Community Corner
State Senate Passes Bill Demanding More Renewable Energy
Senate Bill 2X, passed by California Senate Thursday, would require 33 percent of utilities' electricity to come from renewable energy sources.
The California Senate passed a bill Thursday that would require public and private utilities to obtain a third of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020.
Senate Bill 2X, authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), would up the requirement 13 percent from the original 20 percent renewable target set in 2006.
“I’m hopeful we can establish the 33 percent standard this year,” Simitian said in a statement. “It needs to get done to send a market signal to energy providers that California is committed to renewables.”
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On the floor of the Senate, Simitian said that the bill would improve air quality, address climate change and allow for an American foreign policy based on American values and interests, rather than energy needs.
In addition, Simitian said that SB 2X would protect consumers from rate manipulation and bring investment, jobs and tax revenues to California.
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Simitian has tried to get the concerns of this bill passed twice before—in 2009, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed Senate Bill 14; and in 2010, Senate Bill 722 did not pass Legislature in time.
Senate Bill 107, authored by Simitian and enacted in 2006, created the requirement for 20 percent renewable energy by 2010. Utilities expect to exceed that goal this year, according to the statement released by Simitian's office Thursday.
Senate Bill 2X will next go to the state Assembly for a vote. If both houses approve the bill and any changes made to it, it will go to Gov. Jerry Brown to be signed into law or vetoed.
