Zora Chung

Just wrapped an energizing conversation with Molly Wood and Ray Henger at RE+. We’re living through a moment of unprecedented change where AI, electrification and policy shifts are rewriting the rules of energy planning. At Edison International, we started preparing more than a decade ago, but today’s pace of acceleration has reshaped how we think about forecasting. Southern California Edison (SCE) is expecting 35% load growth by 2035 and 80% by 2045, relative to 2022. That’s why it’s building a smarter, more adaptive grid — supported by AI — to help anticipate and respond to change in real time. But technology alone isn’t enough. We need faster siting and permitting, aligned federal and state policies and a shared commitment to affordability. Society cannot wait until the need for power becomes acute. We must plan proactively across a broader range of future scenarios so that the clean energy transition is swift, equitable and resilient. Thanks to Molly for guiding such a thoughtful discussion and to Ray for the insights and partnership. #REplus25 #CleanEnergy #electrification #AI #innovation

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The High-Carbon Truth Behind A ‘Green’ California Microgrid The Calistoga hydrogen microgrid is being sold as clean resilience for wildfire outages, but the numbers tell a different story. The hydrogen is shipped in from Georgia, made with grid electricity that already has a carbon footprint. CleanTechnica article: https://lnkd.in/gDNcA4FP By the time it is liquefied, trucked across the country, and run through a fuel cell at only 50% efficiency, the result is electricity with a carbon intensity far higher than the California grid and even worse than a modern diesel generator. Public money paid for it anyway, with $46 million approved for a town that could have had a far cheaper solar and battery solution. Instead, firms like Plug Power and Energy Vault get another revenue stream, while residents get power that is dirtier and more expensive than the grid it is meant to back up. Hydrogen keeps finding its way into projects like this because it makes for a good ribbon-cutting photo and a steady flow of subsidies. But if we care about affordable energy, resilience and emissions, solar and batteries win every time.

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Back in the early 2000s, commercial solar in California was going in at about $4.26 per watt DC. Today, you’ll hear numbers like $1.20–$1.80/W thrown around. That’s may be real for utility-scale solar farms, but it’s not what you see on commercial rooftops with prevailing wage. Those projects are landing closer to $2.50–$3.50/W, sometimes higher once you factor in labor, overhead, and everything it takes to actually build. Panels got cheaper. Racking got simpler. Financing matured. But labor, permitting, and compliance aren’t free. This photo is a reminder of how we were building these early systems; conduit everywhere, heavy labor, but built to last. Many of those arrays are now hitting end-of-life or being triggered by obsolete central inverters coupled with roof replacement. The real conversation isn’t just about what it cost then vs. now. It’s about what it will take to repower, remove, or reimagine these sites moving forward. That’s the next 20 years of solar. #Solar #Repowering

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Energy Vault (NYSE: NRGV) is expanding into the Eastern U.S. utility market with a landmark contract from Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider. We’ll deliver 75 MW/300 MWh of battery energy storage in Iosco and Bay Counties—supporting grid reliability and renewable integration for Michigan’s clean energy future. Battery deliveries start in Q4 2025; commercial operation expected by Q4 2026. https://lnkd.in/g8MXuQ4e

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2025 Top Solar Contractor TENCO SOLAR found a way to install 1 MW of solar for a California asphalt manufacturer using the storage units across the street — and virtual net-metering. Read the story here! https://lnkd.in/giJR-ydM

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