11.4.2: Climate Change Policy in California
In the state of California (CA), “The 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018,” Senate Bill 100 (SB 100, De León) requires all electricity generation to be produced by zero-carbon sources by 2045, and at least 60% of the state’s electricity should be generated via renewable resources by 2030. Renewable energy resources include solar, wind, geothermal, bioenergy, fuel cells, and existing hydroelectric and nuclear power plants (no new nuclear power plants are to be built). According to the initial multi-agency assessment report, CA will need to triple its current electricity capacity to meet demands, and triple its solar and wind build rate. Battery storage build rates need to increase by nearly 8 times the current rate. These and other considerations to maintain a “flexible” grid will cost nearly $4.6 billion dollars by 2045. Yet, the report is positive that the goal of 100% renewable energy for electricity customers and state agencies is doable by the target year (Gill, Gutierrez, & Weeks, 2021). At the same time, the Clean Air Resources Board also enacted a rule to require all new cars and light trucks sold in CA must be fully electric or plug-in hybrids by 2035. Projections estimate that this will cut GHG emissions from motor vehicles in half by 2040, and substantially reduce cardiopulmonary deaths, emergency room visits, and asthma attacks related to smog for CA residents (CARB, 2022).