California Board Approves Stringent Renewable Energy Standard

A state panel in California yesterday approved a proposal to require 33 percent of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Environmentalists praised the decision –as I noted yesterday, California’s RES is more than twice as stringent as a proposal put forth by Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Sam Brownback (R-Kans.).

But industry says it will be difficult to meet the demands of the proposal. According to Reuters:

But the goal, approved in a vote by California’s Air Resources Board, faces significant challenges.

Industry veterans say this goal is more achievable than a prior target of 20 percent by 2010, but will require faster approvals for plants and continued government help for developer financing.

“We’re going to need all the tools in the toolbox to meet that,” said Southern California Edison manager for regulatory and legislative affairs Laura Genao.