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California Assembly Passes 33% by 2020 RPS

California Assembly Passes 33% by 2020 RPS
California’s Assembly on Tuesday passed a renewable energy mandate that would require the state’s power companies to generate 33%—up from the current 20%—of their power from renewable sources by 2020. The mandate is the most ambitious in the U.S.

The measure, previously passed by the Senate in a 26-11 vote in February, was approved on a 55-19 vote. The bill (S.B. 2X1) now heads to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk.

Brown, a Democrat, campaigned last year in favor of increasing the percentage of renewables.

According to figures from the California Public Utilities Commission, the state’s three investor-owned utilities collectively served 18% of their 2010 retail electricity load with renewable power. Renewables made up 17.7% of Pacific Gas and Electric’s portfolio; Southern California Edison had 19.4%; and San Diego Gas & Electric  had 11.9%.

In 2009 former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation to raise the renewable requirement to 33% by 2020, but he then issued an executive order instructing the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to make the same increase. The board drafted regulations but did not implement them. 

Earlier this month, a California Supreme Court judge put a hold on the implementation of the CARB-designed cap-and-trade program.

Sources: POWERnews, California State Assembly

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