Five years ago, Councilmember Paul Krekorian initiated LA100, a historic effort to move Los Angeles to 100 percent clean, carbon-free energy, through a motion he introduced with his colleague Mike Bonin. That motion led to an intensive planning process, including a partnership between LADWP and the National Renewable Energy Lab, which proved that the 100 percent clean energy goal is feasible and both environmentally and economically advantageous. Last week, the Council approved a motion introduced by Councilmember Krekorian and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell requiring that LADWP achieve the LA100 goal by 2035.
Krekorian compared this early stage of LA100 with the pledge made by President Kennedy in 1961 to land a man on the Moon by the end of the decade — a pledge that some believed to be too aggressive, but that nonetheless inspired a generation and transformed the nation and its economy. “When we started this process, many argued that this goal was too untested, too difficult, or too expensive,” said Councilmember Krekorian. “LA100 has proven them wrong, and LA is now poised to lead the nation in the move to clean energy.”
The City Council’s Energy, Climate Change, Environmental Justice, & Los Angeles River Committee recently received a detailed update from the LADWP on its strategy to reach the 2035 target. Among the highlights, the LADWP shared plans to:
- Complete 10 critical transmission projects over 10 years to bring clean solar, wind and hydro energy into the LA Basin
- Build over 1,000 megawatts of energy storage by 2030 to ensure grid reliability
- Install charging capacity to accommodate more than a half million electric vehicles by 2030
- Add 3,000 megawatts of new renewable generating capacity to meet interim goals of 80% renewable energy and 97% free of greenhouse gas emissions.