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Increase Clean Energy for California
More renewable energy means cleaner air and a boost to the economy
Despite its national leadership on solutions for climate change, California continues to underutilize its vast wealth of sources of renewable energy like solar, wind, and geothermal. In the meantime, we continue to rely on dirty, fossil fuel-based energy, which pollutes our air and contributes to global warming. California needs to increase its use of clean, renewable sources of electricity. One essential tool to enable this is to increase the state’s renewable electricity use to 33 percent by 2020.
Setting the goal of a 33% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) by the year 2020 will send a clear market signal to developers, investors, and planners that California is serious about investing in renewable energy. Senate Bill (SB) 722 (Simitian) will provide strong enforcement provisions that keep utilities on a path to 33% renewable energy by 2020; reduce global warming pollution from natural gas, oil, and coal power plants; and promote air quality benefits in California.
A 33% RPS will provide environmental and economic benefits that include:
- displacing nearly 13 million metric tons of global warming emissions in 2020—equivalent to removing almost three million cars from the road, or enough to avoid 10 to 15 new large fossil fuel power plants;
- stimulating clean technology investment and innovation, and creating “green collar jobs” by telling the market that new renewables will be developed in our state;
- diversifying the state’s energy supply and protecting consumers from natural gas price volatility;
- helping meet our global warming pollution cap under the 2006 Global Warming Law, AB 32;
- promoting long-term planning in the infrastructure needed to support high levels of renewable energy development; and
- improving air quality in impacted communities by reducing future fossil fuel generation.
A clear and enforceable 33% RPS for all utilities would continue to expand California’s renewable energy market and its clean technology industry. California’s clean tech sector received $2.1 billion in investment capital in 2009—60 percent of the total in the United States. By 2020, a 33% RPS will result in 13,000 megawatts of new renewable power—enough to meet the electricity needs of 6 million typical homes. Action is needed now to make sure the opportunity doesn’t pass us by.
What you can do:
Help make California a leader in renewable energy. SB 722 has passed the State Senate and is now in the Assembly. Please contact your Assemblymember and urge him or her to vote “YES” on SB 722. (Personalize our sample letter for your Assemblymember.)
Your Assemblymember (Who?)
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-20_ _© 2010 California League of Conservation Voters. Contact us.
There are those whose sole purpose is to maximize personal gain at great cost to others in terms of suffering, financial stress and diminution of quality of Life. Spaceship Earth, a living sentient being, is preparing the Way for the cleansing that must occur.
Abandon Your Fear. Fight for Truth and Light.
Your Friend,
Christopher
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