With the implications of AB 32 and now SB 375 rapidly coming down the pipe, the topic of discussion at the Cleaner Air Partnership recently-held fourth luncheon was “Achieving California’s Renewable Energy Goals.”

After a brief overview of California Energy Policy by Bill Mueller, CAP manger and CEO of Valley Vision, the large group of about 60 regional stakeholders was presented with a panel discussion that explored Renewable Portfolio Standards. Panelists included Obadiah Bartholomy, project manager, Advances Renewable and Distributed Generation Technologies for SMUD; Daniel Kim, public affairs mmanager for PG&E; and James Takehara, electric resource analyst for the city of Roseville.

Renewable portfolio standards are the requirements that mandate electric power providers to generate or purchase a specified percentage of the power it supplies and/or sells from renewable energy resources. California’s renewable portfolio standards are considered the most aggressive in the country. The AB 32 scoping plan released earlier this year by the California Air Resources Board requires by the year 2020, 33 percent of the power delivered in California needs to be from renewable sources. According to the ARB, the 33 percent by 2020 goal will further California’s efforts to address climate change and lead the nation in proactive clean energy policy.

To date, 13 percent of PG&E’s energy comes from renewable sources that qualify under California's Renewable Portfolio Standards program. However, PG&E is mandated to deliver 20 percent of the energy it sells from renewable resources by the year 2010.

As for the region’s other large energy supplier, 19 percent of SMUD’s energy comes from renewable sources. It is the goal of SMUD to increase that number to about 23 percent by the year 2011. SMUD, PG&E and Roseville Electric continue to explore the use of wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and small hydroelectric to reach these aggressive objectives, and eventually the 33 percent by the year 2020 target. For the power providers the need for transmission sites poses a challenge as building new transmission can takes years, but is essential to connect new renewable resources to load.

Roseville Electric supplies a much smaller market than PG&E and SMUD and complies with the Roseville Electric Renewable Portfolio Standard, which was adopted by the Roseville City Council. Roseville’s renewable mix includes a portion designated as eligible renewable by the California Energy Commission, as well as Large Hydroelectric power, which SMUD and PG&E are not considered eligible for. Roseville Electric Qualified RPS Resources include any renewable resources defined as non-fossil fueled electric generating resources, including hydroelectric. That stated, the Roseville Electric renewable mix total for last year was 40%. It’s Roseville’s goal to meet the state mandate to encourage renewable resources, especially wind and photovoltaics, while pushing for environmental improvement without creating an adverse impact on rate payers.

While SMUD, PG&E and Roseville Electric are all forward thinking, proactive companies that are making great strides in the quest to expand the use of renewable energy, there is still much work to be done to meet the requirements of AB 32.

The Cleaner Air Partnership is a collaboration between Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails, the Sacramento Metro Chamber and now Valley Vision. The goal of the partnership, which was created in 1986, is to help the six-county Sacramento region meet the clean air standards that protect health and promote economic growth.