California Leads the Way in Renewable Energy Development

by Louisa May  

If all goes well, an Executive Order signed by Governor Schwarzenegger will not only advance California’s transition to clean energy but boost the economy as well.

According to an economic study conducted by the University of California at Berkeley and Next 10, California’s policies will create as many as 403,000 jobs in the next twelve years and household incomes will increase by 48 billion dollars.

Tired of the Red Tape

“Twas brillig, and the slithy toves…” I’m sorry, that’s Jabberwocky. The mind is a funny place. Whenever I read a legal document, I begin to hear a bit of Jabberwocky. That is, I’m listening for that linguistic blend of words combining to create something new. Sometimes, it’s tricky reading. (Do you remember “mimsy”? It means miserable and flimsy.)

In this case, Governor Schwarzenegger has been clear. On November 17, 2008, he signed Executive Order (EO) S -14- 08 to streamline California’s renewable energy project approval process and increase the state’s renewable energy standards to 33% renewable power by 2020.

By signing this EO, the Governor is setting the most aggressive target in the nation for renewable energy. He’s calling for a third of the state’s energy to be produced by solar, wind, and geothermal power. Governor Schwarzenegger has led California in establishing laws and policies directed at promoting renewable energy.

And, as California goes, so go we, the rest of the nation.

But even politicians get tired of red tape:

When Governor Schwarzenegger made his EO announcement, (at the site of OptiSolar’s new plant in Sacramento) he addressed this problem directly, “We won’t meet that goal doing business as usual, where environmental regulations are holding up environmental progress in some cases. The EO will clear the red tape for renewable projects and streamline the permitting and siting of new plants and transmission lines.”

In order to streamline the application for renewable energy development, the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will create a “one stop” permitting process.

The goal is to cut the application waiting time for specific projects in half. The Governor is using this order to compel both of these agencies to work efficiently together in dealing with conflicts that are sure to occur between environmentalists and developers of renewable energy projects.

There’s no getting around it. Transmission lines will need to be placed and power plants built. “Let’s work together and get it done” is the message here. 

Will it work or is it Jabberwocky?

I’m optimistic, but a few years’ time will tell.

Check out our Green Pages for information on money saving tips that help the environment.  Once there, click on the Green Forum for more articles by feature writer Louisa May.

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This entry was posted on Monday, December 1st, 2008 at 9:26 am and is filed under AAOA Forum, Going Green. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

1. AAOA - American Apartment Owners Association » Will San Quentin Be Converted to Affordable Housing? said at March 19th, 2009 at 8:15 am

   [...] Will San Quentin Be Converted to Affordable Housing? California’s notorious ‘death row’ was built before the Civil War on a site surrounded by deep water and marshes to deter dreams of escape into neighboring San Francisco.    But today, the 450-acre site is viewed by some as Northern California’s hottest property – with a value as high as $2 billion.   Selling off what is now prime waterfront and moving death row inmates inland to a new prison facility is not a novel thought.  In fact, in the 1970’s, then Governor Reagan courted investors interested in developing this slice of paradise, and councilmen in the 1980’s renewed the charge that San Quentin’s stunning vistas were better suited for developments designed for those who were free to enjoy them.    But pressure from both prisoner advocates and the economic realities of building a new maximum security prison in another developed community like Sacramento has so far proven too formidable for plans to go forward.   With California in a deep recession, the idea is once again on the table, and is gaining momentum.  The timing also is favorable, as California weighs the cost of another costly upgrade to San Quentin to alleviate the overcrowding from death row inmates who are housed for years while exhausting their rights to appeal in the nearby courts — inmates who reportedly are more likely to die from natural causes than their death sentences.   Legislators are encouraging Gov. Schwarzenegger to forego another remodel on San Quentin’s historic buildings in favor of selling the property, putting much needed dollars in the state’s coffers.  Ideas for development include offering affordable housing, perhaps in what is now prison employee housing, a ferry hub, or luxury waterfront condos.   See our feature, California Leads the Way in Renewable Energy Development.   [...]

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