SMUD CEO & General Manager Paul Lau
In the nearly 40 years I’ve worked at SMUD, I’ve seen some great environmental achievements. From smart grid technology and electric vehicle deployment to battery storage and solar installations, SMUD has always been at the forefront of reducing carbon while benefitting the community. In 2018 we hit our goal of reducing our carbon emissions by 50% from 1990 levels. That’s the equivalent of removing 377,000 vehicles from the road. Today we boast a power mix that is about 50% carbon free. Yet despite SMUD and others working hard to improve air quality in our region over the years, Sacramento is currently rated as the sixth worst city in the U.S. for ozone pollution. So clearly, there’s more we must all do.
I’ve never been prouder of the work SMUD is doing to improve the quality of life for the people we serve. Our goal of achieving zero carbon in our power supply by 2030 is the most ambitious of any large utility in the United States. But it’s much more than just a number. Our 2030 Zero Carbon Plan puts SMUD front and center on the path to tackle the health, environmental and social impacts of carbon emissions in a collaborative and inclusive way that delivers wide benefits to all communities.
When I think about what this means, to be the first large utility in the nation to reach zero carbon power, I‘m reminded SMUD has never shied away from a challenge. In fact, fostering a culture of innovation and spearheading new energy solutions, while serving the best interests of our community, is what defines us. We’re known for setting game-changing goals and achieving them.
In that regard, we’re always looking for new and emerging technologies, even those that may not be market-ready now but show great promise for the near future. These include biofuels, thermal/battery hybrids, pre- and post-combustion carbon capture and storage, power-to-gas, hydrogen and methane and long-duration storage.
However, technology is only part of the equation. We also need creative and groundbreaking solutions for our community’s social well-being, including ideas that provide access to health services and education, promote EV and zero-emission infrastructure, as well as help supply the skills training needed for workforce development in a green economy, especially in our most under-resourced neighborhoods.
That’s why to achieve our zero-carbon goal, no solutions are off the table. Instead, we’ve set a bigger table. We have spent the past eight months getting input from our customers and consulting with industry experts and regional partners on how we can best achieve our zero-carbon goal. We continue to support our customers’ investments in rooftop solar and batteries, and pioneer new technologies like vehicle-to-grid and virtual power plants.
But we’re also inviting startup businesses and organizations that can provide fresh ideas, cutting-edge strategies and new business models to join us. We know that by uniting all our resources, we’ll be able to accelerate zero carbon solutions, create well-paying jobs in the clean energy sector and put Sacramento on the map as the place for green businesses to grow.
It’s an exciting time to be in Sacramento, especially for innovative startups who want to help lead the way to a clean energy future and make our community a model for the rest of the country to follow.
Watch Zero Carbon Vision 2030 Video
Learn more at CleanPowerCity.org or contact us at zerocarbon@smud.org.
About Paul Lau
Paul Lau was named SMUD’s CEO & General Manager in October 2020. A nationally and internationally recognized expert in emerging energy technologies, Lau previously served as chief grid strategy and operations officer since 2015. In that capacity, he had responsibility for SMUD’s power supply and distributed energy resources strategies, including the operating strategies of SMUD’s generation, transmission and distribution systems. A 39-year SMUD veteran, Lau received his bachelor’s degree in electrical power engineering from California State University, Sacramento.
