Clean firm power key to California’s net-zero goals
ReportsReliance on weather-dependent energy sources such as wind and solar pose challenges for the pursuit of California’s net-zero emissions targets, particularly for the electrification of transport and heating. While battery storage can help balance the grid, current technology cannot cost-effectively store enough energy for the winter months. Despite being more expensive than wind or solar power, geothermal and nuclear, or even carbon capture and storage for gas-fired plants, could provide critical reliability to help the Golden State avoid blackouts. Expanding the capacity of these so-called “clean firm power” sources to the same level as California’s existing natural gas fleet could help decarbonisation efforts without raising consumer costs.
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