Item 7
1 VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE
Staff Report – Item 7
TO: Board of Directors
FROM: Alisa Lembke, Board Clerk / Administrative Analyst SUBJECT: Approval of Minutes from September 12, 2024 meeting DATE: October 10, 2024
RECOMMENDATION
Receive, review and approve the attached September 12, 2024 meeting Minutes.
Attachment: September 12, 2024 meeting Minutes
VCEA Minutes September 12, 2024 Board Meeting Page 1 of 4
MINUTES OF THE VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2024
The Board of Directors of the Valley Clean Energy Alliance duly noticed their regular meeting for Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 5:30 p.m. to be held at City of Woodland located at 300 First Street, Woodland California 95695. Vice Chair Bapu Vaitla established that there was a quorum present and began the meeting at 5:36 p.m.
Board Members Present: Bapu Vaitla, Will Arnold, Jesse Loren, Richard Casavecchia, Jim Provenza
Members Absent: Lucas Frerichs, Tom Stallard, Tania Garcia-Cadena, Welcome and
Approval of the
Agenda
Vice Chair Vaitla welcomed everyone to the meeting. Motion made by Director Will Arnold to approve the agenda, seconded by Director Jesse Loren. Motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Arnold, Loren, Casavecchia, Provenza, Vaitla
NOES: None
ABSENT: Frerichs, Stallard, Garcia-Cadena
ABSTAIN: None
Public Comment –
General and
Consent
There were no written or verbal public comments on the Consent Agenda or in general.
Approval of
Consent Agenda /
Resolutions 2024-
011 thru 2024-013
Vice Chair Vaitla informed those present that Item 9 – Accept and attest the accuracy of VCE’s 2023 Power Content Label is taken off the Consent Agenda. Vice Chair Vaitla asked if there was a motion to approve the Consent Agenda or if any items needed to be pulled from the Consent Agenda to the Regular Agenda. Motion made by Director Jim Provenza to approve the amended Consent Agenda items without Item 9, seconded by Director Jesse Loren. Motion passed with Directors Frerichs, Stallard and Garcia-Cadena absent. The following items were:
3. approved July 11, 2024 Board meeting Minutes;
4. received 2024 long range calendar;
5. received Treasurer’s Report a) June 30, 2024 and b) July 31, 2024;
6. received legislative update provided by Pacific Policy Group; VCEA Minutes September 12, 2024 Board Meeting Page 2 of 4
7. received August 2024 regulatory update dated September 4, 2024 provided by Keyes & Fox;
8. received Community Advisory Committee June 27, 2024 and August 22, 2024 meeting summaries;
10. received Enterprise Risk Management update (Bi-annual);
11. received prepay transaction update and approved the execution of a joint powers agreement providing VCE membership to the California Community Choice Financing Authority as Resolution 2024-011;
12. approved Amendment Two (2) to the Tumbleweed Long Duration Storage agreement (CC Power PPA) as Resolution 2024-012; and,
13. approved VCE participation as a partner in the Rural Electrification and Charging Technology (REACT) Pilot Program as Resolution 2024-013.
Vice Chair Vaitla announced that Items 14 and 15 will be flipped, so the first item on the Regular Agenda will be Item 15.
Item 15: Review
and Provide
feedback on the
draft Valley Clean
Energy (VCE) 2024-
2026 Outreach and
Marketing Plan
Outline.
(Information /
Discussion)
VCE Staff Rebecca Kuczynski reviewed the background and purpose of the Outreach and Marketing Plan adopted in 2021; highlighted accomplishments since its adoption; and, reviewed 2023 website analytics. Ms. Kuczynski reviewed the highlights and goals of the 2024- 2026 Outreach and Marketing Plan Outline. Staff are seeking input from the Board and will return to the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and Board will a finalized plan.
Director Loren commented that Customers conflate hot days and their bill with VCE’s product. She would like to see more outreach on educating the Customer about VCE’s generation charges, which is less than PG&E’s generation charges, and the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) involvement in making decisions that effect all Customers. There was no other input from the Board. There were no verbal or written public comments.
Item 14:
Introduction to and
presentation on
Virtual Power
Plants (VPPs).
(Information)
VCE Staff Rebecca Kuczynski introduced this item and VCE’s intern Catherine Rowen. Ms. Rowen provided an overview on the demand response project she has been working on. She reviewed the need to find alternate and sustainable ways to meet California’s electricity load during peak times of the day; the State’s goal to shift load; and, reviewed the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) demand response model and the benefits to the grid and to society. She informed those present that she is looking at whether or not a VPP program would be cost effective for VCE. Ms. Rowen reviewed supply-side and load modifying VPPs; VCEA Minutes September 12, 2024 Board Meeting Page 3 of 4 reviewed organizational models for load modifying VPPs; and, summarized California Energy Commission’s (CEC) support for aggregated Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) programs. Lastly, she reviewed goals and activities of her ongoing research on the value of a VPP to VCE.
The Board and Staff discussed: costs to a CCA and incentives to the Customer of a VPP program; grant and partnership opportunities that VCE could participate in; and, timeline of Ms. Rowen’s research. There were no written public comments.
Verbal Public Comment: Christine Shewmaker verbally asked if there are any direct calculations available from an existing VPP program. She is interested in whether a VPP would reduce emissions; help VCE reach its goal to reduce emissions; would the participation in a VPP program make it easier or quicker for VCE to reduce emissions; and would it lower Resource Adequacy (RA) dependency.
The Board and Staff briefly discussed the relationship between a VPP program and emissions reduction; how a VPP program could increase storage capacity; and, whether a VPP could reduce demand.
Item 16 – Receive
financial outlook
update.
(Information)
VCE Executive Officer Mitch Sears introduced this item. VCE Staff Edward Burnham provided an update of VCE’s general financial position going into the second half of 2024 and outlined the key factors that will help share the 2025 Fiscal Year budget. Mr. Burnham provided a review of 2024-2025 strategic financial activities and timeline of those activities; reviewed 2024 operating results and a multi-year budget forecast; and, reviewed anticipated 2025 power costs and management strategies to reduce costs. There were no verbal or written public comments.
The Board and Staff discussed: the possible reasons why historic high load actuals in the month of July; conservation education and outreach to Customers; lack of usage data for forecasting; and, status of Slice of Day.
Item 16: Board
Member and Staff
Announcements
Director Loren extended an invitation to attend the Festival de la Comunidad in Winters being held on Saturday, September 28, 2024, which is a free event. No other Board announcements.
VCEA Minutes September 12, 2024 Board Meeting Page 4 of 4 Mr. Sears introduced Mary-Kathryn Rueff, VCE’s newest employee. Ms.
Rueff provided a brief introduction about herself.
Mr. Sears informed those present that West Sacramento considering joining a CCA or forming their own CCA, he and a few Board Members along with Pioneer Community Energy met with City Council in July. A workshop with City Council staff is being set up. Mr. Sears also informed those present that he visited Meals on Wheels kitchen located in Winters and VCE will be working with them on their electricity bills and conservation. He continues to meet with individual jurisdiction Councils to provide them with an update on VCE. He reported that VCE is working on a few grant applications, one with the Yolo County and one with U.C. Davis. VCE is hosting the CC Power Board in Davis in late October and VCE will be hosting a tour of the Putah Creek Solar Farm in Winters with the U. C. Davis incoming Master’s Degree students.
Ms. Kuczynski informed those present that VCE was invited by Lawerence Berkeley National Lab to speak at a CalFlex Hub Forum on the AgFIT panel. VCE Staff Sierra Huffman will be speaking on dynamic rates at this Forum.
Announcement /
Adjournment
Vice Chair Vaitla announced that the Board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 4 p.m. at the City of Davis Community Chambers located at 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis California 95616. There being no further business to discuss the meeting was adjourned at 6:44 p.m.
Alisa M. Lembke
VCEA Board Secretary