News

Geothermal Rising points to valuable role for California’s clean energy future

Geothermal Rising points to valuable role for California’s clean energy future Ormat's Ormesa Geothermal Power Plant Complex, Imperial Valley, California (source: Ormat)
Alexander Richter 21 Dec 2020

The Policy Committee of Geothermal Rising shares remarks related to the potential role of geothermal for the state of California commenting on draft report released for the State of California that evaluated zero-carbon electricity options for a clean energy future of the state.

The Geothermal Rising Policy Committee has submitted comments to the California Energy Commission on the draft SB 100 report.

In its comments, Geothermal Rising provides its take on the growth potential for geothermal energy in California, cost assumptions, reliability enhancement, etc, yet sees shortcomings in the focus on “minimizing near-term economic costs rather than minimizing longer-term economic costs and lifecycle environmental impacts”.

It highlights the fact that the current resource mix cannot satisfy the state’s resource adequacy needs, and carbon-free geothermal can “provide the resource diversity, grid reliability, and system resilience that other renewables, even with batteries, cannot.”

So while generally identifying benefits of carbon-free generic resources “operationally consistent with geothermal”, it calls for specific reference to the long-term potential of geothermal in California’s renewable energy goals.

You can read the letter commenting on  the draft SB 100 report, here (pdf).

California’s Senate Bill (SB) 100 established a landmark policy requiring renewable energy and zero-carbon resources supply 100 percent of electric retail sales to end-use customers by 2045. It requires the California Energy Commission (CEC), California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and California Air Resources Board (CARB) to prepare a report.

Under the policy, California’s renewable energy and zero-carbon resources supply 100 percent of electric retail sales to end-use customers and 100 percent of electricity procured to serve state agencies by December 31, 2045. The policy requires the transition to a zero-carbon electric system does not cause or contribute to increases of greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere in the western electricity grid.

The senate bill required CEC, CPUC, and CARB to complete a joint agency report to the Legislature evaluating the 100 percent zero-carbon electricity policy.

In consultation with all California balancing authorities and as part of a public process, the three agencies will issue a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2021, and at least every four years afterward.

Source: GRC Policy Committee, California Energy Commission