New California Climate Law Mandates 50 Percent Renewable Power by 2030

Half of California’s electricity must come from the sun, wind and other renewable sources by 2030, under a law signed by Governor Brown Wednesday. The legislation, known as SB 350, also doubles energy efficiency requirements for existing buildings and includes provisions to encourage use of electric vehicles. While supporters hail the law as groundbreaking, it does not, unlike its previous version, require the state to cut petroleum consumption in half over the next fifteen years. We discuss how the state’s utilities will meet the new requirements and what they will mean for the renewable energy industry.