Renewables, including wind, solar, and hydro, have just surpassed 100% of energy demand on California’s main electrical grid for 69 of the past 75 days.
California surpasses 100% of energy demand with renewables
Stanford University Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Mark Z. Jacobson monitors renewables performance in California.
According to his latest update on social media platform X on May 21, the state has now surpassed 100% of energy demand with renewables over a record 45 days straight and 69 out of 75 days:
“More wins!
For 45 days straight and 69 of 75, California #WindWaterSolar supply has exceeded demand part of each day. On May 20, it was for 7.58 h, peaking at 135.4% of demand
On average over 75 days, WWS>demand for 5.3 h/day
Excess demand goes mostly to batteries & exports.”
Mark Z. Jacobson, Stanford University Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor
April 15 data
On April 15, Professor Jacobson proudly shared his findings on X about California’s renewables performance when the state sets new records.
“This is not an anomaly. It is the new reality.
The percentages will only increase each year
Once again, California exceeds 100% of demand on its main grid with #WindWaterSolar
This is the 30TH OF THE PAST 38 DAYS that #WWS supply has exceeded demand for 0.25-6 h per day.”
Mark Z. Jacobson, Stanford University Civil and Environmental Engineering Profe
Professor Jacobson highlighted that renewable energy supply outmatches demand for “0.25-6 h per day.” According to the report, continuity does not rely on renewables running the grid all day. It leans on a consistent daily occurrence, which the state has never achieved before.
2035 forecast
At the two-week milestone, Rewiring America’s Ian Magruder made an important point on the social networking website LinkedIn. According to his post, California has been home to the world’s largest grid-connected battery storage facility since January.
Therefore, the batteries at the site continuously accumulated surplus sun energy all afternoon to supply renewable energy in the state.
“And what makes it even better is that California has the largest grid-connected battery storage facility in the world (came online in January …), meaning those batteries were filling up with excess energy from the sun all afternoon today and are now deploying as we speak to offset a good chunk of the methane gas generation that California still uses overnight.”
Rewiring America’s Ian Magruder
Early last month, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) approved 26 new transmission projects worth $6.1 billion, of which offshore wind accounts for a big chunk.
In this sense, Professor Jacobson projected that California will adopt 100% renewable energy and battery storage 24/7 by 2035.
It is also worth noting that the state government previously passed legislation aiming to achieve 100% net zero energy by 2045. Given this, it would be interesting to see if California will be able to beat the 2045 target by 10 years.
