As the city’s top clean energy supplier, Avantus is helping Los Angeles build a 100% renewables grid and usher in the nation’s clean energy future

LOS ANGELES — October 13, 2022 Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, founder and CEO of clean energy leader Avantus, has been named to the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Business Council (LABC), one of the most effective and influential business voices in California. For over 80 years, the LABC has had a major impact on public policy by harnessing the power of business and government to promote progress in the Los Angeles region in the areas of energy, housing and economic development.

“Avantus has a strong commitment to Los Angeles and our clean energy future, which is why we are so pleased to have Dr. Buttgenbach join the LABC Board,” said Mary Leslie, LABC president. “He shares our belief that sustainability and economic growth go hand in hand and we are excited for Dr. Buttgenbach to build upon on our progress here in Los Angeles and help us reach the city’s goals of running on 100% renewables by 2035.”

Dr. Buttgenbach joins leaders from UCLA, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Cedars-Sinai Health System and other leading organizations on the LABC Board. He has also regularly served as a panel speaker at the organization’s annual Sustainability Summit, a high-level convening of leaders in one of the most environmentally forward-thinking cities of the world.

Avantus (formerly 8minute) is Los Angeles’ leading supplier of clean energy, with approximately 10% of the city’s daytime energy provided by solar projects developed and built by the company. Its track record in California has led the industry towards unprecedented milestones, including developing the largest solar cluster in the nation and the first operating solar plant to beat fossil fuel prices.

A critical player in achieving the state’s ambitious clean energy goals, Avantus is on track to provide more than half of California’s utility-scale solar and energy storage demand over the next decade.

“I am proud to be a part of the LABC Board and help advance its impressive leadership on renewable energy, in our hometown and beyond. Los Angeles is the driving force in our nation’s energy transition, supporting innovation and bold expansion of large-scale, high-impact projects, which is core to what we do at Avantus. We look forward to partnering with LABC and other stakeholders to help meet Los Angeles’ goal of 100% clean energy by 2035, and the state to reach that benchmark by 2045,” said Dr. Buttgenbach. “LABC is a bold leader in the business community on embracing sustainable business practices. We know confronting the realities of climate change head-on is not a business limitation, but a competitive advantage. The energy transition is spurring innovation that will continue to set Los Angeles and California apart as global leaders for decades to come.”

Avantus counts every major utility and energy provider in California and Nevada among its customers, including LADWP, Clean Power Alliance and Southern California Edison (SCE). With more than 90 projects currently in development, Avantus has one of the largest pipelines of solar and energy storage projects in the United States, exceeding 50 gigawatts (GW) of system capacity, including 42 GW of solar and 78 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of energy storage, enough to provide clean, reliable power for more than 30 million people throughout California, Texas and the Southwestern United States.