Building a Market to Support the Clean Energy Transition in California
Challenge
California set an ambitious goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2045, requiring a diverse and reliable energy mix to accomplish this vision. However, realizing this goal required more than just technological innovation—it demanded the creation of a new marketplace and an industry trade group that could unify private companies, environmental NGOs, government agencies, and labor unions. Key challenges included aligning diverse stakeholders, defining clear permitting roadmaps, and ensuring regulatory frameworks supported long-term clean energy investments. To address these issues, a strong and collaborative industry voice was needed to accelerate the clean energy transition while maintaining economic and environmental balance.
Approach
As a founding member and former Board Chair of Offshore Wind California “OWC” (2019 – 2023), Paula Major played a central role in establishing an industry group and the development of a market to support the clean energy transition. Her efforts focused on fostering collaboration, streamlining development, and advocating for policies that would create a strong foundation for clean energy growth:
Establishing an Industry Trade Group: Offshore Wind California was formed to unify key stakeholders—private companies, environmental NGOs, labor unions, and government agencies—ensuring that offshore wind development contributed effectively to California’s clean energy transition.
Driving Policy and Market Development: OWC played a pivotal role in setting the stage for offshore wind energy as part of the broader clean energy mix, successfully advocating for the adoption of California’s 25 GW offshore wind target.
Regulatory and Legislative Advocacy: OWC led efforts to secure critical approvals from regulatory bodies like the California Coastal Commission and worked with legislative leaders to develop policies that would accelerate permitting and development for clean energy projects.
Building a Unified Voice: Through her leadership, OWC brought together the American Clean Power Association (ACP) and Oceantic to collaborate with state and federal agencies, ensuring a coordinated and efficient approach to clean energy deployment.
Engaging Key Stakeholders: Recognizing the importance of cross-sector collaboration, OWC worked closely with labor unions, local communities, and environmental groups to build broad-based support for clean energy development.
Thought Leadership and Public Engagement: Paula Major chaired the 2022 Pacific Offshore Wind Summit and participated in numerous industry panels across Oceantic’s International Partnering Forum, and America Clean Power’s Offshore Wind Conference, sharing insights on how to build a sustainable, responsible, and economically viable clean energy industry.
Leveraging Global Expertise: Drawing on her company’s extensive experience in European offshore wind development, Paula Major championed best practices to streamline project development and ensure California’s transition to clean energy was efficient and effective.
Results
Market Creation: Offshore Wind California played a crucial role in establishing the foundation for an offshore wind sector, ensuring it was integrated into the broader clean energy transition.
Policy and Legislative Wins: Between 2019 and 2022, OWC helped advance policies that facilitated clean energy planning, leasing, and permitting, reinforcing California’s leadership in renewable energy.
Regulatory Progress: Key approvals from the California Coastal Commission and other regulatory bodies provided clarity and direction for future clean energy projects.
Stakeholder Alignment: By uniting industry, government, labor, and environmental advocates, OWC created a collaborative and productive environment for advancing the clean energy agenda.
Industry Recognition and Momentum: The Pacific Offshore Wind Summit and other public engagements helped drive industry awareness and accelerate momentum for offshore wind and clean energy development.
Impact
Through strategic leadership, coalition-building, and advocacy, Paula Major and the Offshore Wind California leadership team successfully established a industry and trade group that advanced the clean energy transition. Their efforts not only helped shape California’s offshore wind industry but also set a model for stakeholder collaboration, policy development, and market creation in the broader clean energy landscape. By leveraging global expertise and fostering an efficient, collaborative approach, OWC ensured that California’s transition to clean energy remained a strategic, streamlined, and forward-thinking initiative.
