Everybody’s Going for 100%

In all, new demand from the seven cities that are changing will boost Renewable 100 to almost a quarter of EBCE’s total demand, or 1.6 billion kilowatt-hours. The transition will put EBCE at the number two spot nationally in the number of green power customers, compared to all other electricity providers, according to the National Renewable Energy Lab annual rankings (PDF).

Such a move aligns with the local climate action plans in each city, helping cut overall carbon emissions.

“The City of Hayward is proud to join our fellow cities in Alameda County in choosing 100% renewable energy as one of the many ways we are doing our part to address the current climate crisis,” said Hayward Mayor Barbara Halliday.

The growing ambition of EBCE member cities is part of a national and global trend, with increasing numbers of cities, states, and corporations setting 100% clean energy goals. Hitting that target has become easier than it was in the past, as the cost of wind, solar, and battery storage continues to decline, making clean energy often the least expensive option.

Over the last few decades, 600 American cities have adopted climate action plans. According to the Sierra Club, 180 cities and ten counties have goals to power their communities with 100% clean, renewable energy.

With the support of Michael Bloomberg, the philanthropist and former mayor of New York City, 100 big cities around the world have joined the C40 Climate Leadership Group. Another 25 smaller US cities are getting support from the American Cities Climate Challenge.

So far, 22 California cities served by community choice providers (other than EBCE) have set 100% renewable as the default option for all customers. Central Coast Community Energy, CleanPowerSF, and Peninsula Clean Energy have all committed to go all the way, with 100% for all customers.

So far, 20 states plus Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico have committed to a zero-mission future. Fourteen of these have passed legislation mandating 100% clean electricity: ten requiring zero-emission power and four aiming for 100% renewable power. Four other states have non-binding executive orders setting zero-emission or all-renewable goals. In Nebraska, the three public utilities that cover most of the state have set zero-emission targets.

One state, Massachusetts, has gone all the way to requiring no emissions from the whole economy by 2050, while four other states have non-binding executive orders aiming for that goal.

California has both a zero-emission mandate for the power sector and an economy-wide executive order, issued by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018, both aiming at 2045.

In all, the state goals cover 41% of the power sold in America.

Here are just a few corporate initiatives:

Climate pledges have swept through corporate boardrooms around the world, as companies seek to burnish their Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) credentials. The number of companies with commitments grew at the most recent climate conference in Glasgow, and as major investors like BlackRock have gotten behind carbon reductions. The federal Securities and Exchange Commission has also identified climate risks as a priority and pledged to require companies to be more transparent about their social and environmental metrics.

Indeed, as corporate pledges become common the push now is to ensure they are not just greenwashing, and that they result in meaningful change. Race to Zero, a campaign of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recently released the first edition of their Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor, assessing in detail the climate commitments of 25 large companies. They found the corporate “net zero” pledges really only amounted to a 40% reduction in emissions, on average.

EBCE’s pledges are more straightforward, and easily measurable. Plus they are backstopped by state law that requires all power suppliers to eliminate emissions by 2045.

EBCE’s current overall energy portfolio is 56% renewable, as defined by California law, with additional carbon-free energy supplied by hydroelectric power. (​​While hydropower from large dams is a renewable resource with no direct emissions, it is not eligible for the California renewable portfolio standard.)

Most of this renewable and hydroelectric power is provided by short-term contracts with existing resources, but EBCE is rapidly expanding its portfolio of new renewables.

“From the first day that I joined EBCE, we’ve really pushed to think boldly about the long term clean energy trajectory for EBCE,” CEO Nick Chaset told the board at the December meeting. “How do we get cleaner, and how do we get there faster?”

So far, EBCE has contracted for 825 megawatts of wind and solar power from 12 projects, plus over 350 megawatts of energy storage. To date, 270 MW is in operation. Some recent highlights include the Scott Haggerty Wind Energy Center in Altamont Pass, the Tecolote Wind project in New Mexico, and a new pending contract for geothermal power in Nevada.

“We are always looking at the market and planning ahead on our road to 100% clean energy,” says Chief Operating Officer Howard Chang. “The switch by these cities to Renewable 100 will accelerate our work.”