At the Southern California Regional Energy Network’s (SoCalREN) 10-year anniversary celebration, public agencies were invited to listen and learn about issues affecting California’s energy sector. The City of Palmdale’s Innovation and Environmental Manager Benjamin Lucha spoke on the SoCalREN Success Story panel along with 4 panelists from other agencies across the state.

The SoCalREN Success Story panel highlighted energy pioneers and industry leaders who are accelerating the transition to clean energy. Panelists shared their stories and work throughout their community to highlight efforts that make a cleaner and greener future possible.

“I’d like to thank SoCalREN for hosting such a terrific event and for being such a valued partner over the years,” said Lucha. “It was an honor to participate in a thoughtful leadership conversation. I look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future to continue executing impactful projects that align with Palmdale’s energy efficiency goals.”

Benjamin Lucha has worked with the City of Palmdale for over 16 years and has extensive experience in managing projects and grant programs. He advocated for local regional grants to address illegal dumping and spearheaded the acquisition of 18,000 streetlights and retrofitting all of the lights to light emitting diode (LED) lights, to ensure that they were compliant with the American Medical Association and Dark Skies initiative. He also was a key leader in establishing the City’s CCA program, Energy for Palmdale’s Independent Choice (EPIC).

“The work Lucha produces exemplifies what it means to be a sustainable leader,” CalChoice Executive Director Jason Caudle. “We continue to see the City and its community choice aggregation (CCA) program, EPIC, pursue opportunities that will strengthen the environment and bring benefits to its residents. The City of Palmdale should be proud of the work and dedication made by each staff member.”

To learn more about SoCalREN, click here. And to see what EPIC and the City of Palmdale has in store for a sustainable future, visit their website.