Cities in Motion #4
LA has the power
7 minute read
It all started with a simple question:
'How can cities become more sustainable?'
To help find an answer, we teamed up with Voice for Nature and sustainability broadcaster James Stewart. Together, and behind the wheel of IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6, we embarked on a journey in four cities to learn and be inspired.
This is the fourth of five articles on sustainable cities we visited, including London, Frankfurt, Jakarta, and Los Angeles. Read on to discover more about what James experienced during his travels and meet people dedicated to making a difference.
Cities as energy-savers
I am a great fan of nature and the countryside. There is nothing like trekking through a majestic alpine forest, walking along pristine beaches, or even exploring a country road. That said, my heart beats for cities. For me, a bustling metropolis produces an irresistible, pulsating energy where anything can happen and nothing is impossible. When channeled in the right direction, this combination of innovation, industry, diversity, and enthusiasm can make great things happen. However, cities require energy—a lot! In fact, today, the world’s cities are responsible for more than two-thirds of global energy use. To make cities more sustainable, livable, and in tune with changing climates, we must first start with decarbonizing our energy systems. What’s needed is a clean energy revolution, which is what led me to the sunny, sprawling streets of Los Angeles for this part of the series.
Is LA a sustainable city?
My journey through "The City of Angels" began on a sweltering morning. After charging the IONIQ 5 with a powerful dose of sunshine, I took the 220-mile round trip to Palm Springs to meet Ashley Christy, Executive Director of GRID Alternatives, Greater Los Angeles, and our energetic guide for the day.
At first glance, LA may not appear to be a well-known example of a sustainable city. Income inequality is rampant, as seen in the stark contrast in the quality of life in the various districts or sometimes within just a few blocks. Public transport is less attractive and developed than in other countries, leading to a high concentration of cars and the resulting traffic jams and smog. Fortunately, the City of Los Angeles has committed to 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2050. That said, I was not alone on the freeway with my IONIQ. In LA, BEVs are everywhere. Renewable energy is one of the sectors where Los Angeles is making the most progress.
A clean energy revolution
California has a long history of using renewable energy, but things have really accelerated in the last 15 years. The two "powerhouses" driving this energy transition are wind and solar. I got an impactful look at this transition up close in Palm Springs, where I was warmly greeted by the charismatic and easygoing Ashley. Looking back down the valley, I was reminded about the scale of California’s ambitious renewable energy commitment. Laid out for miles, busy spinning in the sun, was a seemingly countless array of wind turbines. It was breathtaking, beautiful, and inspiring all at once. The site has, in fact, become a tourist attraction, and Ashley had arranged for us to meet Thomas Spiglanin of Palm Springs Windmill Tours to give us an introduction to renewables in the area.
Just one windmill can power 1,500 homes
for a year.
Thomas Spiglanin of Palm Springs Windmill Tours
A new break-out role for Hyundai
The success story of this majestic wind park shows what is possible when organizations and local and federal governments come together and take on a collaborative mission mentality. Improvements in technology, as well as a series of green laws and business incentives, have led to a steady rise in clean energy production since the early 2000s, which has skyrocketed in the last few years. Standing directly under one of these quietly whirring giant turbines, Thomas informed us that just one windmill could power 1,500 homes for a year. He explained how around half of the power grid in LA is now renewable, which is up from 33% as recently as 2020.
The rise in solar energy has been particularly impressive, going from 0.5% in 2010 to producing enough electricity to meet the entire city’s power demand! And that is just the start. As part of the LA100 Study, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power plans to achieve a 100% renewable and carbon-free power grid for the city by 2045.
An equal opportunity transition
I was blown away by what had been achieved so far, but as I soon learned while driving back to LA with Ashley and her colleague Irina, there is another side to the story.
The rapid transition to renewable energy and its implementation have created a new economy, emerging markets, and a host of jobs. That said, there are concerns, including the environmental impact on fragile desert habitats and wildlife.
Another important factor in renewable energy is who controls it, who benefits, who is at risk the most, and what opportunities are still out there. This is why the work of GRID, whose dedicated staff are using the clean energy transition as an opportunity for social empowerment, is so important.
There are numerous underserved, low-income, "climate risk" neighborhoods across the city. These communities often live in the most polluted areas despite frequently being the least responsible for the resulting waste and its effects. Adding to this are high levels of unemployment and few training opportunities or means to break cycles of inequity. That’s where GRID comes in, which not only provides low cost or "no-cost" solar power for homes and communities in these neighborhoods but also offers training programs and employment for those who traditionally have fewer opportunities. This also includes those who have been in the prison system or are experiencing homelessness.
Home, sweet (Hyundai) home
With Ashley as my guide, we made our way to the Hyundai Home mockup. Compared to the vast scale of the wind and solar farms in Palm Springs, the petite, chalet-style houses, all with a row of large solar panels on their roofs, seemed relatively small.
However, as I learned from Ashley and Hyundai’s Ian Tupper, who warmly welcomed us, domestic and community energy is crucial to the clean energy transition.
Hyundai Home is a service that expands BEV’s energy significance by helping people produce, store, and use the energy generated at home. This involves providing solar panels, a battery system, and a home car charger. The setup benefits homeowners and, when multiplied by hundreds of thousands of homes, could create a more efficient and greener electricity grid across a city.
Hyundai Home is part of a system known as grid decentralization. Instead of relying on a handful of large and often distant central power plants transporting energy over long distances, a grid of diverse, localized energy sources is created. This leads to a more resilient system, which can also empower communities and individuals to become energy producers themselves rather than just consumers.
BEVs contributing to energy grids
With all the talk of renewable power and energy grids, I could not help but think about one of my favorite things about IONIQ vehicles, that being they are essentially enormous batteries.
Throughout the Series, my traveling companions and I have used the IONIQ’s vast charging capabilities time and time again. We’ve powered phones, laptops, filming equipment, an electric camp grill, electric bikes, and, during this episode, even a film projector! But that is just the beginning because BEVs and their enormous batteries can play an even more significant role in energy generation and distribution. The ability of BEVs to contribute to more robust and efficient grids can be seen in IONIQ’s new Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology, which Hyundai Motors is currently testing in Germany and the Netherlands. This technology enables energy already stored in BEV’s battery packs to be provided to an electricity network grid in times of high supply, such as during sunny days, and be distributed during times of low supply, for instance, on cloudy days.
My monthly energy bill is now only 4 dollars,
which is unreal.
SIRIS, HOMEOWNER AND GRID CUSTOMER
Involving everyone in the transition
My favorite part of the day spent with Ashley was visiting one of GRID’s solar installations in action. I was thrilled to get my own safety hat with my name and climb up on the roof to "help out," which is not as easy as you think. Typically, you need 13 weeks of training to take part. But the biggest treat was to talk with regular people who have benefited from GRID, like the homeowner, Siris, who recently had solar panels installed at her residence. While speaking with her, she told me that her energy bills had been considerably reduced since the installation.
Reducing the financial burden of energy, especially in low-income households can be life-changing. We also spoke with the trainees while they were busy prepping the panels. Gustavo looked forward to working on something his heart was in. LaNita explained the satisfaction of being able to contribute to a renewable footprint in my community. She also discussed the importance of having strong female mentors and leaders within GRID to help transition into a traditionally male-dominant landscape. What was clear was that the value of community initiatives like this goes beyond the personal.
I am happy to be able to contribute to a renewable footprint in
my community.
LaNita, GRID Employee
My time in LA proved once again that making cities more sustainable is not some monumental task. Cities have the power to generate and store energy, not just consume it. With the right mix of policies, innovative projects, and dedicated people like Thomas, Ian, Ashley, and Irina, the possibilities are endless.
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