California PUC Approves Massive Transportation Electrification Program

California is at the forefront of US states when it comes to reducing carbon emissions.  Nearly 40% of those emissions come from the state’s transportation sector.  Not only has California always been ground zero for car culture, but it’s also home to several of the largest ports in America, whose operations depend on heavy-duty trucks powered by diesel engines that produce tremendous pollution.

California’s utility companies are directly involved in the effort to cut emissions.  The state legislature in 2015 passed a bill requiring that 50% of all the state’s electricity come from renewable sources no later than 2030.  There are signs the state may meet that goal earlier than anticipated.

At the end of May, the California PUC approved a sweeping initiative proposed by the utility companies it regulates that will push the cause of vehicle electrification forward farther and faster than anyone thought possible.  “What we’re seeing is one of the largest and most well-thought-out approaches to advancing electrification of vehicles,” Adrian Martinez, an attorney for Earthjustice, tells Greentech Media.  “I think a lot of other utility commissions and other folks across the country are going to be looking at this.”

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