A new draft plan by the California Air Resources Board was released on Tuesday that lays out an ambitious roadmap for achieving carbon neutrality in the state by 2045.
Called the 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan, the guide highlights the necessity for a comprehensive shift away from fossil fuels across all sectors, notably households, businesses, and transportation.
The plan suggests the state require all new homes to have electric appliances starting in 2026 and new businesses by 2029. For existing homes, 80% of appliance sales should be electric by 2030 and 100% by 2035. As noted by TIME, this, coupled with the plan’s stringent transportation regulations, would put a significant new demand on the electric grid, which would require California to rapidly scale up solar power and storage options. Hydrogen infrastructure would also need to expand.
The plan is not final, however. It will undergo a public comment process and political appointees who comprise the air board will decide whether to make changes. In addition, the state legislature and other regulatory bodies need to agree to put the policies in place.
The 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan aligns with state law Senate Bill 350, which established renewable energy, clean air, and carbon reduction goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990-levels by 2030 and to 80 percent below 1990-levels by 2050.
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