The 2020GreenEnergy Plan
Certification of CEInet Components
The California Energy Agencies (CEA) will establish Certification standards for CEInet components, including CleanGreenEnergy Sources.
The issues to be addressed regarding Certification include, but are not limited to:
As California's present power grid evolves into CEInet, one component at a time, only Certified components will be regarded as part of CEInet. As components of the California grid which cannot be Certified are replaced, CEInet will, by the year 2020, constitute the entire California power grid.
The completed CEInet will continue to evolve to meet California’s future needs and as technology advances. Certification requirements will evolve as well, and will mandate the replacement of out-of-date components with newer ones.
Certified CleanGreenEnergy Sources, which will be CEInet’s most important components, have some special issues: to be Certified, an energy source must be fully renewable, and must be one of several specific types, including solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biomass, and perhaps others. For each of these energy types, specific criteria must be met:
Photovoltaic solar installations will have the fewest constraints. They can be placed just about anywhere there is sufficient sunlight. Their primary limitation will involve restrictions on the cutting of trees to allow their placement.
Wind turbines will be required to meet strict wing noise limitations based on their swept area and their location. Their gearboxes and other mechanical elements must be quiet. Large units may not be located on flyways of migratory birds.
Other types of renewable energy have potentially serious environmental impacts which must be fully mitigated before they can be Certified.