Draft Agenda
Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
5:00 pm
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1. Welcome & Roll Call
Present: Directors: Tiedemann (Albany), Kumagai (Dublin), Cox (Fremont), Marquez (Hayward), Bonnano (Livermore), Hannon (Newark) (6:05), Kalb (Oakland) (5:30), Cavenaugh (Piedmont), Narum (Pleasanton), Simon (San Leandro), and Chair Martinez (Emeryville) Excused: Directors: Valle (Alameda County), Harrison (Berkeley), Hernandez (Dublin), Mei (Fremont), Munro (Livermore), McCarthy (Piedmont), Arriola (Tracy), Patino (Union City), and Vice-Chair Lopez (San Leandro)
Director Kumagai served as an Alternate for Director Hernandez (Dublin).
Director Cox served as an Alternate for Director Mei (Fremont).
Director Bonanno served as an Alternate for Director Munro (Livermore).
Director Cavenaugh served as an Alternate for Director McCarthy (Piedmont).
Director Simon served as an Alternate for Vice Chair Lopez (San Leandro).
Director Kalb joined the meeting at 5:30pm.
Director Hannon joined the meeting at 6:05pm.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Public Comment
This item is reserved for persons wishing to address the Board on any EBCE-related matters that are not otherwise on this meeting agenda. Public comments on matters listed on the agenda shall be heard at the time the matter is called. As with all public comment, members of the public who wish to address the Board are customarily limited to two minutes per speaker and must complete an East Bay Community Energy
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electronic speaker slip. The Board Chair may increase or decrease the time allotted to each speaker.
Tom Kelly stated that 25% of Bright Choice’s renewable energy is not carbon-free, which is equivalent of “system power,” but it appears EBCE buys renewable electricity in another state and papers over the system power and calls it renewable, in effect “greenwashing” the renewable content in Bright Choice. Tom Kelly stated PCIA charges have dropped significantly and it is time to adjust rates appropriately to give customers a break.
Vaughn believes long-duration storage will be a really big thing in five or ten years for residential, and necessary for completely decarbonizing the climate. Vaughn stated it is time to look at micro-grids, because it will happen to most of EBCE’s customers.
Jessica Tovar, on behalf of East Bay clean Power Alliance and Local Clean Energy Alliance, asked EBCE Board of Directors and staff for technical assistance in applying for a large grant to fund community-based micro-grids, solar, battery storage, and decarbonization projects. Jessica Tovar also hears from the community regarding the need for air filtration.
Aleta Dupree stated the CAISO website indicates that 400 million kilowatt hours have been curtailed this year to date, so storage and timing is essential. Aleta Dupree asked where are the curtailed kilowatt-hours, are they within easy reach of EBCE, and when can we use them?
Director Kalb joined the meeting at 5:30pm.
CONSENT AGENDA
4. Approval of Minutes from January 19, 2022 and February 16, 2022
5. AB 361 Finding for Continued Remote Meetings
Find that conducting in-person meetings of the Board would present imminent risks to attendees’ health and authorize the Board to continue meeting via teleconferencing pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(e).
6. Contracts entered into (Informational Item)
7. Camus Energy Agreement
Resolution to authorize CEO to negotiate SaaS agreement with Camus Energy.
8. 6th Dimension Contract Amendment
Amend existing CSA to expand construction management services into design and construction phase.
9. cQuant Contract Amendment
Amend existing CSA to add on dedicated server services and increase compensation.
Director Narum motioned to approve the Consent Agenda. Director Marquez seconded the motion, which passed 10/0. Abstained from Item #4: Directors Cavenaugh and Simon.
Excused: Directors Valle, Harrison, Hannon, Arriola, and Patino.
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REGULAR AGENDA
10.CEO REPORT
A. Executive Committee Meeting
B. Finance, Administration and Procurement Subcommittee Meeting C. Marketing, Regulatory and Legislative Subcommittee Meeting D. Update on Renewable 100 Transition
The Board Discussed:
• The City of Fremont unanimously voted to switch to Renewable 100 on March 15, 2022. • Keeping EBCE’s rates pinned to PG&E’s rates.
• Updates/time line on discussion regarding engaging with the City of Stockton. • The City of Emeryville voted to go 100% to Renewable 100 on March 15, 2022. • Cycles on which cities can opt-up.
• Categories, distinctions, and sub-accounts of customers. • The City of Dublin voted to move forward with opting-in its non-residential accounts to Renewable 100 on March 1, 2022.
Tom Kelly stated the Clean Power Alliance in Southern California enables CARE and FERA customers to enroll in 100% Renewable without a rate increase by adding a slight charge to other customers. Tom Kelly wanted to hear more about the reduction in PCIA rates and delinking rates from PG&E’s rates, as Central Coast Community Energy has recently done and saved their customers 10-12% over PG&E.
Jim Lutz spoke regarding Consent Item #6, SMUD task order management and call center services related to the disadvantaged communities and asked what it was about, as SMUD is not in any disadvantaged community in EBCE territory.
11.Community Advisory Committee Report
• Chair Eldred reported that CAC met March 14th and approved meeting minutes from October 2021 through February 2022.
• Chair Eldred reported she had received comments regarding stipends and requested to talk to FAP members to give input on CAC members’ positions. • Chair Eldred reported exceptionally robust discussion regarding the Local Development Business Plan at CAC’s March 14th meeting, with members staying an hour longer than the two hours alloted to that discussion because it was so productive.
12. Local Development Update (Informational Item)
Staff update on Local Development programs and activities Aleta Dupree supported induction cooking and stated food cooked with electricity tastes better. Aleta Dupree stated that transportation is important, especially buses and freight, and with the high cost of gas the case is better for electrically-powered vehicles.
Vaughn asked if it is legal to put more solar power on the roofs of low-income people than they actually use? Vaughn asked if strategic natural gas decommissioning could be combined with a strategy of where to put large batteries so the neighborhoods could be micro-grids? Vaughn stated that putting charging locations where where people live means they will East Bay Community Energy
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charge their vehicles at night and asked if it would be better to put the charging stations near where people work so their vehicles can charge while they are at work? Jim Lutz asked if EBCE is exploring any vehicle-to-grid opportunities beyond the medium- to heavy-duty goods movement?
Jessica Tovar, East Bay Clean Power Alliance, stated there are several good programs coming out of the Local Development Business Plan requested to see an evaluation of these programs.
Jessica Tovar stated the Community Innovation Grant program should be started back up annually as part of the Local Development Business Plan.
The Board Discussed:
• How electric vehicle chargers, particularly fast chargers, allow people in multi-family residences with no chargers to drive an electric vehicle. • The effect of fast chargers on nearby businesses.
• Tracking the vehicle charger data to see who is using the charging infrastructure. • Locations of EBCE DC fast charge hubs.
• Condensing the information in the presentation for the public. • Low-income communities’ perception of electric charging stations as preparing a place for other people to move into and kick them out and possible renter protections. • Gathering data on the thousands of medium and heavy-duty trucks in the service area, look at where the trucks are going and where they need charging infrastructure. • The possibility of EBCE revisiting the Community Innovation Grants next year, and EBCE’s many grants to dozens of community-based organizations. • How the supply chain impacts, rising prices, semi-conductor chip shortage, and truck driver shortage might affect EBCE’s programs.
13.Board Member and Staff Announcements including requests to place items on future Board Agendas
Director Marquez announced a new Subaru dealership will open in Hayward in a month, and she is on the waitlist to purchase an electric vehicle.
Chair Martinez announced that she had commissioned Korn Fairy to do an executive compensation study to be presented to the Executive Committee as its next meeting and eventually to the Board.
14.Adjournment to Wednesday, April 20, 2022