean energy by 2030

(Reuters, 26 Mar 2020) California's electricity providers will need to nearly double renewable energy capacity and battery storage to achieve tighter emissions goal

California on Thursday adopted a new emissions target for its electric sector that would double the state's clean energy capacity over the next decade and close the door to development of new natural gas plants, but green groups said the goal was not aggressive enough.

The state's Public Utilities Commission set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 46 million metric tons by 2030, 56% below 1990 levels. The goal outpaces the state's overall goal of slashing emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

California electricity providers will need to develop nearly 25 gigawatts of renewable energy and battery storage to achieve the goal, nearly double the amount the state has currently, CPUC Commissioner Liane Randolph said in a statement. The agency anticipates 8,900 MW of energy storage will be included in that total, or about eight times more than existed in the entire United States at the end of 2018.

External link

Reuters, 26 Mar 2020: California sets goal to double clean energy by 2030