San Diego Supporters Urge California Lawmakers to Pass SB 100 for 100 Percent Clean Electricity by 2045

National City, CA  – (RealEstateRama) — San Diego supporters representing the faith, environmental, clean tech, business and labor communities gathered today to urge passage of Senate Bill 100 (SB 100), which will ensure that California generates 100 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2045. The statewide bill, introduced by California Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin De León, comes two years after San Diego made a legally-binding commitment to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2035.

“We are 100 percent ready for 100 percent clean energy,” said Michelle Kinman, clean energy advocate with Environment California. “Clean energy is good for our planet, good for our kids, and good for our economy. We must take action now to ensure a 100 percent clean energy future for California.”

Senate Bill 100 has passed the State Senate as well as two key committees in the State Assembly. The full Assembly needs to pass the bill before the legislative session ends for the year on September 15, 2017 in order for it to go to Governor Brown’s desk.

“We know that it is possible to plan for a 100 percent clean-energy future at the local level, and now it is time to make a statewide goal of replacing the use of fossil fuels with zero-carbon resources,” said Assemblymember Todd Gloria, who introduced San Diego’s Climate Action Plan when he served as interim mayor.  “As a world leader in clean energy technology, California should set the highest standards for ourselves as we take aggressive action to stop climate change, and SB 100 does that.”

“We are proud to have paved the way to the state’s 100 percent clean energy goal in San Diego, and we are excited to embrace Community Choice Energy as the pathway to reach this goal,” said Nicole Capretz, executive director of the Climate Action Campaign. “All of our highly valued principles of community, opportunity, choice, freedom and local jobs can be married to build a healthy and prosperous future.”

“I’m here to support SB 100 so we can improve our air quality, which is critical to my community and me because we are at the frontlines of climate change,” said Silvia Calzada, resident of National City and active member of the Environmental Health Coalition.

“Moving to 100 percent clean, renewable energy will have significant health benefits in California,” said Debra Kelley, advocacy director with the American Lung Association in California. “By reducing dangerous emissions from power production we can all breathe easier, especially those suffering from lung diseases like asthma and lung cancer.”

California passed its first clean energy standard in 2002 (Sher). The first law required California energy providers to generate 17 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Subsequent bills have ramped up the clean energy standard. Senate Bill 350, also introduced by De León, was the last clean energy bill to pass two years ago, requiring that California energy providers generate 50 percent renewable electricity by 2030. California utilities are ahead of the current clean energy goals that have been enshrined in law.

A recent report by Environment California Research & Policy Center found that California has seen a 2,583 percent increase in the amount of electricity it gets from the sun and a 245 percent increase in wind power production over the past decade. The report, Renewables on the Rise, makes the case that the progress we’ve seen in California and around the country on renewable energy and technologies like battery storage and electric cars should give Californians the confidence that we can take clean energy to the next level.

Thousands of clean electricity projects are powering businesses, homes, schools, houses of worship and government facilities all across the San Diego metro area, including the Port of San Diego.

“Senate Bill 100 will contribute significantly to the greenhouse gas reduction goals set by the Port of San Diego’s Climate Action Plan, our roadmap for sustainability for the Port and its waterfront businesses,” said Robert “Dukie” Valderrama, chairman of the Port of San Diego. “As environmental champions for the safekeeping and care of San Diego Bay, we are proud to support initiatives like SB 100 that promote a sustainable future.”

“Senate Bill 100 will continue the green energy revolution, strengthen our economy, and create hundreds of thousands of construction jobs,” said Gretchen Newsom, political director and organizer for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569. “Additionally, SB 100 contains important provisions that will ensure utilities continue to upgrade and maintain the distribution system using our highly trained utility workforce – creating more career opportunities for community members.”

Today’s event was held at the Paradise Valley Church in National City, which is powered by clean energy from solar carports installed by Sullivan Solar Power.

“We have the technology, people and expertise to move to a 100 percent clean energy future, but have been missing the political will to make it happen,” said Daniel Sullivan, founder and president of Sullivan Solar Power. “SB 100 would show the country what can be accomplished when political will and technical skill come together to make the world a better place.”

“Hurricane Harvey is just the latest reminder of the social, economic, and environmental devastation we’ve already started experiencing due to climate change, and which will get much worse unless we act,” said Masada Disenhouse, co-founder of SanDiego350 – Climate Change Action. “With SB 100, California can commit to 100% clean electricity which will help us achieve our emission reduction targets.”

Contact
Michelle Kinman,
Environment California