Pleasanton, Dublin switch to renewable power plan under East Bay Community Energy
Nov 23, 2021
Residential and commercial customers will begin transitioning services in January
Uploaded: Tue, Nov 23, 2021, 10:37 pm 2
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Pleasanton and Dublin are among seven Bay Area cities to support combating climate change by switching their electricity supply to renewable solar and wind sources through East Bay Community Energy’s (EBCE) Renewable 100 program.
Joining five other Alameda County municipalities this week — Albany, Berkeley, Hayward, Piedmont and San Leandro — both cities will receive 100% clean sources for their municipal electricity accounts, as well as the electricity used by most local businesses and households, starting in January. The Renewable 100 program is offered through EBCE, the public agency that includes 14 local cities and the county.
In a statement, Pleasanton City Councilmember and EBCE Board Member Kathy Narum said the transition to 100% renewable energy “is an important step toward reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions in Pleasanton for the long-term benefit of our community,” as the city sets a new goal in its Climate Action Plan 2.0 to be carbon neutral by 2045.
After adopting the Climate Action Plan 2030 and Beyond (CAP2030) last year, Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez said her community also now has “a plan that will guide Dublin toward a greener future and help us reach carbon neutrality by 2045.”
“As a member of the EBCE Board of Directors, I am excited for Dublin to offer EBCE’s Renewable 100 program. This is an important step in reaching our climate action goals,” Hernandez said.
With half of EBCE member cities now participating in the Renewable 100 program, the agency is now at the number two spot nationally for number of green power customers, compared to all other electricity providers, according to annual rankings from the National Renewable Energy Lab.
A new 57.5 megawatt wind energy center in Livermore is “a foundation of Renewable 100’s supply,” according to EBCE. Several clean power projects are currently underway, including a 15-year contract for 112 megawatts of solar energy from a new solar development in Kern County, putting EBCE well on its way toward providing all customers with 100% clean energy by 2030 — and about 15 years ahead of the state’s target date.
EBCE CEO Nick Chaset said, “With the backdrop of recent international negotiations on climate change, it is remarkable to see the scale of what can be accomplished when forward-thinking communities get together to tackle a problem.”
Residential customers with existing income and/or medical-qualifying discounts including the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Medical Baseline programs will remain on Bright Choice (EBCE’s money-saving service plan), as will commercial accounts in Dublin during the transition in 2022.
To learn more, visit ebce.org/transition-to-renewable-energy/