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More than one third of California’s electricity last year was fueled by solar, wind and other qualifying renewables under the state's clean energy mandate. According to the California Energy Commission, 36% of retail electric sales were supplied by renewable resources, exceeding the 33% Renewable Portfolio Standard's 2020 mandate. “As we move to 100% clean electricity by mid-century, this success shows what’s possible and demonstrates that renewables are now mainstream and fossil fuels are now becoming the alternative energy,” CEC Chair David Hochschild stated.

If elected president this November, Joe Biden said he would spend $2 trillion on a national job creating, equitable clean energy plan during his first term. His plan, announced July 14, would set a 100% clean-electricity standard by 2035. The new jobs created would "create pathways for young people and for older workers shifting to new professions, and for people from all backgrounds and all communities," Biden stated. "Their work will improve air quality for our children, increase the comfort of our homes, and make our businesses more competitive.”

The social cost of carbon calculated by the Trump Administration is seven times lower than prior federal estimates , the Government Accountability Office revealed July 14. It said that the former and current estimates used the same economic models but two key assumptions used to calculate the current estimates were changed. Those were using “(1) domestic rather than global climate change damages and (2) different discount rates,” GAO states of the social costs calculated by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Bureau of Land Management. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) warned that the federal administration is ignoring climate scientists. “We can’t take the bold action necessary to address the climate crisis if we are not adequately accounting for the cost of greenhouse gas pollution.”

California, 14 other states, and the District of Columbia committed to a d vancing the market for electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles July 14. The goal of the states’ new memorandum of understanding is ensuring that zero-emission vehicles make up 30% of sales by 2030, and all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales are zero emission by 2050. Trucks are responsible for nearly 25% of total transportation sector greenhouse gases. States signing the MOU included Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

The U.S. Department of Energy July 14 released a draft blueprint for advancing innovative energy storage technologies . DOE seeks input on its Energy Storage Grand Challenge Draft Roadmap and Request for Information, which seeks “to really push the envelope when it comes to developing next-generation energy storage,” Secretary Dan Brouillette said. “Coordinating with and receiving input from our stakeholders is critical as we work to position the United States as a global leader in energy storage technologies of the future."

Federal regulatory staff issued a final environmental impact statement last week for the relicensing of the 168-MW Don Pedro hydroelectric project and licensing of the 4.7-MW La Grange Project on the Tuolumne River. These are Modesto and Turlock irrigation district projects. The Don Pedro facility occupies 4,802 acres of federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Key permitting issues include control of erosion and sediment control, restoration of floodplains, and impacts on Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, North American green sturgeon, California red-legged frog, and valley elderberry longhorn beetle, cultural resources, and recreation.

Backcountry Against Dumps sued federal agencies for not complying with environmental protections laws by failing to account for the fire danger and risks of a large-scale wind project on tribal land, including to eagles. Terra-Gen’s Campo Wind facilities includes 60 wind turbines each 586 feet tall that sit on 2,200 acres. “The project is a dangerous and completely unnecessary industrialization of high-quality wildlife habitat in an area with an extremely high wildfire risk and frequent low-flying military, commercial and private aircraft,” argues the suit filed against the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other federal agencies at the end of last week.

Chevron Corp. and a coalition of energy majors asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider decisions that may make them face climate change lawsuits seeking compensation for infrastructure damage by California cities and counties in state court.