“Excessive dependence on dirty power plants has brought us
blackouts, empty wallets and environmental problems like global
warming,” said Phil Radford, Global Warming and Energy Campaigner
with Greenpeace. “It’s time for Californians to take back the power
and demand cheap, clean energy now.”
Prior to deregulation, California was a pioneer in the use of
energy efficiency and advanced clean energy technologies such as
solar and wind. In recent years however, utilities have
successfully fought legislation that would have added renewable
energy to the grid, while slashing funds for energy efficiency
measures that could be saving consumers millions of dollars.
California currently gets less than two percent of its power
from wind, but could cheaply and efficiently increase that number
to twenty percent according to the Kern Wind Energy Association. In
addition, wind power plants can be built in months compared to the
years it takes to build major coal or gas facilities. The
California Energy Commission calculates that producing new wind
power costs less than any other source of energy.
“Wind energy should be embraced as the quickest and cheapest way
to get power to the people of California,” said Radford. “The
answer, Governor Davis, is blowing in the wind.”
The potential for solar power in California’s sun drenched
environment is another vast untapped resource. The state
legislature is considering giving greater subsidies and tax breaks
to small businesses and homeowners who install solar panels on
their roofs.
The state assembly and Governor Davis are currently considering
several bills that would again make California the global clean
energy pioneer. Greenpeace supports measures to bring clean energy
technologies to the people, reward energy efficiency and phase out
dependence on dirty power, like coal, oil and natural gas.
The Greenpeace action comes on the
heels of the Intergovernmental Panel in Climate Change third report
that makes a dire warning on the impacts that global warming is
having and will have on our economy, environment and communities.
According to the report, Californians will most likely experience a
significant increase in the frequency of droughts, extreme weather,
heat waves, infectious diseases, and destruction of coastal
ecosystems and native forests throughout the next century due to
global warming. See www.ipcc.ch for more information.
