The Future is Bright for Renewable Energy

By Jacquie Henderson, Director of Communications & External Affairs

This October, 300 of southern California’s brightest minds in energy gathered for the 15^th Annual Energy Event hosted by Sustain SoCal. This unique symposium, hosted right here in Orange County, brings together leaders from across sectors to discuss the latest developments in energy and sustainability.

The day was packed with back-to-back presentations, including updates on renewable hydrogen from the CEO of ARCHES, and separate updates on battery storage and nuclear from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Seeing all these elements from the renewable energy toolbox together reiterated the diverse portfolio of resources California has in its grasp to achieve the goal of 100% clean energy by 2045. In fact, the state is well on its way. Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, who Chairs the Assembly’s Committee on Utilities and Energy and the Select Committee on Green Innovation and Entrepreneurship, kicked off the event with the reminder that California hit a clean energy milestone this year: 100 days where electricity demand was supplied by 100% renewable energy for at least part of the day. Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan followed up with the wider view, that 20% of electricity nationwide is clean energy and growing.

I’m proud that Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) is playing a key role in this acceleration – for the health of our communities and the health of our planet. We are leading the clean energy conversation for our county, and at the 15^th Annual Energy Event where we hosted the panel How Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is Energizing Local Communities. Director of Power Resources Louis Ting shared that CCAs are becoming a main provider of energy in California, 26% to be exact. Combine this with public-owned municipalities and the total retail energy load is over 50%.

Not to be forgotten is the need for grid modernization and resilience. Southern California Edison presented on this very topic, highlighting that electricity demand is expected to increase between 56% and 82% in the countdown to 2045. 

And yet, the topic of affordability remains paramount. Ninety percent of Californians have seen their energy bill increase over the past three years. CCAs are not only saving customers money on their bills by offering lower cost generation rates than investor-owned generation rates – OCPA alone has saved customers $14.59 million in two years across our three energy plans – they are advocating at the state and local level for increased financing and cost transparency. As a community energy provider, OCPA is on the ground building relationships with the customers we serve to learn their needs firsthand. And attending events like Sustain SoCal’s, where energy experts share how they are helping solve the state’s most pressing problems, is where we gain the knowledge to support our local communities in the clean energy transition.

About Orange County Power Authority

The Orange County Power Authority is a not-for-profit public agency that offers clean power at competitive rates, significantly reducing energy-related greenhouse emissions and enabling reinvestment in local energy programs. To learn more, visit www.ocpower.org.