California to fall far short of energy needed to power EV mandate, report says

(The Center Square) - California will fall 20% short of generating the necessary electricity to meet the state’s 100 percent electric vehicle mandates, according to a new report released by the California free-market think tank, the Pacific Research Institute.

“California’s green energy mandates will require more energy from the electricity grid instead of fossil fuels, making it less likely that the grid can generate the necessary power,” Dr. Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson, the study’s authors, said in a press release. “These policies jeopardize California’s energy security and, without a miracle leap in technology, are setting us up for future energy shortages.”

Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in 2020 mandating that all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in California starting in 2035 must be zero-emission vehicles.

The report argues that the mandate will create energy shortages in California.

It found that nearly two-thirds of the state's electricity comes from sources the state does not consider renewable. It also found that the state will need to increase its electricity generation by 20.2% to comply with the EV mandate.

However, the state may actually need more, as the report does not factor in prohibitions on the sale of different gas-powered items.

Additionally, the report said that the state must increase its alternative energy supply by 86% to comply with the electric vehicle mandate.

The report says that developing the wind and solar necessary to comply with the mandate will require consumers to pay more for electricity.

Winegarden and Jackson argue that the state should repeal its mandates and instead focus on market-based climate change policies.

They argue that the state's politicians should promote more pragmatic solutions, including support for the "innovations required to secure a low-emission energy system," according to the release.

“Energy policy should not be crafted based on the whims of a few hundred policymakers who want to design the future,” Winegarden and Jackson said, according to the release. "To meet California’s clean energy goals and keep energy affordable, then promoting innovation must be the priority.”