Happy New Year from CalCom!

As we look ahead to 2019 we thought we’d share some of the reasons we’re optimistic for the New Year:

—Our customers. CalCom would like to recognize our many customers in the agricultural and water industries who are taking the initiative to construct sustainability plans that include solar and who are reducing carbon emissions on behalf of us all.

—The 2018 Farm Bill, passed just under the bell in December, includes support for the Rural Energy for America Program, which enables the spread of renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements throughout America’s heartland. The farm bill also includes provisions for agricultural research and conservation programs critical to ensuring the productivity and sustainability of farms and the domestic food supply.

—California’s energy leadership got another boost this year with the passage of Senate Bill 100, a plan to derive all the state’s retail electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The plan sends a signal to industry and many other states who have since made similar pledges to meet the goals of the Paris Accord on Climate Change. And dozens of cities now have plans to go 100% renewable.

—Companies are choosing renewable energy over fossil-fuel based sources. Some of the largest corporate buyers are tech companies like Amazon and Google, who are driving to generate 100% renewable energy, not just purchasing green electrons to make up for the dirty energy they use.

—The future is also looking brighter for water in California as federal, state and local agencies signed a series of agreements designed to resolve the conflicts that have vexed the state for decades. These agreements are thought to be the first step to more reliable water flows for residents and farmers in eastern Tulare County.

Reliable water flows for farm irrigation can help forestall the effects of drought, which can in turn contribute to a vicious cycle of negative environmental impacts.

For the agriculture sector, which generates 9% of carbon emissions in the U.S. according to the EPA, moving to a renewably powered future is one critical way farms and ag operators can reduce their emissions while reducing costs at the same time.

Happy New Year!