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No blackouts or cost increases due to 100 % clean, renewable electricity powering California for parts of 98 days

Author

Listed:
  • Jacobson, Mark Z.
  • Sambor, Daniel J.
  • Fan, Yuanbei F.
  • Mühlbauer, Andreas
  • Delucchi, Mark A.

Abstract

Critics of a global transition to clean, renewable electricity argue no wind- or solar-dominated grids exist and solar and wind's variabilities cause blackouts. This paper uses data from the world's 5th-largest economy to show no blackouts occurred when wind-water-solar electricity supply exceeded 100 % of demand on California's main grid for a record 98 of 116 days from late winter to early summer, 2024, for an average (maximum) of 4.84 (10.1) hours/day. Compared with the same period in 2023, solar, wind, and battery outputs in 2024 increased 31 % 8 %, and 105 %, respectively, dropping fossil gas use by an estimated 40 %. Batteries, which shifted excess solar to night, supplied up to ∼12 % of nighttime demand. Wind-water-solar is not the cause of high California electricity prices; to the contrary, most all states with higher shares of their demand met by wind-water-solar experience lower electricity prices. Thus, data support models: a reliable wind-water-solar-dominated large grid appears feasible.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacobson, Mark Z. & Sambor, Daniel J. & Fan, Yuanbei F. & Mühlbauer, Andreas & Delucchi, Mark A., 2025. "No blackouts or cost increases due to 100 % clean, renewable electricity powering California for parts of 98 days," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:240:y:2025:i:c:s0960148124023309
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.122262
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