Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) has reached California’s 2020 renewable energy goal three years ahead of schedule, and now delivers nearly 80 percent of its electricity from greenhouse-gas (GHG) free resources.
The company announced today that 33 percent of its electricity came from renewable resources including solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and small hydroelectric sources in 2017. Additionally, 78.8 percent of PG&E’s total electric power mix is from GHG-free sources including nuclear, large hydro and renewable sources of energy.
It’s the highest percentage of clean energy deliveries in PG&E’s history.
The milestone comes three years before California’s 2020 mandate for energy companies to reach 33 percent of retail electric deliveries from eligible renewable sources. The company is also on pace to reach California’s 2030 goal of 50 percent renewables and a separate company goal of 55 percent renewables by 2031 ahead of schedule.
The record renewable energy deliveries are mirrored by continued advancements in reliability, safety and innovation. PG&E continues to make investments to its electric infrastructure and uses advanced technology to make the power grid smarter and more resilient. Additionally, the company has increased its investment in Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure to help accelerate the adoption of EVs in California to improve air quality and reduce GHG emissions. Most recently, PG&E launched its new EV Charge Network program to install 7,500 EV chargers at condominiums, apartment buildings and workplaces across Northern and Central California, including at sites in disadvantaged communities.
PG&E’s diverse renewable power mix includes solar, wind, geothermal, bio-power and small, eligible-renewable hydroelectric energy. In addition, PG&E has connected more than 340,000 customers with private rooftop solar to the energy grid – representing about 20 percent of the nation’s private rooftop solar installations and about 3,200 MWs of solar powered energy. The company owns one of the nation’s largest hydro-electric systems, as well as nuclear facility Diablo Canyon Power Plant, both of which emit no greenhouse gases.
Earlier this year, PG&E received approval to close Diablo Canyon in 2025, with plans to replace the nuclear power plant with other clean and renewable sources of energy.
