Knowing how much you cons out there love California (particularly our state government), and how rigorously you support the development of renewable energy and clean technology, I thought I would give you some good news from this morning's San Francisco Chronicle. I am certain that Teej, Smithton and Knoxie will be all aflutter when they read it.
In case you do not care to open the linked article (see below) and read it in full, I thought I would excerpt a couple of the highlights.
"California first started requiring utilities to increase their use of renewable power in 2002. Brown and his Republican predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, ratcheted up the targets over time. Known as the renewable portfolio standard, the requirement has become one of the state's most important tools for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change. ..California emissions from electric power generation have declined almost every year since 2008.
The requirement triggered a boom in the construction of solar power plants and wind farms. At the same time, renewable power prices have plunged. [That's right, Teej, plunged!] The average utility contract price for buying electricity from a large scale photovoltaic solar facility dropped from $135.90 per per megawatt-hour in 2008 to $29.17 in 2016. Wind power prices fell from $97.11 per megawatt-hour in 2007 to $50.99 in 2015, according to the report. So much solar power now floods the California grid from late morning through mid afternoon that on many days, there isn't a need for all of it."
http://www.sfchronicle.com/business...reach-50-renewable-power-goal-by-12354313.php
In case you do not care to open the linked article (see below) and read it in full, I thought I would excerpt a couple of the highlights.
"California first started requiring utilities to increase their use of renewable power in 2002. Brown and his Republican predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, ratcheted up the targets over time. Known as the renewable portfolio standard, the requirement has become one of the state's most important tools for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change. ..California emissions from electric power generation have declined almost every year since 2008.
The requirement triggered a boom in the construction of solar power plants and wind farms. At the same time, renewable power prices have plunged. [That's right, Teej, plunged!] The average utility contract price for buying electricity from a large scale photovoltaic solar facility dropped from $135.90 per per megawatt-hour in 2008 to $29.17 in 2016. Wind power prices fell from $97.11 per megawatt-hour in 2007 to $50.99 in 2015, according to the report. So much solar power now floods the California grid from late morning through mid afternoon that on many days, there isn't a need for all of it."
http://www.sfchronicle.com/business...reach-50-renewable-power-goal-by-12354313.php
