California is home of a lot renewable energy. California ranks fourth in conventional hydroelectricity production, while it is one of the top producers of solar, wind, geothermal and geothermal electricity. This is due in large part to decades of investment made in renewable energy projects. Californians have the advantage of renewable energy projects that are more affordable and widely available than ever. Whether you want to use solar panels or solar heat pumps, or install battery storage to store excess energy, there are many options available.
Biomass
As the world approaches the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change, many countries are reviewing their energy strategies, including their use of renewable energy. As the world's fourth largest energy source, biomass is a great way to meet a variety of needs. In 2016, 14.4% global primary energy consumption was made up of biomass.
Wind
California should install more wind farms to boost its renewable energy. According to U.S. Department of Energy California boasts 4,656 gigawatts of utility-scale renewable energy. California also ranks fifth nationally for small-scale and distributed renewable energy systems. According to California Energy Commission, wind makes up 36 percent of California’s renewable energy resources. The state is ahead of solar power.
Solar
California has two types of solar energy: solar photovoltaic and solar thermal. State Energy Commission licenses solar thermal plants. Renewables Portfolio Standard and building efficiency guidelines encourage solar photovoltaic systems. California is an important market in new energy sources, and California is not only a leader in the solar industry. It has over 500,000 solar power plants, making it one the fastest-growing sectors of renewable energy in the world.
Battery storage
California leads the nation in battery storage. California is expected to have 1.391 gigawatts of power (GW) connected to its grid by the second quarter 2021, a 50 percent increase over Q1 2018. In order to achieve the state's zero-carbon power system goal, there will be more battery storage facilities. Developers are also attracted to battery storage because it can offset costs associated with installing solar and wind energy system.
Natural gas
California must shift its energy mix so that renewable energy can become a major source for electricity. The state would continue to rely on climate-warming fossil resources like coal if it didn't make these changes. But a recent report from the University of California, Berkeley states that it is possible to produce 90 percent of the nation's electricity without producing greenhouse gases by the year 2035. Utility companies would have to dramatically increase the use of renewable energy storage in order to reach their goal. They would also need reduce natural gas use by 70%.