California’s Green Energy Ambitions: Floundering or the Future?

California is one of the largest oil producers in the US, though in recent years, the state has pivoted towards green energy, drawing commentary from officials and commentators on the state of the program.

Newsom’s Stance: In a guest editorial published in The Wall Street Journal Opinion (Lean Right bias), California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom noted that “more than two-thirds of California’s electricity now comes from clean sources such as solar, wind and geothermal,” and made the case that this “is the path to a more secure, affordable and healthy future.” Newsom encouraged other states to follow California’s lead, which he said was “on track… until President Trump came along.” He added, “Mr. Trump and Republicans want to take us back to the days of dirty coal and lung cancer. But the future is—and always will be—cheap, abundant, clean power.”

Unsustainable Future: In an opinion for Fox News (Right), Daniel Turner ran through “Three reasons California’s green energy campaign is dying on the vine.” He cited a rising gas tax, the closing of oil refineries, and “extreme green policies” such as “forcing drivers into electric vehicles” as the three main prongs of his argument. Turner framed his analysis through the following context: “Blessed with incredible natural resources, the Golden State has the highest living costs in the nation. Nowhere is this trend more evident than in energy, where there is a direct correlation between Newsom’s wrong-headed policies and overall unaffordability.”

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