California produces more renewable energy than any other state in the United States except Texas. In 2018, California ranked first in the nation as a producer of electricity from solar, geothermal, and biomass resources and fourth in the nation in conventional hydroelectric power generation. As of 2017, over half of the electricity (52.7%) produced was from renewable sources.
Legal renewables requirement
In 2006, the California legislature passed the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 which set a goal for 33% of electricity consumption in California to be generated by renewable sources by 2020.
In 2015, SB350 mandated that electric utilities purchase 50% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
Then in 2018, Senate Bill 100 was passed which increased the renewables requirement for electric utilities to 50% by 2026, 60% by 2030, and 100% by 2045.
In March 2022, CPUC approved a plan to add 18.8 GW solar, 6.7 GW wind, and 14.7 GW batteries by 2032 at 18c/kWh, reaching 73% renewables.
Significance at national level
California's total energy consumption is second-highest in the nation but the state's per capita energy consumption is the fourth-lowest, due in part to its mild climate and its energy efficiency programs. The percentage of renewable energy in California is perhaps made more notable by the particularly high population of the state, states with similar or higher percentages of renewable energy generally have lower populations. In 2009, the energy production in California was 8.43% of the nation's total renewable energy production, the second highest in the country after Washington. By 2017, California was the highest, with 10.05% of national renewable production.
Hydroelectric power generation
Hydroelectric power is power created from the energy of running water. This water is usually stored and controlled by dams. Its productivity changes in accordance to how much rainfall is produced annually. In 2018, California ranked second in the United States for conventional hydroelectric generation, however this is highly variable depending on droughts. For instance it obtained 21% of its electricity through hydroelectric power sources in 2017. This was higher than the previous year when only 14% of its electricity was produced through hydroelectric power. A drought in 2012 led to a reduction in the generation of hydroelectric power. Because of this, in 2014 the Energy Commission of California began to track the conditions on how the drought started. Utilities responded to the decrease in precipitation and lack of hydroelectric power by making short-term market purchases and relying on other renewable sources of electricity. Recovery from the drought started in late 2016, partly due to increased precipitation that restored hydroelectric power to normal conditions.
History of hydroelectric power generation in California
San Bernardino, California became the first western region state to receive a hydroelectric plant in 1887. San Bernardino also received a voltage increase of 10,000 in 1892, from a 42-mile line extension that originated from a single phase 120 kilowatt (kW) plant built in San Antonio Creek, California. While this is occurring in California, in the same year, Edison General Electric and Thomas Houston combine to form General Electric. An ore mill owned by Standard Consolidated Mining, began receiving electricity from a 12.5-mile 2,500 AC power line that originated in Bodie, California.
With the first three-phase hydroelectric system being built in Germany back in 1891, the U.S. gets its first three phase system in 1893 in Mill Creek, California: featuring a line connection that extended 8 miles and carried 2,400 volts of electricity. Folsom, California received the same type of system in 1893 as well, except it had 11,000 volt alternators put in place, and its power line extended all the way to the state capitol, Sacramento.
The acquisition of Colgate hydroelectric plants in 1899 by Sacramento Power & Light Corporation gives them ownership of a 62-mile long power line extension.
In 1901, Bay Counties Power Company builds a 142-mile long power line from the Colgate hydroelectric plant, to Oakland, California.
In the 1902 Reclamation act, the authority to install and input hydroelectric facilities was given to what would later become the Bureau of Reclamation.
In 1920, the Federal Power Commission is created through the Federal Power Act with the authority to give licenses for companies to build hydroelectric facilities. Two years later in 1922, the first hydroelectric plant is built to meet peaking power capacity.