Welcome to our newest series, “Rural Voices”, a space for “we the rural, we the hard to reach” to give voice to the voiceless! Through this series the members of the Rural Hard to Reach will share their unique perspectives as to how energy issues can impact our rural communities. Through this effort, the RHTR hopes to broaden the conversation and understanding of what rural communities lack and engage allies in pursuit of energy equity

Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance (VCREA), a Joint Powers Authority composed of public agencies working in collaboration to address good energy stewardship and sustainability practices in the region. VCREA coordinates and assists public agencies, including local jurisdictions, schools, and special districts, as well as businesses and residents of Ventura County to best utilize the many resources available to achieve the goal of creating a more sustainable future for the entire region.

VCREA prides itself on being a local resource and we often get questions that are beyond energy efficiency. Now days, the majority are about solar or battery storage. We would even get enough questions about windows, drastic temperatures inside homes or inability of renters to have energy efficiency retrofits. That’s when we decided to partner with other resources and find ways to educate residents about healthy homes and how energy plays a role beyond just bill savings.  Yes, your weather-stripping helps your heater or air conditioner run efficiently but it also helps with indoor air quality & thermal comfort. Outdoor lighting yes, its energy efficient but it also improves visibility and safety. This is how now we offer healthy homes training to County of Ventura community nurses and give them tips on things to look for during in-home visits, and when to refer residents to our programs. This unique partnership is one that is mutually beneficial but at the end the resident’s benefit from learning that energy efficiency is beyond just saying kwh.

For IOU program implementers, most of the time driving an hour or more for a project is not cost-effective. For rural residents traveling an hour or more to resources is a must. Therefore, unique partnerships like VCREA’s with the nurses typically exist in rural spaces. Residents, local governments, community organizations, nonprofits etc. must use what is within reach. So, if an organization is already doing the outreach then partnering and building the resources for rural communities makes sense.

Rural communities are also dealing with the devastating nature of California’s wildfires, climate change, and other issues impacting our communities. So why not partner with someone who already offers services to rural communities even though it may have nothing to do with energy efficiency, especially if they already have that community trust. A REN can deliver more than energy efficiency, it can be a trusted local resource that supports resilient and healthy communities.

Alejandra Tellez
Program Manager
Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance