Draft Minutes
Marketing, Regulatory and Legislative Subcommittee
Meeting
Friday, December 20, 2024
12:00 pm
In Person:
Conference Room 5
Ava Community Energy
1999 Harrison Street, Suite 2300
Oakland, CA 94612
Or from the following locations:
• Member Jorgens - Conference Room 5, 37101 Newark Blvd. Newark, CA 94560 • Member Patino - 33349 9th Street Union City, CA 94587 Zoom:
https://ebce-org.zoom.us/j/88008124818
Or join by phone:
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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) 707-1764 or [email protected].
If you have anything that you wish to be distributed to the Marketing, Regulatory and Legislative Subcommittee, please email it to the clerk by 5:00 pm the day prior to the meeting.
1. (0:15) Welcome & Roll Call
Present: Directors: Tregub (Berkeley), Barrientos (Livermore) and Chair Roche (Hayward).
Absent: Directors: Jorgens (Newark) and Patiño (Union City).
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2. (0:49) Public Comment
This item is reserved for persons wishing to address the MRL Subcommittee on any Ava-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 three minutes per speaker. The MRL Chair may increase or decrease the time allotted to each speaker.
There were no speakers for public comment.
3. (1:03) Approval of Minutes from April 19, 2024
Director Barrientos (Livermore) motioned to approve the minutes. Director Tregub (Berkeley) seconded the motion, which passed 3/0/0/0/2.
Yes: Tregub (Berkeley), Barrientos (Livermore) and Chair Roche (Hayward).
No: None.
Abstain: None.
Recuse: None.
Not Present: Jorgens (Newark) and Patiño (Union City).
4. (1:50) Oakland Roots and Soul Agreement (Informational Item) Review of our draft agreement with Oakland Roots and Soul Soccer Clubs for 2025.
Dan Lieberman provided an informational presentation on Ava’s 2025 proposed sponsorship of the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul soccer teams. Lieberman also detailed the Oakland Roots' move to the Oakland Coliseum, cutting the budget from $194K to $175K by prioritizing home games.
There were no speakers for public comment.
Selection of topics discussed by subcommittee members:
• Increasing brand awareness through sports sponsorships • Branding efforts to build trust with customers and increase participation in energy programs
• Engaging students in Ava’s mission through educational outreach • Request for a broader presentation on Ava’s marketing strategy
5. (27:07) Overview of Recent Research Initiatives (Informational Item) Share insights gained from recent research with EV owners and solar customers.
Theresa McDermit updated on Ava’s recent market research efforts, including brand awareness surveys and three research programs: DC Fast Charging, Managed Charging, and Distributed Energy Resource Management (DERMS) – Solar and Battery Storage.
There were no speakers for public comment.
Selection of topics discussed by subcommittee members:
• Customer preferences for managing EVs and home batteries Ava Community Energy
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• Building trust and offering incentives to encourage customers to allow third-party management of their devices
• Workshops for solar and battery installers to refine program design to suit customer needs and market realities
• Enhancing program appeal with better incentives
• Prioritizing reliable, safe EV charging over additional amenities • Clear communication on battery integration benefits and regulations
6. (1:19:42) Stockton & Lathrop Launch of Service (Informational Item) Preview of Ava’s marketing, education, and outreach plan for mass enrollment in Stockton and Lathrop in 2025.
Dan Lieberman presented on Ava’s expansion to Stockton and Lathrop in April 2025, with San Joaquin County's unincorporated areas joining in 2026. He also mentioned that the enrollment in Stockton and Lathrop will be based on meter read dates, with Bright Choice as the default product.
There were no speakers for public comment.
Selection of topics discussed by subcommittee members:
• The CPUC certification of Ava’s expansion to Stockton and Lathrop • Leveraging local influencers to boost community engagement and outreach efforts • Ava’s commitment to have an outreach employee from the expansion area • Solar and EV customers understanding their bills
7. (1:37:42) Preview of Upcoming LD Programs Marketing Campaigns (Informational Item)
Brief overview of marketing efforts for upcoming Managed Charging, DCFC, e-bike programs.
Theresa McDermit provided an update on Ava’s managed EV charging program and a financial incentive for 5,000–8,000 e-bikes, prioritizing low-income customers. She also announced the program’s soft launch at the Oakland City Center West Garage in January 2025, with full promotions in April.
There were no speakers for public comment.
Selection of topics discussed by subcommittee members:
• Installment of chargers in Hayward
• An upcoming ribbon-cutting event for the new chargers
8. (1:48:23) Committee Member and Staff Announcements including requests to place items on future Board Agendas
• Chair Roche echoed Member Tregub’s suggestion to bring back a broader presentation on the marketing strategy to include demand response programs within the state and potential competitors.
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9. Adjourned at 1:56pm.
The next Marketing, Regulatory and Legislative Subcommittee meeting will be held on February 21, 2025 at 12pm.
Conference Room 5
Ava Community Energy
1999 Harrison Street, Suite 2300
Oakland, CA 94612
Minutes Written by Raïssa Ngoma.