SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been helping drive the clean energy transition in California and the United States for more than 20 years and is proud to support this year’s National Clean Energy Week (Sept. 20-24).
“We are proud of our history as a leader in the industry and helping California achieve its bold clean energy goals,” said Jason Glickman, Executive Vice President, Engineering, Planning, and Strategy. “We are working every day to identify new ways to bring on more clean energy resources that will improve our environment while delivering safe and reliable energy to more than 16 million people in Northern and Central California.”
Clean Energy Portfolio
PG&E delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy. In 2020, more than 35% of the electricity PG&E delivered to its customers came from eligible renewable resources including solar, wind, bioenergy, geothermal and small hydropower. Adding nuclear and large hydropower, about 85% of PG&E’s electric power mix was from carbon-free resources.
Solar Power Growth
At 45%, large-scale solar energy accounted for the largest portion of PG&E’s total renewable energy power mix in 2020.
Additionally, PG&E has connected more than 580,000 customers with private rooftop solar to the electricity grid, and supports customers with resources before, during and after they go solar. The rooftop solar in PG&E’s service area represents about 20% of all rooftop solar in the country.
PG&E’s Solar Choice program offers customers an easy way to go solar — without installing rooftop solar panels. Through the program, customers can purchase up to 100% of their electricity from a community solar program generating power in California.
Adopting Electric Vehicles
PG&E is committed helping increase EV adoption in its service area, where about a quarter of all electric vehicles in the U.S. can be found. Increasing EV adoption is a critical component to making California’s clean air future a reality as transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse-gas emissions in California, contributing 41%. The state aims to have 5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2030 as well as 250,000 charging stations. Additionally, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in September 2020 that will prohibit the sale of new gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles after 2035.
Responding to the high rate of EV adoption in its service area, PG&E supports the large-scale electric infrastructure needed to incorporate EV charging systems onto the electric grid. This includes supporting customers for their EV-related projects along with specifically designed programs helping customers transition to electric across light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. Additionally, PG&E supports EV adoption through specially designed rates, rebates and tools.
Progress on Battery Energy Storage
PG&E is investing in battery energy storage to enhance overall grid reliability, integrate renewables, and help customers save energy and money.
The company currently has contracts for battery energy storage projects totaling more than 1,400 MWs of capacity to be deployed throughout its service area and the state through 2023. PG&E is well-positioned with the battery energy storage projects under contract to meet the state’s ambitious clean energy and storage goals, while ensuring grid reliability.
In addition to large, grid-scale battery energy storage, PG&E connects hundreds to thousands of new, behind-the-meter (BTM) battery energy storage systems to the grid every month. To date, more than 28,000 PG&E customers have installed and connected BTM battery energy storage systems to the grid throughout PG&E’s service area — most of which are residential customers — totaling more than 316 MWs of capacity.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.