The Compost: Advice for clean energy job seekers

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When I first started in journalism back in 2006, the saying about reporters who left the profession to go do public relations or marketing work was that they were “going to the dark side.” Sure, those jobs typically paid better. But when we’re trying to get information about corporations or politicians or any other subject of our reporting, it’s those PR folks who can become the gatekeepers of that information, sometimes putting us at odds with our former colleagues.

But as the newspaper industry has shrunk at an increasingly startling pace, with a Northwestern study showing more than a quarter of papers have shut down since 2005, I don’t know any journalists who still makes such snide comments about those who go the PR route. How can we blame those who willingly, or were forced by two decades of layoffs or closures, to seek out more stable careers that give them some breathing room in one of the most expensive housing markets in the nation?

I couldn’t help but think of that dynamic as I reported a package on oil and gas workers heading to the clean energy sector. Much like my colleagues who’ve gone to PR jobs, some have been forced to consider other options as fossil fuel sectors bleed jobs amid the push for cleaner energy. And workers who chose to make the transition told me they were searching for careers that have a future and allow them to use their skills in different ways.

“Even though oil and gas probably isn’t going away completely tomorrow or anything, I felt like the chances of me retiring at 65, after having worked for 30 or 40 years in the oil business, were pretty small,” said Josh Harding, who went from a career in permitting oil and gas wells to permitting clean energy projects. On the renewables side, Harding said he felt the chances of him “making a bigger difference, as well as having more opportunities to grow and really kind of grow with an industry was really what appealed to me.”

Rather than heading to “the dark side,” many environmentalists would say these folks are fleeing from it. Of course, things are never so black and white for people who’ve actually worked on both sides of these debates. But that perception is one thing that Stefanie Auld, who helps oversee hiring for the Los Angeles-based green energy company Avantus, told me has made some oil and gas folks hesitate in pivoting to clean energy jobs because they worry they’ll be looked down upon for their time in fossil fuels.

However, Auld said her company’s engineers and scientists are naturally curious people who respect the level of energy security we’ve had in the United States for generations through conventional energy — something that can’t be said of so many other countries. And with millions of jobs expected to be added in clean energy over the next decade, Auld said folks with careers in oil and gas are a natural fit to help fill some of those positions, with skills that often translate quite naturally from one world to the other.

“People in renewables want more people to join,” agreed Nathan Lee, an engineer who spent seven years at ExxonMobil before going to the concentrated solar firm Heliogen. Lee said he’s never been made to feel unwelcome in his new industry. Instead, he said, he feels valued for the experience he brought to the table at his startup.

For those on the fence about such a transition, here are some words of wisdom I collected while reporting on this topic.

• Join renewable energy organizations and attend conferences to network with people already in the field.
• On that note, Lee said don’t be afraid to use platforms such as LinkedIn to reach out to people already working in clean energy. He likes to hear from folks in oil and gas looking to make the switch and is happy to answer questions or offer his insights.
• Recognize that solar and other forms of renewable energy don’t just have solid potential down the road, Auld said. These sectors are “already heavily in play,” she noted, with her company Avantus, for example, supplying 10% of the energy used by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power today.
• Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, Lee said. Renewables might look very different on the surface, but he said often the day-to-day work is quite similar.
• There are differences, though, Harding noted. So you have to be willing to humble yourself and learn. “If you just want to do the same thing you’re doing in oil and gas and think you can do it in renewables, you won’t be successful. So absolutely check your ego.” When he made the jump at 34, Harding said, “There were times I had to go ask a 24-year-old what the heck this meant. And that’s not always the easiest thing to do. If you’re not willing to do that, it may not be the right move for you.”
• Some of the most important qualities Auld looks for when hiring at her clean energy firm are “intellectual curiosity, people who want to solve problems and people who believe in the values and mission of the company.”
• Folks coming from high-ranking positions at bigger oil and gas companies may feel like they’re taking a step back when they pivot to a clean energy startup, Auld said. But she cites Sheryl Sandberg’s take that careers aren’t ladders, they’re jungle gyms. And she said people often are able to get back to their previous level of compensation and leadership quite quickly, since growth can happen at a much more rapid pace at smaller companies. “You just have to be willing to put in the work,” Harding agreed.
• In the end, Harding said, “I have no regrets.” So he said if anyone is considering such a transition, “the opportunity is there right now. I think it’ll be there for a while, but it’s definitely there right now. And so if it’s on your heart, don’t be afraid to jump in headfirst.”

— By Brooke Staggs, environment reporter

ENERGIZE

OCTA chief out: The Orange County Power Authority, which provides a clean energy option to communities, has fired its embattled CEO Brian Probolsky. Yusra Farzan reports that State Sen. Dave Min called the choice “a step toward greater accountability.” …READ MORE…

Power up: Former Gov. Schwarzenegger flipped the switch on a massive solar rooftop project at AltaSea, the marine science lab at the Port of Los Angeles. Our Donna Littlejohn and Brittany Murray were there. …READ MORE…

• The Governator: “This is exactly what we need to do all over the state of California.”

Irvine plan threatened: A federal appeals court last week ruled that Berkeley cannot enforce a natural gas ban in new buildings, citing federal law that says only the U.S. government can set energy-efficiency standards for appliances such as stoves, furnaces and water heaters. Yusra Farzan is back to look at what that might mean for the gas ban Irvine recently passed for new construction. …READ MORE…

HYDRATE

Hold that trophy: Yes, there was a lot of snow this year. But a new analysis by our Bay Area News Group colleagues found it’s not the largest snowpack since 1952 after all, and that 1952 also isn’t the record. It’s all in the way that data is tracked. …READ MORE…

PROTECT

Good news to some, bad to others: An environmental group’s lawsuit over the Long Beach Fourth of July fireworks show, which could have had implications for all fireworks shows that take place over water, has been shot down by a judge. Our Chris Haire has the tale. …READ MORE…

• From show organizer: “We are already working on making this year’s show on July 3 the best celebration we’ve ever had.”
• From opponent: “Despite the difficulties of obtaining physical evidence of fireworks discharges to water, anyone watching the shows can see they do result in pollutants entering the water.”

Warehouse rejected: The Moreno Valley City Council just shut down plans for a giant new warehouse in the city, which Monserrat Solis reports drew protests from residents and environmental groups. …READ MORE…

• Interesting detail: The developer had offered a one-time, $15.5 million donation to the nonprofit Moreno Valley Community Foundation.

For the trees: In the first-ever inventory of old-growth forests in the United States, the Biden administration has identified forest areas larger than California that are being targeted for extra protection from wildfires, pests and other problems worsening in the face of climate change. We have the Associated Press story here. …READ MORE…

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BREATHE

Unwanted win: The Los Angeles-Long Beach region has ranked the nation’s worst ozone-polluted area in 23 of 24 State of the Air reports by the American Lung Association. Kristy Hutchings shares a bit of good news this time, though, with slight improvements from last year. …READ MORE…

TRANSPORT

I hear the Vegas train a-comin’: A dozen years ago, when I was a reporter at the then-Register-owned Victorville Daily Press, my stories about plans to build a high-speed train to Las Vegas landed me everywhere from CCTV America to the Hannity show. Some version of this project has floated around for years. But here’s an AP story we snagged on how a bipartisan congressional group just asked the Biden administration to fast-track federal funds for a private company to build just such a project between Rancho Cucamonga and Las Vegas. …READ MORE…

Rivian layoffs: Despite the increasing popularity of EVs, Irvine-based Rivian Automotive has laid off 239 workers at its Irvine, Costa Mesa and Tustin operations as part of a cost-cutting measure to reduce its headcount by 6%. Our Kevin Smith has the scoop. …READ MORE…

 REGULATE

Power plant crackdown: The Biden administration is getting ready to roll out aggressive new rules for natural gas power plants as soon as this Thursday, per a scoop from CNN’s Ella Nilsen. The rules, which are expected to face legal challenges, appear aimed at reducing emissions from existing plants by applying strict pollution controls that previously had only been targeted at new power plants. ...READ MORE…

• Per a next-day New York Times story, “Almost all coal and gas-fired power plants would have to cut or capture nearly all of their carbon dioxide emissions by 2040.”

Corporate carbon: Two California climate bills advanced this week, according to Sacramento Bee reporter Ari Plachta. One would require corporations to divulge their carbon emissions and financial risk from climate change. Another would bar state pension funds from investing in fossil fuel firms. …READ MORE…

CELEBRATE

Frosty sighting: When the rare “ghost” orca Frosty was seen with its mom in a shallow cove near North Vancouver Island in August, experts thought they might be dying since they were in such shallow waters and didn’t look well. But when whale watchers caught sight of the special whale off Santa Monica Bay this weekend, Frosty looked healthy and strong. Our Laylan Connelly has the story, photos and video here. …READ MORE…

Birds are back: Rare endangered birds not seen along the LA River in years have been spotted. It prompted a change of plans for an Earth Day cleanup there, but Holly Verde reports organizers are celebrating signs their efforts are helping the area recover. …READ MORE…

Speaking of Earth Day: We have stories and photos from several celebrations that took place over the weekend…

• Orange County celebrates Mother Earth
• Coachella 2023: How the music festival is celebrating Earth Day on April 22
• Angelenos trek to festivities in Topanga Canyon, a perfect spot on Earth Day

Teacher honored: Five decades ago, El Modena High chemistry teacher Jeanne Carter started a class about a topic sweeping the ’70s: the environment. The rare Nature Center she created at the school was recently renamed in the 82-year-old retired teacher’s honor. Our Roxanne Kopetman has the lovely tale. …READ THE STORY…

EXPLORE

Let’s go foraging!: It’s not just wildflowers that are having a superbloom this season… Love this story by Anne Valdespino on Southern California’s current “shroom boom,” with tips for joining a foraging group! …READ MORE…

PITCH IN

Pop quiz: For this week’s tip on how Southern Californians can help the environment… Check out this helpful quiz the Washington Post made to teach/remind us what can and can’t be recycled, how to prepare materials and what to do when you’re just not sure. Take the quiz, then share it to spread the word and help boost successful recycling efforts!

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