EBCE is committed to protecting our environment and is proud to be a Certified California Green Business
Draft Minutes
Executive Committee Meeting
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
9:00 am
In Person:
Conference Room 1
East Bay Community Energy
1999 Harrison St, Suite 800
Oakland, CA 94612
Or from the following remote location:
Dublin City Hall - 100 Civic Plaza, Dublin, CA 94568
Via Zoom:
https://ebce-org.zoom.us/j/88267670367
Or join by phone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or 877 853 5257 (Toll Free) or 888 475 4499 (Toll Free) Webinar ID: 882 676 70367
Meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals who need special assistance or a disability-related modification or accommodation to participate in this meeting, or who have a disability and wish to request an alternative format for the meeting materials, should contact the Clerk of the Board at least 2 working days before the meeting at (510) 906-0491 or [email protected].
If you have anything that you wish to be distributed to the Executive Committee, please email it to the clerk by 5:00 pm the day prior to the meeting.
1. Welcome & Roll Call
Present: Members: Tiedemann, Hu, Kalb and Marquez
Excused: Chair Balch
2. Public Comment
This item is reserved for persons wishing to address the Executive Committee 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 East Bay Community Energy
Board of Directors Page | 2
with all public comment, members of the public who wish to address the Committee are customarily limited to three minutes per speaker and must complete an electronic speaker slip. The Executive Committee Chair may increase or decrease the time allotted to each speaker.
Tom Kelly urged the Executive Committee and Board of Directors to review contracts with power plants and fossil fuel providers, and to consider the impact of these facilities on local communities and the environment. Tom Kelly suggested that a report be provided on the location and conditions of these plants, as well as the health of surrounding communities. He encouraged the Board to take action to prevent contracting with facilities that harm communities and contribute to climate change.
Jessica Tovar asked EBCE to consider accessing government funding and using its revenues to build microgrids in locations that are trusted by the community.
Additionally, Jessica Tovar stated that community members are asking about Net Energy Metering and suggested that this is a good opportunity for EBCE to offer new NEM incentives that work for the people they serve.
3. Approval of Minutes from December 2, 2022
Member Tiedemann motioned to approve the minutes. The motion was seconded by Member Kalb, which passed 4/0. Excused: Chair Balch.
4. Brand Evolution (Informational Item)
Sharing background on brand efforts
The Committee Discussed:
• Member Marquez asked for clarification about how survey data was collected for cities in San Joaquin County, and for an overview of next steps in the process. Member Marquez also asked if an ad hoc group from Stockton and Tracy was being organized.
• Member Kalb asked if brand strategy and design firms have been retained to work on this process. Member Kalb also expressed his preference for “clean energy” as a replacement for “community energy” in the brand name.
Tom Kelly stated that EBCE continues to advertise itself as clean and green, but that its emissions compare negatively to PG&E. He urged the Board to either clean up the power supply or be transparent about what the agency is providing to customers.
Jessica Tovar emphasized the importance of keeping "Community Energy" in the name, as it reflects the agency's accountability to its community. Jessica Tovar also recommended avoiding acronyms and corporate-sounding names.
5. Transportation Electrification Loan (Informational Item) $3M loan for Heavy Duty Vehicle Electrification project The Committee Discussed:
East Bay Community Energy
Board of Directors Page | 3
• Member Kalb asked for an estimate of new range trucks at the Port of Oakland as part of this project. Staff clarified that the project is in Livermore, not the Port of Oakland, but that the trucks will be in service of port-related logistics.
Member Kalb also asked if new trucks would displace currently used dirty trucks.
• Member Marquez asked if cities could partner with this project to electrify their fleets. Member Marquez also asked for the timeline and location of the project, and for staff to provide a status update in the fall.
Tom Kelly spoke in approval of the proposal and asked if low carbon fuel standard credits are being utilized in the project.
6. Emissions Overview (Informational Item)
Informational overview on emissions
The Committee Discussed:
• Member Kalb asked if the recent large storms would increase the available large hydro that can be purchased over the next couple of years. Member Kalb also stated that he requested a staff report from the City of Oakland to transition their customers to Renewable 100. Member Kalb stated that he hoped to make recommendations to the Oakland City Council by the end of the year.
• Member Tiedemann asked if, going by its 2030 Plan, EBCE is on track to see a significant decrease in its emissions factor over the next year. Tiedemann suggested that the narrative provided in the CCA comparison chart should be emphasized in future discussions. Additionally, Tiedemann asked about the impact of the agency's size on its emissions factor, and how the decision on the nuclear allocation has affected its emissions. Tiedemann also asked if the Board could reassess its decision on the nuclear allocation. • Member Marquez agreed with Member Tiedemann's suggestion to consolidate the information and frame the discussion more clearly for the public. Member Marquez also raised a question about the agency's acceptance of nuclear, citing confusion over the indication of a small amount of nuclear (1.7%) on the power content label despite the agency's previous decision to refuse nuclear allocation. Member Marquez asked if staff could provide charts that model their projections of a decrease in unspecified energy, and an increase in hydro, solar, and wind energy in upcoming years. Member Marquez also requested a cost analysis of options to move five or ten percent of customers to Renewable 100.
• Member Kalb asked if there might be a decision point in the upcoming year that would provide means for the agency to increase its investment in renewables and thereby obtain a cleaner power mix.
• Member Kalb encouraged Executive Committee members to read an opinion/editorial published in the April 5, 2023 edition of the East Bay Times titled “How community solar could transform clean energy access - New law requires utility regulators to emphasize lower-income households when it assesses new community solar proposals”. This article can be found at East Bay Community Energy
Board of Directors Page | 4
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2023/04/05/opinion-how-community-solar-could-transform-clean-energy-access/ Tom Kelly stated that the staff presentation was missing important details. He referred to the JPA agreement, which stated that EBCE would beat PG&E on greenhouse gas emissions. He stated that every city that still has Bright Choice as its default product has seen its greenhouse gas emissions spike five times greater than PG&E’s. Tom Kelly stated that he would provide a fuller analysis on this issue but felt that the JPA agreement was no longer being adhered to.
Jim Lutz commended the presentation but noted that it was missing some important information. He requested details on the mix of Bright Choice and Renewable 100 over the years, including how many dollars and megawatt hours are under each, and what fraction of EBCE's product is Bright Choice and how this fraction has changed over time.
Jim Lutz also asked how these percentages would change with Stockton being added to EBCE.
Becky Dennis requested information about how well the current programs are meeting emissions limits. Becky Davis suggested that more people could help by signing up for Renewable 100, but recognized the need for incentives to encourage participation. She asked if the board had considered providing incentives for individuals who sign up for Renewable 100, such as rebates tied to the price of carbon credits in the market. Becky Davis stated that although the benefits might not be immediate, participants could potentially participate in the emerging carbon market, which could provide an additional incentive to sign up.
Jessica Tovar emphasized the need for EBCE to provide incentives that mirror those provided by Net Energy Metering 2.0. Jessica Tovar stated that with the proper incentives, residents in EBCE’s service territory could power their own communities with microgrids and on-site solar.
7. Committee Member and Staff Announcements including requests to place items on future Committee Agendas
• Member Marquez requested that the following topics be brought back in May or June:
o Solar grids and microgrids;
o Emissions content level;
o Incentivizing customers to move to Renewable 100.
• Member Marquez stated that, in order to maintain order during meetings, members of the public should be prepared to raise their hands when the public comment period is called.
8. Adjournment to May 3, 2023 at 9:00 am