The State of California is well known in the United States for setting a precedence in the environmental realm. California is setting further energy standards with new legislation recently signed into law by the state’s governor Jerry Brown.
California utility companies will now be required to attain thirty-three percent of their energy from renewable energy sources by the year 2020. This is an increase from the twenty percent by 2020 that a previous law called for. This is the most aggressive standard by a state thus far, a decision which is not surprisingly sparking controversy.
California utility companies are already producing nearly twenty percent of their energy from renewables, the goal originally set for 2020. Therefore, lawmakers believe it is possible for the state as a whole to meet an even greater goal of thirty-three percent. As of 2009, the main source of energy still came from natural gas, fifty-seven percent to be exact. Fifteen percent came from nuclear and twelve percent from hydroelectric generators in the same year. The rest of the energy was largely attained from solar and wind.
The main concern from the opposition regarding the new legislation is the potential cost to customers receiving the electricity. The increased goal will likely cause some increase in the cost of electricity, however, the amount is not yet known. The overall cost of renewable energies, such as wind and solar, are expected to decrease as the technology becomes more prevalent and this could reduce the overall costs the consumers would see.
The new standard will cost many millions for the utility companies to employ, however, it is seen as an important step to becoming more independent of fossil fuels. Governor Brown stated: “There are people who think we can drill our way to happiness and prosperity. Instead of just taking oil from thousands of miles away, we’re taking the sun and converting it”. Governor Brown also stated: “I know one thing: Being dependent on foreign fossil fuel is not good for our economy, it’s not good for our security, and it’s not good for our climate. We have to be bold.”
