Is California The Future Of Power Generation?

When the sun is shining and the wind is howling, renewables can provide sustainable power to metropolitan and rural communities alike. It’s a tempting lure for countries of all sizes looking to embrace green grids, but concerns remain regarding the reliability, consistency and economic viability of renewable energy sources. A “green grid” is an electric grid fully or partially supplied by renewable energy. Portugal, for example, has a fully green grid that powers their entire country, as well as part of neighboring Morocco, with electricity generated from renewable energy sources like hydropower. Scotland gets 70% of its electricity from renewables. The United States, however, is a different animal. With over 325 million people and an energy policy caught between ever-conflicting federal and state agendas, the world’s third largest country gets pulled in a lot of directions. Close to 15% of Americans live in California. California is a prime example of a state with plans for a green grid. By 2025, California hopes to have at least 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road. By 2030, 50% of retail electricity is expected to come from renewable sources.