California Governor Gavin Newsom has slammed President Donald Trump for holding the U.S. back in the global clean energy race, as California's battery storage increased 2,100% since Newsom took office in 2019.
‘Reckless Energy Agenda,' Says Gavin Newsom
In an appearance at the COP30 Summit in Brazil last week, Newsom criticized Trump, saying that his "reckless energy agenda puts China first and America last." He added that Trump's policy is letting China seize the clean energy economy and high-paying jobs.
"While Donald Trump is failing, the Golden State is leading," Newsom said, adding that California is leading the clean energy sector through more clean energy deployments, investing in grid infrastructure and making it "even more affordable."
17,000 MW Worth Of Deployments
In a post on the social media platform X on Saturday, Newsom hailed California's growth in the sector. "California now has nearly 17,000 megawatts of battery storage – reaching one-third of the way to our 2045 goal," adding that California is "deploying more battery storage than any state in America."
"The rapid expansion of California's battery storage is central to its strategy for reaching the goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2045," California's government had said in a recent statement.
Energy storage has been gaining traction in the U.S., as Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), during its third-quarter earnings call, showcased that it recorded a 44% growth in its revenue from its energy storage venture. Redwood Materials, founded by Tesla co-founder JB Straubell, also secured $350 million in funding for the startup. The company works with recycling EV batteries as well as energy storage solutions.
Newsom Criticizes Trump's Oil Drilling Plans
Newsom recently slammed the Trump administration's decision to reportedly expand offshore drilling in California. "As it relates to offshore oil drilling, it’s overwhelmingly opposed by members of all political parties in the state of California," Newsom said.
Sean Duffy vs Gavin Newsom Over CDLs
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed Newsom's administration for reportedly issuing commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) to undocumented foreign workers and drivers following the fatal accident in Florida when a truck driver took an illegal U-turn on a highway, which resulted in three fatalities.
Duffy said that the Department of Transportation (DOT) was "reprimanding California for violating FMCSA's [Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration] ORIGINAL rules."
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