California utility adopts climate emergency declaration

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) recently adopted a climate emergency declaration.

The declaration includes a commitment to working toward an ambitious goal of delivering carbon-neutral electricity by 2030. “The declaration recognizes the immediate risks to our community and demands bold action to achieve results,” according to a SMUD news release.

“This resolution commits SMUD to finding reductions in the quickest way possible and investing in our most vulnerable communities,” said SMUD Board President Rob Kerth. In 2018, SMUD successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from 1990 levels, according to the release.

SMUD’s most recent Integrated Resources Plan focuses on local renewables and includes a $7 billion investment to achieve the following goals:

Nearly 2,900 megawatts (MW) of new carbon-free resources including:

· 670 MW of wind

· 1,500 MW of utility-scale solar, of which, nearly 300 MW will be built in the next three years

· 180 MW of geothermal

· 560 MW of utility-scale energy storage

An aggressive strategy to expand demand-side resources including:

· Nearly 600 MW of installed rooftop solar

· The equivalent of 900,000 local electric vehicles and 400,000 all-electric homes

· Nearly 200 MW of demand response programs

· Over 200 MW of customer-installed batteries