Fully Decarbonizing California’s Electrical Grid

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Fully decarbonizing California’s electrical grid requires more firm clean power sources, including advanced geothermal and natural gas with carbon capture, according to Edison International’s CEO.

California aims for zero net emissions from its electrical grid by 2045, primarily relying on renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Pedro Pizarro, head of Edison International, highlighted the need for reliable power, stating, “We need not just clean power; we need power that can meet demand every single minute of the day.”

Pizarro pointed out that relying solely on solar and wind is impractical for round-the-clock power supply. The state needs an additional 120 gigawatts of renewable energy with storage by 2045. “To meet all of California’s needs with just solar and storage, we would need to blanket an area the size of the entire Los Angeles metropolitan area with solar,” he warned.

This year, Southern California Edison signed a 320 megawatt power purchase agreement with geothermal provider Fervo, marking a significant contract that will help finance power generation. The electricity from this partnership will begin to be available starting in 2026 and will ramp up through 2028.

To maintain power supply while transitioning to clean energy, Pizarro urged that existing natural gas-fired power plants should be kept operational. He indicated that California’s current gas generation fleet acts as an insurance policy, noting that Southern California Edison does not sell natural gas, which contributes to carbon emissions.

Despite plans for multiple natural gas power plants to close in 2020, officials extended their lifespans to 2026 to prevent potential blackouts.

Summary: California plans to decarbonize its grid by 2045, requiring advanced clean energy sources and continued reliance on some natural gas plants to meet energy demands.