“‘We’re running the fourth-largest economy in the world [on] 67%, two thirds, clean energy on nine out of 10 days in 2025,’ Newsom said. ‘Outside of China, there’s only one other jurisdiction in the world – California – that has as much battery storage implemented.’
The Golden state has transformed how it powers its main electrical grid in recent years, setting ambitious targets to create an emission-free grid by 2045 and investing heavily in solar, wind and battery storage. And as the federal government abandons climate initiatives, California seems poised to take on an increasingly important global role.
The state appears to have much to celebrate. Since 2019, the state has added 30,800 megawatts of clean energy and battery storage. And while natural gas still remains the top energy source in the state, that’s on the decline: California saw its largest-ever year-to-year drop in natural gas production this year.”
Launched in 2017 by the governors of Washington, New York, and California to help fill the void left by the U.S. federal government’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the Alliance has grown to include 24 governors from across the U.S. representing approximately 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the U.S. population. Governors in the Alliance have pledged to collectively reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26-28 percent by 2025, 50-52 percent by 2030, and 61-66 percent by 2035, all below 2005 levels, and collectively achieve overall net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as practicable, and no later than 2050.
The Alliance’s states and territories continue to advance innovative and impactful climate solutions to grow the economy, create jobs, and protect public health, and have a long record of action and results. In fact, the latest data shows that as of 2023, the Alliance has reduced its collective net greenhouse gas emissions by 24 percent below 2005 levels, while increasing collective GDP by 34 percent, and is on track to meet its near-term climate goal of reducing collective greenhouse gas emissions 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.
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