Hi. My name is Claire Schoen.
Thanks for giving a me few minutes to speak to the EBCE Board. I’m really grateful that you are providing a real alternative to PG&E. I’m happy to spend a few extra dollars to ensure that 100% of my electricity is coming exclusively from solar and wind through your Renewable 100 plan. I am glad you are a non-profit company. I am really glad that you are the default provider; that customers have to consciously opt out of EBCE to get their electricity from PG&E.
My concern is about your visibility – or rather lack of visibility – in my community. I live in liberal Berkeley.
My friends are all progressives who are educated, political and care about climate change. However, practically no one who I talk to about EBCE knows who you are. They think they are getting their electricity from PG&E. They are not aware that they have a choice in their energy mix for electricity. I talked this week to a contractor who installs electric heat pumps to residential households. Even he didn’t know what EBCE was!
I think there are several reasons why this is the case. • Because PG&E handles billing (along with gas charges and electricity delivery charges) people get a bill in the mail that says PG&E all over it and few people read through each page. Many also pay their bill electronically and automatically and may not even see a bill. • You send out fliers on a regular but infrequent basis. I think most people assume this is junk mail and toss it before reading two lines.
So because my neighbors and friends don’t even know they are getting their electricity from EBCE, very few people I’ve encountered have opted for the higher all solar/wind plan. I find myself giving an “EBCE lecture” all the time – to people who should be aware of all this. When I explain how EBCE works they are excited to learn they can get all solar and wind without having to install solar panels – or a windmill of course.
I’m not sure what the solutions are; but perhaps they have to do with better marketing. For instance, I’d love to get a flier in the mail with a big bright message saying, “Did you know that your electricity comes from EBCE? What’s that!!”
Thanks for your consideration.
EBCE Public Comment Letter - Claire Schoen - May 22, 2023