{"id":300,"date":"2020-10-21T14:38:05","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T14:38:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/energycitizens.org\/?p=300"},"modified":"2021-01-29T20:01:48","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T20:01:48","slug":"driving-the-wrong-direction-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/energycitizens.org\/es\/blogs\/driving-the-wrong-direction-in-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Conduciendo en la direcci\u00f3n equivocada en California"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Four observations about California Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2019s executive order<\/a> requiring that by 2035 all new cars sold in the state must be zero-emission vehicles \u2013 as well as his push for halting fracking in the state:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The governor\u2019s executive order could seriously impact middle-class Californians<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) parked behind the governor during his announcement (one\u2019s an Audi) underscore the point that the new mandate figures to be tough on middle-class Californians. It\u2019s difficult to see how the mandate won\u2019t make life in California \u2013 already among the most expensive in the nation<\/a> \u2013 more costly, hurting people least able to afford it. Middle-class Californians should be able to buy a car that fits their budgets \u2013 vs. a price range imposed on them.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The governor\u2019s pledge above \u2013 \u201cYou can still keep your internal combustion engine car\u201d \u2013 sounds like a line from another big public policy debate a few years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Western States Petroleum Association President Catherine Reheis-Boyd<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBig ideas are only better if they are affordable for us all and can be backed by science, data and needed infrastructure. There are many questions about all of those concerns in the Governor\u2019s orders. Dismantling our oil and natural gas industry right now means betting everything on alternative energy resources that we don\u2019t have in place and a supporting infrastructure that\u2019s far from being at the scale we need.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[P]ursuing this goal would be among the most inefficient, unpopular, and regressive methods to reduce carbon emissions. Forced electrification would deprive consumers of choice for popular vehicles fueled by affordable, reliable, and readily available gasoline and diesel. It also ignores that today\u2019s vehicles are 99 percent cleaner than they were just a few decades ago and continue to get cleaner every year.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

2. Seriously, a zero-emissions mandate in a state that has struggled to keep the lights on?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state\u2019s renewable energy mandate, requiring 60% of the state\u2019s electricity must come from renewables by 2030, stepped on a rake last month<\/a> when rolling blackouts were implanted because demand outpaced available electricity during a hot spell. It would seem to undermine confidence that California can pull off Newsom\u2019s zero-emissions vehicle pledge in just 15 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact is ZEVs make up a small part of the vehicle market currently, and significant recharging infrastructure will need to be built. California had more than 15 million registered vehicles in 2018<\/a>. That\u2019s a lot of plug-ins that will be needed. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation\u2019s John Bozzella<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c[N]either mandates nor bans build successful markets. What builds successful markets is widespread stakeholder engagement: a combination of efforts by federal, state, and local governments, as well as automakers, dealers, utilities, hydrogen providers, electric infrastructure providers, builders, and others. Currently, electrified vehicles account for less than 10 percent of new vehicle sales in California. While that is the best in the nation, much more needs to be done to increase consumer demand for Zero Emission Vehicles in order for California to reach its goals. It will require increased infrastructure, incentives, fleet requirements, building codes, and much more.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

3. There\u2019s rhetoric and there\u2019s reality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

California has a history of being good on rhetoric \u2013 and not so good on following through, often at great cost and burden to everyday Californians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding issues with the state\u2019s electricity-from-renewables mandate mentioned above, even Gov. Newsom conceded impacts to state residents, telling reporters<\/a> last month that millions of Californians had been left in the dark thanks to a significant gap in reliability created by the renewable mandate. Other relevant points:<\/p>\n\n\n\n