LA Secures $600M in Green Investments Before 2028 Olympics

Los Angeles is turning Olympic excitement into lasting environmental progress, with $600 million in new clean energy commitments that will reshape the city before the 2028 Games arrive.

The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator announced the historic funding at their Road to 2028 Summit this week, co-chaired by NBA star Russell Westbrook. The commitments bring LA's total green investments since 2020 to over $11 billion across the county.

"Being from LA, I want to be able to leave a legacy, not just on the court but to use that platform to bring business and communities together," Westbrook said at the summit held at Intuit Dome, the future home of Olympic basketball.

The money will fund real infrastructure changes across Greater Los Angeles. LA County committed $280 million to source over 75% of its electricity from zero-carbon energy by 2028 and install 500 new EV chargers at county facilities.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is investing $186 million in game-changing programs. Their first-in-nation vehicle-to-grid program will let electric cars feed power back to the grid during peak demand.

They're also launching programs to help low-income homeowners install solar panels and battery storage, while retrofitting apartment buildings to slash energy bills for residents who need it most.

LA's school district made one of the largest commitments to kids and clean air. By 2028, LAUSD will electrify 25% of its yellow bus fleet with 329 electric buses and matching charging stations, ensuring students breathe cleaner air on their way to school.

Even the trees are getting attention. TreePeople pledged $50 million to plant and care for 28,000 new trees across Southern California by 2028, creating natural air filters throughout the region.

The Ripple Effect

These investments reach far beyond Olympic glory. The EV chargers, solar panels, and electric buses will serve LA communities for decades, creating green jobs while improving air quality in neighborhoods that have struggled with pollution for generations.

Mayor Karen Bass emphasized the lasting impact: "We are making investments that will deliver environmental and economic benefits for Angelenos long after 2028."

Olympic snowboarder and climate advocate Bea Kim, an LA native, reminded the summit that climate action transcends politics. "Climate change is real and a big human issue, not a political one," she said.

The Road to 2028 initiative launched in December 2025 with $125 million in commitments. This second summit nearly quintupled that amount, proving that when communities unite around a deadline and a vision, remarkable progress becomes possible.

When the world arrives for the 2028 Games, they'll see more than athletic achievement—they'll witness what happens when a city commits to a cleaner, more sustainable future for everyone.

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