Renewables on the Rise 2022: California leads in solar power, electric vehicle adoption, and more.

Renewables on the Rise 2022:

California leads in solar power, electric vehicle adoption, and more

Anew online dashboard by the Environment California Research & Policy Center show that the state of California leads the nation for the total solar energy generation, adoption of the electric vehicles and more. Dubbed Renewables on the Rise 2022, the dashboard documents state-by-state growth of key clean energy technologies all across the united states in the last ten years and this includes solar and wind, battery storage, energy efficiency, electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations.

“Across nearly all clean energy technologies, California has set the standard for clean energy growth this past decade.” said Steven King, Clean Energy Advocate with Environment California Research & Policy Center. “ Our state’s leadership in solar power, electric vehicles, and energy storage is building a cleaner, healthier future where we can better tap our renewable energy potential.”

Under Gov. Jerry Brown, California signed an ambitious goals and a bill mandating the state to transition to zero-emssion energy sources for its electricity by year 2045. The then Governor also issued an executive order that called for Carbon Neutrality which meant that the state “removes as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it emits” by year 2045. “This bill and the executive order put California on a path to meet the goals of Paris and beyond,” Brown said in a statement. “It will not be easy. It will not be immediate. But it must be done.”

Ever since, the state has been extremely proactive and has pursued a leading role in the international fight against global warming.

Cumulatively, the state has recorded a 13fold increase in the amount of electric power generated from the sun and also a 60 percent rise in wind power production- an analysis that comes after a ravaging and devastating summer where many californians experienced extreme heat waves, wildfires and draught which all point to out to the need of transitioning to a clean energy economy as fast as possible.

POLICIES SUPPORTING CLEAN ENERGY

Like previously mentioned, California is in 100 percent support of clean energy this is the biggest reason for the success of program. The bill signed by former Governor, Jerrry Brown specifically required the state to have at least 50 percent of its energy coming from renewable sources by 2025 and 60 percent by 2030 which will ultimately pave a ‘bold path’ towards 100 percent zerocarbon by 2045. This combined with improving technologies have played a key role in the adoption of the ambitious goal by the state.

One of the programs resonating with many californians is the state’s metering program which has provided compelling incentives for the consumers to install solar panels on their homes and businesses. More recent was the state’s commitment to phase-out gas-powered cars and its plans to embrace offshore wind only re-emphasizes the perpetual growth of clean energy technologies.

“With our state’s bold energy and climate leadership over the past two decades, it’s no surprise that California is a national leader in the transition to renewable energy,” said Fran Pavley, former State Senator and Environmental Policy Director for the USC Schwarzenegger Institute. “From setting the goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2045 to implementing policies that are good for both our environment and the economy, we have come a long way as a state. With the accelerating pace of droughts, wildfires, and extreme heat events, we need to do even more to cut down on fossil fuel production. From investing in solar and storage, offshore wind, and requiring a just transition to cleaner cars and trucks, California is positioned to meet these challenges head on with continued state leadership.”

Its not to say that other states are far off, in fact, while California may be leading the nation in clean energy production, it is not the first state to develop an ambitious plan toward meeting zerocarbon emissions, Hawaii for instance back in 2015 established a goal of 100 percent renewaable electricity generation by 2045. More top that, according to the report, the nation is reported to produce more than three times as much renewable electricity from sun and wind in 2021 as in 2012.

The Inflation Reduction Act also offers consumers several tax credits and discounts on more than a dozen types of energy saving purchases including the new and used electric vehicles, rooftop solar, geothermal heating and cooling, upgrading the electric panels and heat pump HVAC systems. Many of the credits are in effect now while many more will take effect in 2023. That alone (the incentive from the Inflation Reduction Act) shows that many people are likely to adopt clean energy and reduce pollution from the fossil fuels.

“Millions of Americans and Californians are already reaping the benefits of the dramatic clean energy progress we’ve made so far,” King said. “With federal tax credits promising to turbocharge clean energy, now is the time for California to lean in and transform California’s 100% clean energy goal into reality, and the sooner the better. State regulators should implement strong consumer incentives for rooftop solar and storage systems to allow rooftop solar to thrive and the state should continue to set and strive to meet ambitious goals for technologies like offshore wind.”