Los Angeles - A Global Energy Pioneer

Los Angeles aims to be a global trendsetter in renewables and
sustainability with a goal of going 100% renewable by 2035. In
this episode of Grid Talk, host Marty Rosenberg talks with Lauren
Faber O’Connor who is the Chief Sustainability Officer for the
City of Los Angeles. The discussion focuses on how L.A. is
achieving its goal.


“We have the power within this city to be able to do that because
we control our energy operations through municipal utilities so
it’s an incredibly exciting process,” said O’Connor. 


Ms. O’Connor also talks about the scale of the project and the
impacts beyond Los Angeles.


“Not only are we doing right by Angelinos by leading the charge
and really making sure that we are ushering in a clean and
reliable and affordable energy system, but we know that what we
do in LA has reverberations way beyond our border. Climate change
is indeed a global challenge and so what we do here really matter
from a global stage.” 


“We are moving markets when it comes to our pursuit of renewable
energy of distributed local clean generation. New technologies
that we’re piloting here in Los Angeles – it has the ability to
really move and commercialize new types of technology that’s
going to be needed not just in LA but anywhere else.”


Ms. O’Connor has spent her career working on environmental issues
from serving as West Coast Political Director for the
Environmental Defense Fund to being appointed Assistant Secretary
for Climate Change Programs at the California Environmental
Protection Agency. 


Ms. O’Connor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Earth Systems and
Economics from Stanford University, and Master’s degree in
Climate and Society from Columbia University.