On September 6, the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) hosted its 10-year anniversary celebration. During the event, attended by over 200 public agencies, SoCalREN recognized the City of Palmdale for its commitment to advancing sustainable energy initiatives. The City was the selected recipient of the Extraordinary Emission Reduction Award.
“The Extraordinary Emission Reduction Award is a fitting accolade for the City of Palmdale,” said CalChoice Executive Director Jason Caudle. “The City has shown an ongoing commitment to advancing renewable energy to benefit the community, especially with the launch of its community choice aggregation (CCA) program: Energy for Palmdale’s Independent Choice (EPIC)”.
Beyond establishing a CCA program, Palmdale has worked closely with SoCalREN on other sustainable initiatives. The City has saved around $1.4 million annually and reduced energy consumption by over 30%, equal to 7.5 GWh per year. Their projects include lighting upgrades, mechanical improvements, pool covers, and boiler replacements. Each project continues to benefit the community through cost and energy savings, as well as greenhouse gas reductions and job creation.
“To receive this award on behalf of the City of Palmdale was remarkable,” said the City of Palmdale’s Innovation and Environmental Manager Benjamin Lucha. “I am constantly in awe of what this team works to accomplish in the name of sustainability. Our future continues to look bright, and I am excited to see what the City of Palmdale and EPIC are able to achieve in the years to come.”