California’s blueprint to the state’s energy market is orientated towards improving efficiency, reliability, and a future of clean energy for all. There’s a push for mass production and consumption of renewable energy, which can partially be attributed to California’s high energy consumption and aging infrastructure. This is not a new concept for The Golden State, as roughly half of California’s production of electricity already comes from renewable energy sources, and there are actions being taken to actively increase that number through state legislations. The 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018 aims for 60 percent renewable energy by 2030 and a 100 percent zero-carbon energy supply by 2045. California is one of the few states with not only a clear goal of 100 percent renewable energy, but the means to make that happen. This puts California in a unique position to lead the nation through technological prowess and serve as an example for all other states.
California’s generation of power from renewable resources currently surpasses all other states. Most of this electricity comes from solar and wind farms, with biomass, geothermal and hydropower also making contributions. The state is easily on track to being the first in the nation with 100 percent of its energy produced by renewable energy. This would be ground-breaking, especially if met by the projected convergence to electric vehicles and cleaner industry emissions.
Why Renewables?
California’s forward-thinking approach to energy incorporates a wide adoption of renewables for good reason as there are many environmental and economic benefits. In the bigger picture, generating energy from renewables contributes to the reduction of both air pollution and dependence on importing fuels. It also helps support the aging utility grid and creates jobs in manufacturing and installation.
On a micro level, incorporating renewables into an energy system can provide substantial improvements to electricity costs and resilience. Aside from the fervor of Californians who strive to make a positive impact on the environment, tax incentives provide a clear path towards renewable energy for consumers. Other options include participation in self-generation programs through the state and making investments in microgrid technology and smart energy systems for their homes or businesses.
Microgrid companies such as CleanSpark make it simple for individuals to not only invest in renewables but to optimize their power. CleanSpark’s residential solutions like mVoult enable resilient, sustainable, and low-cost energy, providing power when the utility grid is down, cost savings when it’s up and access to green energy sources. This is especially helpful in areas that are ravaged by wildfires and blackouts. In addition, their technology-agnostic, turnkey microgrid solutions for small to large-scale businesses and facilities are customized based on a client’s specific energy goals. These are modular in shape and can be adjusted as energy needs change. CleanSpark’s microgrid controller mPulse assimilates with renewables like solar and wind along with a storage system to provide resiliency and cost savings. Other benefits include patented forecasting based on weather, dynamic monitoring, load shifting, and islanding capabilities.
Although the state regulators are spearheading California’s renewable revolution, this idea of decentralizing or having individuals take control of their own energy needs will play a very important role in leading the state to a 100% clean future for all.
