Solar power solutions continue to catch on in California as more people are discovering the incredible benefits of renewable energy sources. This is good news for anyone who cares about environmental issues and energy independence.

California ISO, the agency that runs most of the state’s power grid, announced through Twitter on May 23 that solar power hit a statewide peak of 1,872 megawatts (MW) of generation. This means that enough solar energy was flowing into the grid to power air conditioning for every Los Angeles resident, according to Rewire, a blog that tracks the renewable energy industry. Only a few hours later, another record was broken as the amount of solar energy flowing into the grid climbed to 1,897 MW.

The source points out that this number refers to power generated from wholesale systems and does not include solar energy generated from rooftop arrays on homes and businesses. Electricity from residential panel arrays shows up instead as reduced demand.

This is a major step forward for energy production in the state, but more progress must be made if residents want to tackle the problem of climate change and price instability. Currently, only 12 percent of the electricity produced in the United States is derived from renewable sources, and only a small portion of that comes from solar panels. This is true in spite of the fact that solar energy emits no greenhouse gases and relies on the limitless resources of the sun.

If you’re interested in learning how your home or business can lower its energy bills while contributing to a reduction in pollution, contact West Coast Solar for more information.