Two major utility providers serving millions of customers in Southern California and Canada recently struck membership agreements with the California Mobility Center.
The CMC is a nonprofit, public-private entity focused on innovations in clean technology. The center partners with clean technology leaders with the goal of making the Sacramento region an innovative hub in the global development of transportation technologies and manufacturing through its research center and prototype development lab.
One of the center's newest members is utility provider Southern California Edison, which is a subsidiary of Edison International (NYSE: EIX) and is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California.
Caroline Choi, senior vice president of corporate affairs for Southern California Edison, said the company has been paying attention to the mobility center since its launch, with a particular focus on the development of new clean technologies.
She said Southern California Edison intends to leverage best practices, innovation advancements and thought leadership that the mobility center provides, and to tap into the center's member and preferred service provider network, while lending its own state and national relationships to accelerate future mobility systems.
"The idea is that once we get to know the team and what is offered at the CMC, we will then be able to leverage the expertise there down here," she said.
Another opportunity Southern California Edison's membership provides is with workforce development, including training and development opportunities, Choi said.
Alectra Utilities, which is the largest municipally owned utility company in Canada, is also a new member of the California Mobility Center.
Neetika Sathe, vice president of Alectra's Green Energy and Technology Centre, said the Canadian government has mandated that 100% of new cars and passenger trucks be zero emission by 2035. She said joining the mobility center as a member was a no-brainer for the utility provider.
"There's so much to learn from the California market, so this was an awesome opportunity for us to partner and collaborate with the CMC," Sathe said. "It's truly a generational opportunity for large utilities like Alectra to look ahead and collaborate with the innovative ecosystem in California and bring back learnings and solutions to be there for our customers as Canada moves into e-mobility."
Choi will be joining the mobility center's board of directors, along with Alectra Utilities' CEO Brian Bentz.
The mobility center was founded by organizations focused on clean technology innovation, including venture capital firm EnerTech Capital, consulting and engineering company PEM Motion and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
Since opening in March, the mobility center has added more than 25 companies to its roster as members and clients.
