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https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/California-hits-major-energy-milestone-as-17143036.php
California hit a major clean energy milestone over the weekend when the state’s renewable power sources like solar and wind generated essentially as much electricity as the state needed.
The record occurred shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday, as solar power production soared before late-afternoon power demand kicked in. . . .
The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s grid, said that the share of renewable energy peaked at 99.87% — marking a record for the state, albeit a fleeting one.
A brief time period does not reflect the overall electricity picture in California. Spring is a time of relatively low power demand, because moderate temperatures outside mean less need for heating or cooling, and longer days bring high solar power production.
Californians still rely heavily on natural gas throughout the year. Natural gas provided 37% of energy in the state in 2020 — more than the 33% of all renewable energy sources combined, the latest data from the California Energy Commission. Solar power provided 13% and wind 11% of the state’s electricity.
Still, clean power advocates viewed Saturday’s marker as brief but stunning proof of the energy shift made over the past several decades. California must get 100% of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045 if it is to meet a goal signed into law nearly four years ago by then-Gov. Jerry Brown.
“It wasn’t all day, it wasn’t all weekend and we have a long way to go before we’re not burning fossil fuels — but we definitely can get there,” said Laura Deehan, state director with Environment California, a nonprofit renewable energy advocacy group.
The state has tripled its use of renewable power sources over the past ten years, mostly with new wind and solar projects. Other renewable energy sources include geothermal, biomass from wood products and biogas from food scraps and animal waste. Although nuclear is a carbon-free energy source, it is not included in the electric grid operator’s renewable energy calculator. Large hydroelectric dams are also not included as renewable energy sources because, although they do not generate greenhouse gases, they can cause other environmental problems like habitat destruction.
Mark Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford, noted that wind, hydropower and solar together met 80% of the state’s electricity demand for eight hours straight on Saturday. . . .
On Saturday, California reported its renewable energy sources rising above demand for the first time at 2:05 p.m., producing 17,636 megawatts compared to electricity demand, which was listed at 17,548 megawatts, according to operator data. That continued for about an hour until demand slipped above production at 5:05 p.m. At its peak, production exceeded demand by 623 megawatts at 2:40 p.m.