Big News: On Tuesday, October 18th, the Sonoma County Water Agency voted unanimously to move forward on evaluating community choice aggregation (CCA) for Sonoma County, now officially dubbed “Sonoma Clean Power.”
The Board Actions include:
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Developing more detailed information about governance structures
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Investigating the incorporation of significant new energy efficiency in order to reduce rates
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Evaluating varying “power mixes” to optimize the greenhouse gas emissions reductions and keep rates low
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Exploring the idea of working with the Marin Energy Authority as a way to minimize program start-up costs
Here is the CCA Feasibility Study: Final CCA Feasibility Report 101211
Here is the Press Democrat story on October 18th: Sonoma County Pushes Forward with Power Agency Studies
And here is an interview on KRCB with Ann Hancock and Woody Hastings.
For more information visit the Sonoma County Water Agency’s CCA Page
Sonoma Clean Power is the new title for the “community choice aggregation” (CCA) program that CPC has been laying the groundwork for since 2005 in Sonoma County. Established by state law in 2002, CCA is a way for cities and counties to provide consumer choice about electricity by setting up a program to buy and sell electric power, build clean electrical generation, and improve energy efficiency programs.
The key advantage is that the community that adopts CCA now has the ability to decide where its power comes from. Under a CCA, revenue that currently leaves the County is redirected into the County and can be used for investment in local renewable energy. In doing this, Sonoma Clean Power will provide business opportunities, create green jobs and help stabilize electricity rates.
In 2005 CPC identified CCA as the best policy tool available to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the electricity sector. In its 2008 Community Climate Action Plan “Energy Solutions” document, CPC identified CCA as the means of achieving 50 to 70% GHG reductions in a relatively short five year time frame by obtaining nearly 70% of our electrical power from sources within Sonoma County.
Check out our new flyer on Sonoma Clean Power
Local Clean Resources = Local Clean POWER
Sonoma County is endowed with a wide variety of renewable energy sources. In 
addition to the well-known solar and wind power possibilities, Sonoma County is home to the Geysers in the northeast corner of the county, the largest developed geothermal resource in the world. Our analysis concludes that significant excess capacity exists at the Geysers, up to about 125 megawatts, that can be tapped to provide power to Sonoma County. As an agricultural county, we produce large quantities of material – ag-waste – that can be harnessed as an energy source in anaerobic digester systems that produce methane, which can then be burned to produce electrical power.
Sonoma Clean Power was featured recently in the North Bay Report on KRCB: “Using the money we pay for electricity to fund the creation of renewable power sources is the concept behind Sonoma Clean Power. From chicken manure to geothermal steam, Sonoma County is rife with renewable energy potential. A new public-private partnership, currently being studied, could accelerate the development of those “green” power sources. For more on how Sonoma Clean Energy can work, and its potential benefits, check out the North Bay Report newsblog, at KRCB.org. The link to the interview with Woody Hastings can be found here: NBR_07.12.11_SonomaCleanEnergy
Other Community Choice Aggregation Programs
Marin Energy Authority - First Community Choice Aggregation in California to “Go Live” in May of 2010
Cape Light Compact - In Massachusetts, has been in operation since 1997
NOPEC - In Ohio, has been in operation since the late 1990s
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Recent News and Events:
From “Top 10 Stories of 2010,” (Scroll to #8) North Bay Business Journal, January 3, 2011, by Jenna V. Loceff
Link to slides presented by Marin Supervisor Charles McGlashan [12.1mb], February 2011.
Link to similar presentation from San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on Clean Power SF.
Link to PD March 23, 2011 article Sonoma County may launch public power agency.
Link to videos of Feb. 2, 2011 McGlashan presentation.
Link to Profile of Lori Grace, pioneer philanthropist, and Marin Clean Energy supporter and investor.
Clean Energy and Climate Change
How we as a society generate and use energy is directly linked to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
Currently, most of our power comes from carbon dioxide-emitting fossil energy, and dangerous nuclear energy. The more rapidly we can transition to cleaner, safer, local renewable energy sources, the more rapidly we will make progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Our work in the renewable energy sector is aimed at facilitating this transition at the speed and scale required to make the desired outcome a reality. It is comprised of two programs, the Renewable Energy Secure Communities (RESCO) program, and the Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) program.
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RESCO (Renewable Energy Secure Communities)
The RESCO program takes a very close look at energy use and renewable energy sources available in Sonoma County and analyzes them to determine how to optimize renewable energy deployment. Its purpose is to develop and demonstrate a model for locally owned, cost-effective renewable energy that helps us meet our greenhouse gas reduction goals. It is a multi-year (2009-2013), multi-partner program funded by the California Energy Commission. For more information visit Sonoma RESCO.
Can it be done? We know that the answer is yes because examples exist. Here is just one example – a town in Germany that produces more clean power than it needs and sells the surplus to the grid!
