On May 13, 2017 California’s Independent System Operator (CISO), the state’s largest grid pulled 67.2 percent of its power from renewable energy sources.
Early Saturday afternoon, renewable sources produced a record 67.2 percent of the electricity on the portion of the state’s power grid controlled by the California Independent System Operator. That figure does not include large hydropower facilities, which added another 13.5 percent. Based in Folsom, the ISO runs 80 percent of the state’s grid.
Over 80 percent! Way to go, California. According to SFGate, the previous record was 56.7 percent back in March.
And on Tuesday, the state set a new record for wind power generation, producing 4,985 megawatts. A megawatt is a snapshot figure roughly equal to the amount of energy used by 760 homes at any given moment.
“It’s going to be a dynamic year for records,” said Steven Greenlee, a spokesman for the ISO. “The solar records in particular are falling like dominoes.”
It is possible, Greenlee said, that the state could cross the 70 percent threshold for renewable production this summer.
Much of the incremental pushes come with favorable weather and the weather looks sunny and windy throughout the state, so we may have another record-setting day this Memorial Day weekend.