Report: California renewable energy goals within reach
Steven E.F. Brown
UC Berkley's law school released a report that outlines recommendations for reaching California's aggressive renewable energy goals.
California can meet Gov. Jerry Brown's aggressive renewable energy goals for 2020 — though not without some work — according to a new report by the center for law, energy and the environment at the University of California Berkeley's law school.
Brown has called for the installation of 12 gigawatts of local renewable energy — or energy produced at facilities close to transmission lines where people live and work — in the next 7.5 years.
To compare, as of 2010, California had 16.46 gigawatts of total renewable energy online, including hydropower, solar, wind, landfill gas and geothermal.
“The benefits of local renewable energy are countless,” said report co-author Jeffrey Russell, a senior research fellow at UC Berkeley's law school. “Projects are sited on existing buildings or degraded land, so they typically don’t harm sensitive habitats and species. They help spur economic growth in local communities by generating installation, construction, and maintenance jobs. It’s a win-win for business and the environment.”
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