Citing the “existential threat of climate change,” Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Monday making California the first state to set a goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, despite concerns about increased electricity costs.
“California is committed to doing whatever is necessary to meet the existential threat of climate change,” Mr. Brownsaid in his signing message. “This bill, and others I will sign this week, help us go in that direction. But have no illusions, California and the rest of the world have miles to go before we achieve zero-carbon emissions.”
The governor, who was joined at a press conference by Democratic mega-donor Tom Steyer, said the measure was needed in order for California to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris climate agreement, which the United States exited earlier this year at President Trump’s direction.
“This bill and the executive order put California on a path to meet the goals of Paris and beyond. It will not be easy. It will not be immediate. But it must be done,” said Mr. Brown, a Democrat who leaves office after the November election.
The legislation, Senate Bill 100, speeds up the state’s renewable-energy benchmarks, setting goals of 50 percent electrical-power generation from energy sources such as wind and solar by 2025, and 60 percent by 2030.
The path to 100 percent renewables by 2045 was described as “the most ambitious carbon neutrality commitment of any major economic jurisdiction in the world — of more than 20 countries and at least 40 cities, states and provinces planning to go carbon neutral by mid-century or sooner.”
.@TomSteyer at #SB100 bill signing: This bill is about California’s global leadership…and environmental justice pic.twitter.com/oGFVZJthB0
— Will Simons (@WillSimons_94) September 10, 2018
Mr. Brown signed the measure over the objections of the state’s utility and agricultural sectors, including the Agricultural Council of California, Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas and Electric, and the Western States Petroleum Association.
Critics have argued that the bill is unrealistic and will compound the state’s problems with rolling brownouts and high energy prices. Natural-gas plants are used to make up for gaps when the sun fails to shine and the wind doesn’t blow.
At the same time, California has grappled with an oversupply of renewable energy, especially at noon when the sun is at its highest, leading the state to offload solar energy to other states.
“We pass all these goals for renewables, but at the same time our families back home will pay the cost with an increase in the electric bills every year as we try to achieve this,” Assemblyman Devon Mathis, a Republican, told the Sacramento Bee.
Meanwhile, environmentalists cheered the bill, with Environment America calling it “the crowning achievement of Governor Brown’s legacy of embracing clean energy and fighting climate change.”
“In California, Democrats and Republicans know climate change is real, it’s affecting our lives right now, and unless we take action immediately — it may become irreversible,” said Democratic state Sen. Kevin de León, the bill’s sponsor, who’s challenging Sen. Dianne Feinstein in November.
“Today, with Governor Brown’s support, California sent a message to the rest of the world that we are taking the future into our own hands — refusing to be the victims of its uncertainty,” he said in a statement.
Read more at Washington Times
Why don’t Moonbeam Brown stand out in a field and give a long long speech then harness all that HOT AIR for this winter when it gets realy realy cold and it snows on them all
From the article, “the most ambitious carbon neutrality commitment of any major economic jurisdiction in the world.” It is also the most unrealistic commitment in the world. Brown obviously does not understand even the most basic realities of the energy sector. He is like a five year old prescribing prescription medicine based on which box has pretty colors.
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Here is the reality. There is no such thing as wind energy. What we have is wind partnered with a fossil fuel plant that is kept idling continuously to cut in when the wind isn’t blowing. The same is true of solar. Not even Germany where the power rates are triple that of the US and have 330,000 home cut off from power has gone beyond having fossil fuel back up. South Australia tried only to find that their 50 million dollar battery only had enough capacity for a few minutes.
In theory the only way to have 100% renewable energy is by building an artificial hydro power system. When the wind is blowing and the sun is shinning pump water from one reservoir to another at higher altitude. When needed the water runs down to power generators. The cost of building and operating such a system would be extremely expensive adding to the already excessive cost of renewable power. This hasn’t been done anywhere in the world. It is more feasible to accept blackouts as a new normal way of life.
All of this is for the fraud of “existential threat of climate change.” There is a very low correlation between carbon dioxide levels and the earth’s average temperature, but a 0.84 (very high) with the history of solar output.
In theory the only good thing that might come of this is other political jurisdictions will learn from the guaranteed disaster that California will experience. In reality, the environmental left hasn’t learned from the experience in Germany or South Australia, so it is unlikely they will learn from California.
I have never regretted that I left the state.
David Lewis please check this out: http://nov79.com/gbwm/ntyg.html
The current Governor of California is not unique. Reverend Jim Jones knew how to assemble a flock and lead them to slaughter. Jerry Brown is not concerned with California’s fiscal health. He is the life of the party, before midnight . His successor can deal with the hangover.
Destroy your economy for what exactly ? To pretend you are going to control the earths climate ? What’s next a control the San Andreas fault tax ?
California politicians have got to be the dumbest clowns in the USA .
Replace “existential” with non-existent.