California Governor Signs Climate Laws

By Christian Roselund

On 19 September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a suite of five bills that reinforce the state’s leading position in the transition away from fossil fuels. This includes bills to require that the state reach 90% zero-carbon power sources in its electricity generation by 2035 and carbon-neutrality economy-wide by 2045.

SB 1020 and adds to California’s existing mandate to reach 60% renewable energy by 2030, and a zero-carbon electricity system by 2045. This 2045 target for electricity was set in 2018, and was widely seen as ambitious at the time. The new law creates requirements that utilities source 90% by 2035 power and 95% of 2045 from “renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources.”

This means that these targets can be met using nuclear power, large-scale hydropower, and other resources excluded from California’s renewable energy mandate. This follows on Governor Newsom approving a bill (SB 846) on 2 September 2022 that would require California’s utility regulator to invalidate the 2025 date for the retirement of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, and to set a new retirement date.

AB 1279 calls for the state to reach carbon neutrality by 2045, including a reduction of man-made greenhouse gases by 85% versus 1990 levels. This may be more difficult than reaching the electricity targets. 65% of California’s emissions are in transportation and industry, two sectors that are seen as more difficult to decarbonize than electricity.

On 25 August 2022 Newsom signed a new law requiring that 100 percent of new light-duty vehicle sales must be electric by 2035 (see the 6 September U.S. Energy Transition Report for more details). However, given that new automobiles remain on the road for an average of more than a decade after they are first sold, the share of EVs on the road will lag the share in new car sales. And if the world follows California and Europe in such ambitious mandates, it will require a rapid scaling up throughout the electric vehicle supply chain, including in the mining and processing
of minerals.

Source: Governor Newsom Signs Sweeping Climate Measures, Ushering in New Era of World-Leading Climate Action (Office of Governor Gavin Newsom)

Source: SB-1020 Clean Energy, Jobs, and Affordability Act of 2022 (California Legislature)

Source: AB-1279 The California Climate Crisis Act (California Legislature)