DATE:
October 18, 2022
TO:
Adam Politzer, Interim City Manager
FROM:
Mohamed Alaoui, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
Update And Overview Of East Bay Community Energy’s (EBCE) Local Programs Recommendation
Staff update to the City Council of the City of Emeryville regarding the East Bay Community Energy’s activities and local programs.
Background
East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) is the local public electricity provider to the City of Emeryville. EBCE strives to provide increased amounts of renewable energy at competitive rates to the fifteen member jurisdictions that form the agency’s Joint Powers Authority. EBCE reinvests earnings back into the community by supporting clean energy jobs and renewable energy projects, as well as offering local programs aimed at advancing environmental justice and helping communities become more resilient and sustainable.
Discussion
Overview of Current EBCE Local Programs
Energy Resilience
EBCE provides energy-related programming aimed at helping jurisdictions keep the lights on at their most critical facilities during power grid outages. The EBCE team will soon begin working with the City of Emeryville to study the feasibility of developing solar and battery energy systems at Emeryville’s critical municipal facilities. For residential customers, EBCE’s Resilient Home program helps customers avoid losing power during outages by aiding customer efforts to install solar and battery storage. These efforts also help relieve system-wide stress on the power grid during periods of peak usage (e.g., during heat waves, cold snaps, and other extreme climatic events).
Use of Electric Vehicles
The transportation sector remains the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in California. In order to further advance the use of electric vehicles, EBCE offers programs aimed at bolstering fast charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in the East Bay and aiding municipalities looking to electrify their vehicle fleets by providing technical assistance. With a comprehensive approach, EBCE is working to encourage and incentivize the use of both passenger electric vehicles as well as medium and heavy-duty vehicles used for transporting goods, a historic cause of poor air quality in the Bay Area.
Building Electrification and Energy Efficiency
East Bay Community Energy also has programs dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by homes and businesses and enhancing energy efficiency. Through innovative partnerships with EBCE’s member-jurisdictions and other public agencies (e.g., the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC); the California Energy Commission (CEC); and others), EBCE offers options and incentives for customers looking to further electrify their homes and businesses. Earlier this year, EBCE launched an Induction Cooktop Lending Program that allows customers to rent an induction cooktop for two weeks before deciding to switch to electric cooking, which is a safer and cleaner alternative.
Fiscal Impact
This is an informational item with no fiscal impact.
Staff Communication with the Public
EBCE programs and projects have been previously discussed at City Council meetings and meetings of the Sustainability Committee.
Conclusion
No action is necessary.
PREPARED BY: Nancy Humphrey, Environmental Programs Supervisor Approved and Forwarded to the
City Council of the City of Emeryville:
Adam Politzer, Interim City Manager
Update and Overview of East Bay Community Energy’s Local Programs City Council Meeting | October 18, 2022
City of Emeryville
CALIFORNIA
MEMORANDUM