Recurring gas-spewing power plants on a drive through the countryside is an unfortunate common encounter for many Californians.
With many California homes and lives fueled by natural gasses, California is the number one most air-polluted state in America according to AirCare. California, primarily running on natural gas, expels hundreds of millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. Transitioning to renewable energies is a big step towards solving this problem.
In sunny California, solar energy is one of the most useful energy sources to use, with Forbes calling it the most solar-friendly state. According to EnergySage, solar is one of the cheaper renewable energy sources, making it an ideal option for replacing natural gases. Solar energy has become increasingly popular in California but the availability is still low. Personal installment of solar panels in homes can cost tens of thousands of dollars and have limited availability to most Californians due to this high price. Replacing existing plants with solar plants can generate cleaner energy to run homes and Bloomberg states it costs less to implement new renewable energy projects than to continue operating existing coal plants.
Electric-powered transportation such as cars, trains, and bikes, have proved that they can replace gas-powered alternatives. There have been worries about the high original cost, charging, or driving range for electric cars but these are misconceptions. Running on electricity instead of gas can help save lots of money in the long run, especially with current high gas prices. Electric charging stations have also now surpassed the number of gas stations that allow electric car charging to be more convenient. The average range of batteries used in electric cars have been increasing as well and is now beginning to compare to some popular gas cars. As technology is improving and evolving, cars such as the new VISION EQXX Concept by Mercedes can have an over 620-mile range, which clearly shows the potential for these types of vehicles in the future.
Different alternatives to fuel or coal-powered have been available for hundreds of years and it is the time to take action and begin converting. Using renewable energies can reduce carbon emissions, create more job opportunities by introducing new fields, and lower energy costs overall.
Renewable energies are the future of California. The ongoing battle between air pollution from steaming power plants all over the state can be solved step by step by transitioning California’s fuel and coal economy to clean energy such as solar, wind, or hydroelectric.
