California governor signs 100% clean electricity bill

California governor Jerry Brown on Monday signed Senate Bill 100 that sets a target of getting 100% of the state's retail electricity supply from zero-carbon resources by the end of 2045.

The bill advances California's 50% renewable electricity goal to 2026 from 2030 and introduces a target of 60% by 2030.

In his signing message, Brown said that in order to reach 100% clean electricity in a way that ensures reliability reduces costs, multiple strategies should be used such as energy storage, better efficiency, adjusting energy use to the time of the day when power is most abundant and a grid that integrates utilities across the West.

The governor also issued an executive order that establishes a target for the state to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 and net negative greenhouse gas emissions after that as California steps up efforts to fight global warming beyond the electric sector, which accounts for only 16% of the state's greenhouse gas emissions.

"In California, Democrats and Republicans know climate change is real, it’s affecting our lives right now, and unless we take action immediately – it may become irreversible," said Senator Kevin de Leon, who authored the bill. "Today, with Governor Brown’s support, California sent a message to the rest of the world that we are taking the future into our own hands; refusing to be the victims of its uncertainty." he added.

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