,、、, 2030 60%, 2045 100%。。
California is generating more solar electricity than ever, a significant accomplishment that will lower costs and emissions while making the grid more resilient and secure. The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which manages the state grid, is reporting record-setting solar electricity generation in both absolute and relative terms. CAISO''s solar generation success has been due to several factors, including expanding generation while limiting curtailment. But the key to California''s solar revolution is batteries.
Solar and batteries go together like peas and carrots. CAISO''s solar generation continues to grow as a share of its total in-state load, with the trailing 12-month share rising from 13.8 percent in January 2021 to 22 percent in August 2024. California overlaps almost entirely with, but is distinct from, CAISO, which serves 80 percent of the state plus a small portion of Nevada.
Solar''s growing share of California''s in-state electricity consumption is greening the grid. Coal electricity generation declined from 303 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2021 to 257 GWh in 2023, while natural gas generation fell from 97,431 GWh to 94,192 GWh over the same period.
Solar production has increased along with battery deployments. From January 2021 to August 2024, CAISO deployed 9.5 gigawatts (GW) of batteries. As batteries became relatively more significant on CAISO''s grid, cumulative installed battery capacity reached almost 50 percent of total installed solar capacity in August 2024. Without substantial battery deployment, solar curtailment likely would have exploded.
This trend of pairing solar with batteries is set to continue. Indeed, within CAISO, 98 percent of prospective solar projects include battery storage.
To meet ambitious climate targets while maintaining grid resiliency, CAISO will need more solar, more storage—and more transmission. A follow-on article will examine how CAISO''s transmission expansion is unlocking solar generation.
Joseph Webster is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center.
Natalia Storz is a young global professional at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center.
This article represents their own personal opinion.
In response to Beijing''s attempts to cement its dominant position across the "new three" technologies of solar photovoltaics (PVs), electric vehicles (EVs), and batteries, the Biden administration is poised to issue tariffs on key Chinese products. A look at China''s battery exports, and its associated battery complex, reveals both opportunities and risks for US and allied […]
The state''s large-scale deployment of lithium-ion storage batteries is leading to lower solar "curtailment," or when electricity generation is suppressed due to price signals or physical oversupply.
China’s transition to more utility-scale solar installations furthers its decarbonization efforts. However, regional resource limitations, limited interprovincial electricity transfers, and cheap coal present structural and economic headwinds.
The Global Energy Center develops and promotes pragmatic and nonpartisan policy solutions designed to advance global energy security, enhance economic opportunity, and accelerate pathways to net-zero emissions.
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For Immediate Release : May 25, 2023
SACRAMENTO – The latest data from the California Energy Commission (CEC) shows that in 2021 more than 37 percent of the state''s electricity came from Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS)-eligible sources such as solar and wind, an increase of 2.7 percent compared to 2020.
When combined with other sources of zero-carbon energy such as large hydroelectric generation and nuclear, nearly 59 percent of the state''s retail electricity sales came from nonfossil fuel sources. This amount remains unchanged from 2020 despite the jump in renewables due to drought-related declines in hydroelectric generation.
"This latest report card shows California continues making significant progress toward a 100 percent clean electrical grid of the future that leaves dirty fossil fuels in the past," said Commissioner Noemí Gallardo, who is the lead commissioner on RPS compliance. "We remain committed to ensuring a healthier and prosperous future for all Californians. By removing barriers to new clean energy projects and funding energy innovations, we will help the state deliver on this vision by mid-century."
California''s RPS program requires all load-serving entities in California to procure a portion of their electricity sales from eligible renewable resources. The program was established in 2002 with an initial requirement that 20 percent of electricity retail sales be served by renewable resources by 2017. Escalating requirements saw the goal increase to 33 percent by 2020 — a target that was met two years early in 2018.
Senate Bill 100 (2018) accelerates the RPS goal to 60 percent by 2030. The landmark policy also requires RPS-eligible sources and zero-carbon resources to supply 100 percent of California''s electricity retail sales and electricity procured to serve state agencies by 2045. To keep the state on track, last year Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 1020 (2022), establishing interim targets of 90 percent clean electricity by 2035 and 95 percent by 2040.
Battery Storage Build-Out Reaches Milestone
To complement California''s abundant renewable energy resources, the state is focused on deploying energy storage. According to the California Independent System Operator, battery storage capacity has increased by nearly 20 times since 2019 — from 250 megawatts (MW) to 5,000 MW. Today''s fleet of storage resources can capture enough electricity to power up to 5 million California homes. By midcentury, capacity is projected to increase another 10 times to 52,000 MW.
New Interactive Data Dashboards Unveiled
To help visualize the state''s progress toward 100 percent clean electricity, the CEC has released a suite of new interactive tools with downloadable data on the following topics:
The dashboards are part of CEC''s effort to modernize and improve accessibility to data products using cutting-edge technology. Other offerings include the Zero Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Statistics dashboards.
About the California Energy CommissionThe California Energy Commission is the state''s primary energy policy and planning agency. It has seven core responsibilities: advancing state energy policy, encouraging energy efficiency, certifying thermal power plants, investing in energy innovation, developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, and preparing for energy emergencies.
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