The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved the conversion of a natural gas power plant to a new hydrogen system, despite concerns from opponents that the new system might not produce enough power and might even worsen the environment.
The proposal is a part of the “Green New Deal” that former mayor Eric Garcetti adopted, which calls for closing three natural gas plants in favor of “renewable” energy. This was done in spite of criticism that solar and wind power would not be adequate and that the move would result in the loss of thousands of union jobs.
Although officials have admitted that the technology might not be available right immediately, burning 100% green hydrogen is the city’s ultimate goal. This implies that natural gas, a greenhouse gas, may make up a larger portion of the initial fuel mix at Scattergood than hydrogen.
The state’s ambition of 100% renewable energy by 2045 is even more extreme than the city’s goal of producing 100% “clean” electricity by 2035, albeit a recent state analysis revealed there is no plan to achieve it.
