100 Percent Zero GHG Energy Bill Passes California Assembly

The California State Assembly today approved legislation that will commit the state to fully eliminating carbon pollution from electricity generation before the middle of the century. The legislation now returns to the Senate for a final vote. If successful, it will then head to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for his signature.
California Renewables near Palm Springs
Solar panels and wind turbines near Palm Springs

Update: The California State Senate also voted to approve SB 100, which means it is now en route to the Governor's desk for his signature. 

The California State Assembly today approved legislation that will commit the state to fully eliminating carbon pollution from electricity generation before the middle of the century. The legislation now returns to the Senate for a final vote. If successful, it will then head to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for his signature.

The 100 percent zero carbon legislation, Senate Bill 100 (SB 100), requires key state agencies to incorporate the 100 percent target as a goal for 2045 and to report back to the legislature on progress every four years. SB 100 also establishes an ambitious target of 60 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and accelerates the current 50 percent target to 2026.

Passage of SB 100 will help keep the state on track to achieve the long-term carbon pollution goals that were adopted in 2015. And another catastrophic series of forest fires this year provides a riveting demonstration of the urgent need to rapidly cut our greenhouse gas pollution.

California has successfully implemented all renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requirements to date. We’ve exceeded all of our targets and costs have been lower than expected. The state’s large investor-owned utilities are on track to far exceed the current RPS requirement for 33% renewables by 2020. Given this track record, we can and should confidently press forward with this ambitious effort.

Passage of SB 100 will further extend California’s leadership on clean energy and will stand in stark contrast to the backpedaling by the Trump Administration, which continues to eviscerate our national commitment to reducing climate pollution and instead search for ways to subsidize dirty, expensive fossil fuels.

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