In the past few years, California has moved swiftly into the lead position in the world in a race toward the renewable energy. On Nov. 17, 2008, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an executive order requiring 33% of California’s electricity from the renewable by 2020. This is an important step for the development of renewables.
Besides being rich in Solar resource, California has another important advantage; that is, it has the experience and the confidence with the use of the Concentrated Solar Power.
Since with Thermal Energy Storage the Concentrated Solar Power can extend its power generation to serve both the base and peak load, it will become capable to replace the coal and Nuclear Power Plants. It can also unite with the intermittent Wind power and the limited Hydro power to form the all renewable energy source for the future.
In order to reach 33%, the renewable project will have an immense scale, but the basic technology involved is relatively simple and has already been established. The beauty of California’s action, if successful, lies in that, it sweeps away all energy related problems in one masterful stroke – the problems with energy supply, energy security, CO2 emission, environmental protection and economical stability. And, better still, it places everything on a sustainable basis.