One sentence summary – California Governor Newsom signed SB49 into law, a bill sponsored by Environment California and authored by Sen. Josh Becker, which aims to encourage the installation of solar power infrastructure along California’s highways to generate clean energy and help the state achieve its ambitious clean energy targets of 90% clean power by 2035 and 100% clean energy by 2045, while also creating opportunities for public-private partnerships and additional revenue through lease fees and energy sales.
At a glance
- California Governor Newsom signed SB49 into law on October 7, 2023.
- SB 49 aims to encourage the installation of solar power infrastructure along California’s extensive highway network.
- The legislation directs state agencies to evaluate the potential for solar energy, battery storage, and transmission infrastructure alongside highways.
- California aims to generate 90% of its power from clean sources by 2035 and achieve 100% clean energy by 2045.
- The legislation opens up opportunities for public-private partnerships and streamlined procedures for the deployment of solar installations.
The details
On October 7, 2023, California Governor Newsom signed SB49 into law.
This marks a significant milestone in California’s pursuit of clean energy solutions.
The bill was sponsored by Environment California and authored by Sen.
Josh Becker.
It received unanimous approval from the California Assembly.
SB 49 aims to encourage the installation of solar power infrastructure along California’s extensive highway network.
This legislation directs state agencies to evaluate the potential for solar energy, battery storage, and transmission infrastructure alongside highways.
The goal is to leverage the underutilized space to generate clean energy.
With this move, California reaffirms its commitment to achieving ambitious clean energy targets.
The state aims to generate 90% of its power from clean sources by 2035.
It also aims to achieve 100% clean energy by 2045.
By tapping into the solar potential along highways, California can make significant progress towards these goals.
The legislation also establishes a process for entities to operate and build renewable energy infrastructure within state-owned rights-of-way.
This provision opens up opportunities for public-private partnerships.
It also ensures streamlined procedures for the deployment of solar installations.
Recent amendments to the bill removed provisions related to creating a strategic plan and setting specific goals for roadside renewable energy generation.
However, SB 49 still unlocks the state’s tremendous potential for roadside solar installations.
California boasts an extensive highway system.
This includes over 52,000 lane miles in its state highway system.
It also includes over 23,000 lane miles of federal interstate highways, freeways, and expressways.
A recent report highlights that Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Diego counties alone have nearly 1 GW of potential roadside solar capacity.
The benefits of SB 49 extend beyond environmental considerations.
The legislation has the potential to bring additional revenue to the state through lease fees.
It can also generate revenue through sales of generated energy and lower maintenance costs.
By capitalizing on the vast highway infrastructure, California can not only advance its clean energy goals but also bolster its economy.
With the passage of SB 49, California takes a significant step towards realizing its vision of a cleaner, more sustainable future.
By harnessing the power of solar energy along its highways, the state sets an example for others to follow in the transition to a greener, more resilient energy system.
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| solarpowerworldonline.com |
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| – Gov. Newsom signed SB49 into law on October 7, 2023. – |
| The California Assembly passed legislation to encourage the installation of solar power infrastructure along California’s highways. |
| – SB 49 was sponsored by Environment California and authored by Sen. Josh Becker. – |
| The bill directs state agencies to evaluate the potential for solar energy, battery storage, and transmission infrastructure alongside highways. – |
| The goal is to help California meet its clean energy targets of generating 90% of the state’s power by 2035 and 100% by 2045. – |
| The bill establishes a process for entities to operate and build renewable energy infrastructure within state-owned rights-of-way. – |
| The underutilized space along highways is seen as an ideal asset for generating clean energy. – |
| Recent amendments removed the provision to create a strategic plan for solar along highways and set specific goals for roadside renewable energy generation. |
| – SB 49 will still unlock the state’s roadside solar potential. |
| – California has over 52,000 lane miles in its state highway system and over 23,000 lane miles of federal interstate highways, freeways, and expressways. – |
| A recent report found that Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Diego counties have nearly 1 GW of potential roadside solar capacity. – SB 49 can potentially bring more money to the state through lease fees, sales of generated energy, and lower maintenance costs. – |
| The legislation is a step closer to powering California with 100% clean energy. |
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