Dive Summary:

• Recurrent Energy CEO Arno Harris reigns over a company with 2 gigawatts (GW) of solar projects in the pipeline and 700 megawatts (MW) of solar under construction.  As his company dives deeper into the renewables market, Harris is now talking about what it would take to get America to 70% renewables by 2050.
• “Cost is no longer a primary objection to renewables,” Harris told Greentech Media at Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) National Clean Energy Summit. "The limitation now is the design of the grid and its capability to accommodate renewable generation.”
• Getting California up to 51% renewables would be the linchpin to expanding an energy imbalance market across the Western states and developing a grid with flexibility in ramping and readily controllable demand response, Harris said.  “If you do it right, the modeling suggests you can get to 70% or 80% renewables."

From the article:

California Independent System Operator CEO Stephen Berberich has acknowledged that Governor Brown’s 33 percent renewables by 2020 target was intended as a floor, not a ceiling.

“California needs to set a requirement for 51 percent renewables and move forward at a steady pace,” Harris said. “Berberich has said the ISO’s role is to figure out how to get there.”