By Emily Fong
In the move toward cleaner, greener energy, more and more California cities and counties are choosing to join Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs. CCA programs offer energy consumers a choice regarding where their energy is sourced from -- previously, consumers had only investor-owned utilities, such as PG&E, as energy providers unless they had their own independent power source. CCA energy rates are comparable to PG&E's, and in some cases can be even lower. In addition, the money consumers spend for CCA-generated power goes toward projects like creating more renewable energy infrastructure and jobs.
To enjoy the option of getting power from a CCA, Californians must live in a city or county that has agreed to join a community choice energy program. In the Bay Area, some areas have moved forward more rapidly than others. For instance, while Marin County launched the state's first CCA in 2010 and San Francisco launching their program shortly after in 2015, residents of Alameda County will have to wait until next spring to begin receiving power from the developing CCA, East Bay Community Energy. In Contra Costa County, cities such as San Ramon, Concord and Martinez are among those that recently voted to join community choice energy programs.
Across the state, CCA programs are growing in popularity and expanding rapidly. Such programs became possible 15 years ago, when the state assembly opened the door to local control by passing AB 117. Since then, CCA programs in California have grown to serve 915,000 customers and are projected to deliver approximately 1,572 megawatts of power to consumers in 2017, according to the California Public Utilities Commission (CCA). Within the next 10 years, 85% of power consumers in California will receive energy from sources other than investor-owned utilities, predicts the CPUC, and a large percentage of this is expected to come from CCA programs.
California is aiming for 50% of all its electricity to be renewably sourced by 2030, and a bill, SB 100, that would mandate 100% renewable energy by 2045 has cleared the senate and moved to the assembly. CCA programs are helping to meet these goals. CCA programs' base energy services are more renewably sourced than PG&E, and many offer 100% renewably sourced energy services.
If you're interested in learning more about CCA programs, visit Cal-CCA.org, where you can find information about CCA programs across the state.
The Bay Chapter of the Sierra Club is actively engaged in the development and expansion of Community Choice energy programs throughout the Bay Area and beyond. To learn whether there's a CCA program serving your community, contact Conservation Coordinator Melissa Yu at melissa.yu@sierraclub.org.
Photo Credit: Tony Webster via Flickr