Padilla awarded as a luminary in the clean energy industry
Sunnyvale, Calif. – On Wednesday, June 24, Monica Padilla, Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) CEO, received the Women of Influence Award presented by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Padilla was recognized for her 30-plus year career in public service, her regional emissions impact and her industry-wide leadership.
The Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Women of Influence awards have, since 2005, shined a spotlight on women whose leadership shape the region’s economy and communities. The awards were created to recognize CEOs, partners and community leaders for both professional success and community impact. Padilla joins a long list of winners that have had great effect across industries in the Silicon Valley.
“Thank you to the Silicon Valley Business Journal for this recognition, I am honored to stand alongside such an impressive group of leaders,” said Padilla. “I accept this award on behalf of the many women who inspired me and remind all women to stay authentic and recognize your power to influence and make change.”
Padilla began her career in sustainability at the City of Palo Alto Utilities where she played an instrumental role in developing and implementing Palo Alto’s Carbon Neutral Plan in 2013; the first carbon-neutral policy adopted for a municipal utility in California. In 2018 Padilla joined SVCE as the Director of Power Resources. Padilla transitioned to CEO of the clean energy agency in 2023.
The Women of Influence Award recognizes the immense impact Padilla has had on the region. In her eight years at SVCE, she has led impressive emissions reduction with the negotiation and execution of more than $4.1 billion in over 26 long-term power purchase agreements for clean and renewable projects including solar, solar-plus-storage, geothermal, wind, stand-alone-storage, and long-duration storage resources. Many of these contracts were jointly procured with other community choice aggregators (CCA) and support over 5,500 construction jobs. Her leadership was a driving force in the procurement for the first major battery installation in the U.S. that can discharge power for up to eight hours – a project that embodies the innovation of Silicon Valley.
Padilla’s strategic leadership expands beyond SVCE communities as she was a key player in the foundation of two CCA-wide organizations. The California Community Choice Financing Authority (CCCFA), which was recognized as the largest U.S. green municipal issuer in the Climate Bonds Issuer Awards of 2024, and California Community Power (CC Power), a Joint Powers Agency that now has nine CCA members. CC Power members represent over 2.7 million customers across 112 municipalities.
The Women of Influence Award represents Padilla’s many years of vison, leadership, collaboration, and strategic planning for the benefit of the communities she has served.
Padilla was also recognized as Silicon Valley’s Power 100 leaders in 2024.
###
About Silicon Valley Clean Energy
Silicon Valley Clean Energy is a not-for-profit, community-owned agency providing electricity from renewable and clean sources to more than 280,000 residential and commercial customers in 13 Santa Clara County jurisdictions. As a public agency, net revenues are returned to the community to keep rates competitive and promote clean energy programs. Silicon Valley Clean Energy is advancing innovative solutions to fight climate change by decarbonizing the grid, transportation, and buildings. Learn more at SVCleanEnergy.org.
Media Contact
Michaela Pippin, Communications Manager
(408) 549-2690
Michaela.pippin@svcleanenergy.org
