Item 6
VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE
Staff Report – Item 6
TO: Board of Directors
FROM: Alisa Lembke, Board Clerk / Administrative Analyst SUBJECT: Summary of Community Advisory Committee (CAC) October 24, 2024 meeting DATE: November 21, 2024
This report summarizes the Community Advisory Committee’s meeting held in person and via Zoom webinar on Thursday, October 24, 2024. The CAC did not meet in September 2024.
A. Received Legislative End of Session update provided by Mark Fenstermaker of Pacific Policy Group. Mr. Fenstermaker of Pacific Policy Group provided a legislative end of session update highlighting new leadership in Assembly Utilities (U&E) and the Energy Chair; the budget deficit; and, the focus shifting from reliability to affordability. Mr.
Fenstermaker provided information on the 2025-2026 Session and the “landscape” of the upcoming two (2) year period. He reviewed a few items, such as affordability, changes in representatives coming in, the regional grid, budget stability, regional grid initiative, and several other factors that may play a role in the upcoming legislative session. The CAC briefly discussed: affordability, distributed energy, local resources, and rate costs for transmission and distribution and energy.
B. Review, provide feedback and make recommendation to the Board on draft 2025 Legislative and Regulatory Platform. Staff presented highlights of the Legislative/Regulatory Task Group’s draft of the 2025 Legislative and Regulatory Platform. Staff pointed out that the 2024 Platform did not include Regulatory verbiage and the draft 2025 Platform does. The CAC and Staff discussed possible additions and clarifications to the draft. Afterwards, the CAC agreed that the 2025 Platform be redrafted to incorporate additional information and provide clarification, then return with the redraft to the CAC at their November 2024 meeting.
C. Review and recommend to the Board VCE’s participation in Hourly Flex Pricing Pilots.
Staff provided the background and context of the Hourly Flex Pricing (HFP) Pilots. Staff reviewed the HFP Pilots’ goals, design, how the customer will interface, and structure.
CAC and Staff discussed: shifting load, rates, difference between Time of Use (TOU) and dynamic rates, bidirectional charging, participation numbers, and charging station projects. The CAC approved recommending to the Board that VCE participate in the Hourly Flex Pricing Pilots. (7-0-0)
D. Review and recommend to the Board to approve VCE’s Phase 2 of the Electric Vehicle Rebate Program. Staff provided the background and context of Phase 2 of VCE’s Electric Vehicle Rebate Program. Staff reviewed program design, incentives, proposed budget Item 8
2 and the next steps. CAC and Staff discussed: outreach efforts, previously received applications on waiting list from Phase 1, efficacy of the program, time and form of the incentive, buyer uncertainty of receiving rebate, impact of the program, possible additional funding for the program, customer equity, next steps after Phase 2, and the benefits to the community of this program. The CAC approved recommending to the Board that Phase 2 of VCE’s Electric Vehicle Rebate Program be approved. (6-1-0)