Laura Deehan
State Director, Environment California
[email protected]
Offshore wind bill clears key assembly hurdle
Media Contacts
Sacramento- The California Assembly Energy and Utility committee approved AB 525 (Chiu), the bill to jumpstart offshore wind in California bill with an 14:0 vote.
Authored by California Assemblymembers David Chiu, Jordan Cunningham and Laura Friedman, the bill calls on the California Energy Commission to make a plan to ensure California builds offshore wind at scale. The bill is sponsored by Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Environment California and the State Building and Construiction Trades Council of CA, AFL-CIO.
In response to the vote, Environment California State Director, Laura Deehan issued the following statement:
“We applaud this important committee victory for clean energy. California has made significant progress during recent years in its fight against global warming, especially through its efforts to switch our electricity supply to renewable and zero-carbon sources. But there is more work to do to get to the final target of 100 percent clean electric power. Today we are one step closer to tap into an energy source we have not yet tried in California; offshore wind. The same Pacific Ocean winds that blow incessantly off many sections of the state’s coastline could serve as a key element of a diverse energy mix in the decades to come.”
“A recent report, Offshore Wind for America, released by Environment California Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group found that California has the technical capacity to meet more than half of its projected 2050 energy needs (if all homes, buildings, transportation and industry were fully electrified) with offshore wind. Offshore wind promises to be an important complement to solar energy, offering abundance, convenience, and reliability and making it an integral part of a clean energy mix.”
“Offshore Wind for America recommends that states set strong and enforceable targets for the development of offshore wind and the necessary transmission infrastructure. Rather than simply wait for decisions from the federal government, state policymakers need to take their own proactive series of steps on offshore wind. AB 525 is a step in the right direction. We are proud to co-sponsor this bill.”
“We hope the legislature continues to take strong action as the bill moves to the next committee. California must continue to lead in transitioning to a clean energy future, this bill well allow us to accelerate our clean energy goals.”
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