Among its other policy directives, the Trump administration is planning to cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by 25 percent. For those of us who take the question of climate change seriously, it is clear that we will truly need to think globally and act locally.
Here in San Mateo County, your local government has taken a bold step to mitigate climate change: San Mateo County residents are now buying cleaner electricity, and Portola Valley is likely to soon become the first community in the United States to buy 100 percent renewable electricity.
This electricity is being purchased by Peninsula Clean Energy, the county’s official electricity provider. PCE is a Community Choice Energy (CCE) nonprofit organization, and was formed in 2016. It is backed by a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) agreement among the 20 cities and towns of the county, and the county itself; its board of directors (of which I am currently the vice chairman) consists of one council member from each city, and two county supervisors (Dave Pine, board chairman, and Carole Groom).
Peninsula Clean Energy’s mission is to provide clean, renewable power to all San Mateo County ratepayers, at rates that are competitive with PG&E. PCE is also working to enable local energy projects (generation and storage), which create local jobs and local economic benefits. PG&E is still responsible for delivery of the electricity and maintaining power lines to your house, so you’ll have no disruption in service.
Last October, PCE began serving approximately 80,000 accounts in the county in its Phase I launch. In April, the remaining accounts, about 210,000 in total, will be enrolled in Phase II. Every account is now receiving multiple enrollment notifications, and all ratepayers have the option of keeping their service from PG&E; customers may “opt-out” by phone or through the PCE website.
Most customers are automatically enrolled in our ECOplus product, which provides 50 percent renewable electricity plus another 25 percent greenhouse gas-free electricity, at a 3 to 5 percent discount to PG&E’s rates. Customers may opt up to our ECO100 product, which offers 100 percent renewable electricity at a slight premium over PG&E’s current rates (typically 2-3 percent of a current electricity bill).
In Portola Valley, customers will automatically be enrolled in ECO100, the 100 percent renewable electricity product; to our knowledge, Portola Valley will become the first community to do so. (The default level of renewable energy for Menlo Park, Atherton and Woodside ratepayers will be 50 percent.)
As a council member for Portola Valley, I voted for ECO100 as a cost-effective approach to meeting the town’s greenhouse gas-reduction goals. As the father of two children, I am working with PCE to reduce our carbon footprint, making the world a slightly, but measurably, better place for all of our children and all future generations. We in Portola Valley hope that many other ratepayers will also “opt-up” to ECO100 and send a message that cleaner electricity, and a better future for our children, are important.
Portola Valley residents will be receiving additional notices between now and their April meter read (which is when PCE service will begin). Future bills will carry a new line charge for generation from Peninsula Clean Energy, along with a separate credit, from PG&E, for the generation no longer purchased.
Portola Valley residents can refer questions to me at jaalfs@portolavalley.net or to our sustainability manager, Brandi de Garmeaux, at bdegarmeaux@portolavalley.net. For PCE questions, refer to our website (PeninsulaCleanEnergy.com) or call us at (866) 966-0110.
Those of us working to meet your power needs through Peninsula Clean Energy look forward to introducing new opportunities to save energy and money, and to helping preserve our environment.
