California raises renewables target to 50pc

OREANDA-NEWS. September 16, 2015.  California will extend it pioneering renewable portfolio standard to 50pc by 2030 under a bill the legislature approved, while its main emissions regulator may get two more board members.

The more aggressive renewable energy target was one of the remaining major points in SB 350, legislation the state Assembly passed by a 52-27 vote and the Senate approved by a 26-14 vote late on 11 September. The bill also calls for increasing the energy efficiency of buildings by 50pc by 2030. The bill now goes to governor Jerry Brown (D), who is likely to sign it into law.

"Taking carbon out of the modern economy requires heroic efforts and tireless struggle," Brown said after the votes. "We have the technological means and now we have the legal mandate to reduce carbon pollution."

Final passage came after lawmakers axed one of Brown's primary policy goals, reducing the state's petroleum use by half by 2030, after it ran into opposition from moderate Democrats in the Assembly. Despite that, the final version of SB 350 could still go a long way toward reducing petroleum use in the transportation sector. It calls for regulators to promote electrification of the transportation sector to meet long-term goals of cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80pc from 1990 levels by 2050.

The new renewable energy goal is supported by some of the state's major utilities, which are on track to meet the existing 33pc of sales by 2020 target.

"This bill sends a strong and important message that California will continue to lead and take bold action to reduce GHG emissions," PG&E chief executive Tony Earley said.

The legislature also passed AB 1288, which would add two seats to the California Air Resources Board, the agency that administers the main programs to reduce GHG emissions. The new members would be appointed by the Senate Rules Committee and the Assembly speaker.

The new seats would be used to increase the legislature's say in agency activities. Supporters say it would provide more environmental justice voices to the 12-member board, all of whom are currently all appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. Brown has not stated a position on AB 1288.

The legislature also passed a bill to require the state government to buy increasing amounts of low carbon-intensity fuels. The bill by Assembly member Bill Quirk (D) would require such fuels to account for 1pc of the state's fuel purchases in 2017, increasing by 1 percentage point/yr until 2024. The requirement calls for fuels to have less than 40pc of the carbon intensity of the petroleum-based fuel that they replace, as measured and defined by the state's Low-Carbon Fuel Standard.