California solar and wind power

California Democratic leaders want their state to commit to a future of 100 percent renewable electricity, a goal approved so far by only one U.S. state—Hawaii.

Top officials in both places hope their policies will serve as a model for others as the Trump administration rejects actions on climate change.

California and Hawaii offer very different models for committing their power sectors to clean electricity. They differ on everything from mandate deadlines to what’s considered renewable.

“For the country as a whole it shows the laboratory effect of having states take the lead on this issue,” said Ethan Elkind, director of the climate program at the University of California, Berkeley, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. “As Hawaii and California take the lead, it will provide examples of how it can be done for other states, both good and bad.”

Hawaii passed its 100 percent renewable electricity mandate with a 2045 target two years ago. The Aloha State at the time had no blueprint for how to make it happen. Much of it […]