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Electricity sources are tracked by the California Energy Commission, the 2024 report [0] shows the zero-carbon sources that make up this claim are:

  Nuclear     9.92%
  Large Hydro 11.06%
  Biomass     1.94%
  Geothermal  4.60%
  Small Hydro 1.52%
  Solar       21.30%
  Wind        11.89%
2% from biomass is suspect as a "zero-carbon" source, but the rest seems to be reasonably be zero carbon by today's standards.

[0] https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/califo...

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Biomass is zero carbon. It pulled all the carbon it will emit from the air already. Burning it simply returns what it had already recently removed.

One can even potentially pyrolize the biomass and get biochar, giving up some energy but making it carbon negative power source.


> Biomass is zero carbon.

Not correct. Biomass includes burning wood from new growth forests. If the trees were kept in the ground they would be carbon sinks rather than carbon stores, therefore the overall effect is an increase in emissions. Furthermore, there's energy expended in prepping the wood (e.g. turning the trees into wood pellets ready to burn) and in transporting the wood to the biomass power station.




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