The Central Valley has a long legacy of being an innovative energy leader. Energy production and agricultural prowess have built the foundation of our leadership — both industries creating a century’s worth of jobs and economic prosperity in the region. As California moves away from traditional fuels and toward cleaner sources to reduce emissions, we’re matching investments in renewable sources like solar and wind to remain the state’s energy producer.
We are proud that our region’s energy landscape is diverse and reliable, allowing us to attract clean energy investments and fulfill our vision for immense economic growth and significant benefits to our communities.
In Tehachapi, we host the country’s largest wind farm, Alta Wind Energy Centre, which generates up to 1550 megawatts — enough to power 1.1 million homes. In Lemoore, America’s largest solar project, Westlands Solar Park, generates enough electricity for another 2.2 million homes. The state’s largest renewable natural gas (RNG) plant has also been proposed in McFarland, which would increase local production and use of biodiesel, providing 230 million gallons of biofuel per year. We are also welcoming growing investments in carbon management projects in Kern County to further solidify our position as energy leaders.
These projects and others throughout the Central Valley will reduce millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, which will lead to better, cleaner air and improved health outcomes, especially for those individuals living with asthma and respiratory illness. Clean energy projects also mean good-paying jobs and a boost in our economy. These projects strengthen our in-state energy production, building local energy reliability and energy independence and security nationwide.
We’re also on the cusp of leading California’s hydrogen market. Hydrogen has the ability to replace diesel and natural gas, without the emissions. That means cleaner farm equipment and goods movement, impacting trucks leaving our region for seaports.
The federal government recently awarded California’s hydrogen hub — the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) — $1.2 billion to develop and distribute clean, renewable hydrogen. ARCHES projects are dotted up and down our Valley and will bring with them over 220,000 well-paying jobs and clean energy job training to the workforce. In Orange Cove, city leaders are proactively working with energy partners to demonstrate how hydrogen can blend into California’s existing natural gas systems to safely power homes and businesses. At the direction of the state, this demonstration project will show the growing demand for renewable energy like hydrogen and its impact on both growing the local economy and contributing to meeting California’s energy goals.
We continue to lead in implementing innovative solutions to ensure we can produce and deliver affordable, reliable energy to those who need it.
In this new moment, our energy industry must meet increasing demand while also reducing emissions and diversifying existing energy production. As Central Valley communities grow and our economy thrives, we must pursue these investments and key collaborations with our established partners. We’re fortunate to partner with our energy partners, including regulated utilities, that bring decades of institutional knowledge and expertise producing and delivering energy to power our communities. These partners have the knowledge and an intense focus on safety needed to continue reliable energy production.
We are not just participants in the energy revolution — we are leaders and stewards of a sustainable future. Successfully implementing these projects will hinge on broad community engagement, aligned with political support and continued investments that center the Valley’s residents and local objectives for cleaner air, revitalized economic activity and more high-wage jobs. We look forward to our continued coordination with state agencies and our energy partners who are guiding these projects.
Even now, California’s Legislature is taking steps toward further unlocking our clean energy economy by recognizing the need for more investments in renewable energy, new infrastructure and technologies. We have made remarkable progress with renewables like solar and wind, but to meet the state’s net-zero goals by 2045, the state will need to match investments in clean, renewable hydrogen as well.
There is real momentum throughout the state to meet those goals, and scaling hydrogen production and streamlining permitting for these renewable projects will accelerate the state’s progress.
In the Central Valley, we are leaning into that momentum and should seize the opportunity to see the far-reaching benefits of new renewable energy projects for a cleaner, more energized tomorrow.
