RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
PUBLIC BENEFITS
& ENERGY EFFICIENCY
COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP
Meeting #1 – July 31, 2025
RiversideCA.gov
2 WELCOME
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson
RiversideCA.gov
3 WORKING GROUP MEMBERS
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson City Council
Vice RPU Board Chair Dr. Brian Siana Riverside Board of Public Utilities RPU Board Member Tom Evans Riverside Board of Public Utilities Dr. Matt Barth UCR
Nick Adcock Chamber of Commerce
Mark Dowling Inland Valleys Assn of Realtors
Victor Cao California Apartment Association
David Hahn Habitat for Humanity
Rose Mayes Fair Housing Council of Riverside
Tom Donahue Resident
Faustino Alvarez Community Access Center
Chris Trujillo Industry Expert - Heatpumps
Christopher Kern Compelle media
Michael Berger Compelle media
RiversideCA.gov
4 1. Introduce yourself – Name and organization
2. What is your understanding of Energy Efficiency
3. What is your experience with Energy Efficiency?
– At home
– At work
– Any other environment
ROUNDTABLE /ICEBREAKER
RiversideCA.gov
5 OBJECTIVE OF THE GROUP
Summer-Fall 2025
Working Group
Establishing
overall
program goals
Providing input
to help guide
detail analysis
and future
program
development
Fall 2025-Summer 2026
Consulting
Services
Detail program
analysis
Community
Survey
Summer 2026
A Way Forward
Conclude the
Analysis
Community &
Stakeholder
Meetings
Final Plan &
Strategy
Answer the question of what programs and activities do the community recommend we do with Public Benefit Funds and how RPU should spend down the accumulated $34 million in Public Benefit Funds RiversideCA.gov
6 The Community Working Group is intended to provide
ideas, comments, express questions, and provide
community frameworks around how RPU’s Public
Benefits Funds should be spent.
Final decisions on the expenditures, programs,
structures, and budgets will be established by the RPU
Board and City Council.
COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP = ADVISORY
RiversideCA.gov
7 Goals
1. Provide cost-beneficial energy
efficiency services to customers
2. Offer customers meaningful
information on the costs and benefits
of energy efficiency measures
3. Reduce market barriers to investments
in energy efficient products and
services
4. Create a sustainable and competitive
energy efficiency services market
PUBLIC BENEFIT FUND SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
Public Benefits funds were established in 1996 by Assembly Bill 1890 (AB 1890) Created a Non-bypassable Customer
Charge to provide for customer programs
1. Minimum charge of 2.85%
2. Residential and commercial customers
3. Average residential customer pays ~
$3.00 per month
4. Average commercial customer pays ~
$10.00 per month
5. RPU collects approximately $10 million
annually
RiversideCA.gov
8 CHANGES & ADDITIONS OVER TIME
1996
Public benefits
charge and
Programming
Required
AB 1890 PUC 385
2000
Added
requirements for
low-income
assistance
SB 1939 PUC 385
2005
Requires utilities to first procure
energy efficiency & demand
reduction and requires annual
reporting
SB 1037 PUC 9615
2006
Requires POUs, every 3 years,
to identify all potentially
cost-effective achievable
Energy Efficiency savings
and establish targets
AB 2021 PUC 9505 & 9615
2012
Aligned the Energy
Efficiency target setting
with state planning
timelines – every 4 years
AB 2027 PUC 9505
2015
Statewide Energy Efficiency
targets to be set to achieve a
doubling of EE savings & POU’s
targets required to be consistent
with this goal
SB 350 PRC 25310, PUC 9505
2001
Requires POUs to consider
increasing assistance levels,
streamline enrollment, and
establish participation goals
SB 2x-2 PUC 386
AB = Assembly Bill | SB = Senate Bill | PUC = Public Utilities Code | PRC = Public Resources Code RiversideCA.gov
9 Limited Use of the Funding
1. Cost effective demand side management to promote
energy efficiency and energy conservation
2. New investment in renewable energy resources and
technologies
3. Research, development, and demonstration programs
for the public interest to advance science or technology which is not adequately provided by competitive and
regulated markets
4. Services provided for low-income electricity customers, including, but not limited to, energy efficiency services, education, weatherization, and rate discounts
PUBLIC BENEFIT FUND ALLOWED SPENDING CATEGORIES
RiversideCA.gov
10 PUBLIC BENEFIT FUND REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
$0
$2
$4
$6
$8
$10
$12
$14
FY 97-98
FY 98-99
FY 99-00
FY 00-01
FY 01-02
FY 02-03
FY 03-04
FY 04-05
FY 05-06
FY 06-07
FY 07-08
FY 08-09
FY 09-10
FY 10-11
FY 11-12
FY 12-13
FY 13-14
FY 14-15
FY 15-16
FY 16-17
FY 17-18
FY 18-19
FY 19-20
FY 20-21
FY 21-22
FY 22-23
FY 23-24
Millions
Total Expenditures
Public Benefit Charge Funds Collected & Other Revenue
Over the last 5 years
programming was
less than revenue
Public Benefit use-
limited funds remain
in reserve fund
$34 Million
is available in
the reserve for
programming
RiversideCA.gov
11 FUND EXPENDITURE BY PROGRAM TYPE (LAST 10 YEARS)
Demand-Side
Management,
Energy Efficiency &
Conservation Programs
$34,599,677
61%
Low-Income Assistance
Programs (SHARE, ESAP,
Reliability Refund, COVID)
$16,801,975
30%
New Renewable Energy (Solar)
$3,802,885
7%
Research, Demonstration and
Development
$1,200,889
2%
RiversideCA.gov
12 What is Demand Side Management?
Energy efficiency and energy conservation
A. Heat Pumps
B. Lighting upgrades
C. Energy efficient windows
D. Energy Star appliances
E. Free Shade Tree
F. Insulation
PUBLIC BENEFITS – DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT
RiversideCA.gov
13 1. A/C incentives
2. HVAC Tune ups
3. Energy Star Appliances
4. Heat Pump Rebates
5. Pool Saver Rebates
6. Appliance Recycling
7. Tree Power
8. Mobile Home / Multi Family
Rebates
9. Weatherization Programs
RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS
RiversideCA.gov
14 1. Business Outdoor Lighting
2. Key Account EE Program (KEEP)
3. Lighting Incentives
4. Performance Based Incentive
Rebates
5. Refrigerator Load Program
6. Small Business Direct Install
Program
7. Weatherization Rebates
COMMERCIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS
RiversideCA.gov
15 In 2008, SB-1 required RPU to:
1. Make available approximately $25 million
over a ten-year period to fund solar rebates
for commercial and residential customers
2. Create a Solar Rebate program
a. The solar rebate program was funded entirely
through Public Benefit Funds and RPU allocated
$2.5 million per year for the program
b. The solar rebate program, sunset on December 31,
2017, and RPU spent $17.3 million on 1,845
commercial and residential solar rebates, equating
to 11 megawatts of customer generated solar
energy in Riverside.
RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAMS
RiversideCA.gov
16 1. Sharing Households Assist Riverside’s Energy – SHARE Program a. SHARE credits annually up to $250 towards electric deposit or urgent notice assistance for qualified low-income applicants / monthly bill credits of $20 towards the electric portion of their bill
b. Monthly assistance increases in alignment with rate changes c. Income qualification is 250% or less of Federal Poverty Guidelines d. SHARE program assists approximately 5,000 customers each year e. Fiscal Year 2023/24 spent $1,165,250 on SHARE program assistance
2. Energy Savings Assistance Program - ESAP
a. ESAP is a direct installation program that offers efficiency upgrades including lighting, HVAC tune-ups, smart power strips, refrigerators and refrigerator recycling b. Established in 2013 RPU partnered with the Southern California Gas Company (SoCal Gas)
c. Since 2015, the ESAP program served 3,884 low-income customers d. Fiscal Year 2023/24, program assisted 398 customers with energy efficiency upgrades e. Income qualification mirrors SHARE program - 250% or below of Federal Poverty Guidelines
LOW-INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
RiversideCA.gov
17 3. Energy Recovery Assistance Program - ERAP (COVID-assistance) a. ERAP Program, was established in March 2020 as a COVID-19 assistance package b. For residents who faced a temporary loss of household income due to the COVID-19 Emergency and Stay at Home orders
c. The program was set up for limited time and provided a one-time bill credit of $250 (increased to $400 in October 2020)
d. Residential customers qualified as low-income for this program if they had lost their job, were furloughed or faced a reduction of income due to the Stay-at-Home orders e. This program was discontinued in May 2023
4. Reliability Charge Assistance
a. RPU offers financial assistance to low-income residents and seniors with disabilities with a Reliability Charge refund on their monthly bill
b. Customers can apply annually for this refund to receive this assistance
LOW-INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
RiversideCA.gov
18 RPU invests in RD&D grant funded programs with both businesses and local higher education institutions
1. Programs expended approximately $1,200,889 on Energy Innovation and Custom Energy Technology Grant Programs
2. Energy Innovations Grant program provides research funds for local Universities to advance science and technology in energy-related fields
3. Custom Energy Technology Grant program provides RPU's business electric customers with the opportunity to request funds for the advancement of renewable energy and utility industry solutions
4. Previous awards made to UC Riverside grant funding for a study of photovoltaic solar, battery storage systems and electric vehicle chargers at the distribution system level and California Baptist University to study solar powered HVAC equipment
5. RPU has also collaborated on grant projects with local businesses on battery storage and thermal energy storage
RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT
RiversideCA.gov
19 What does RPU do for Education
1. Virtual science labs aligned with the
Next Generation Science Standards
2. Kindergarten Community Helpers
3. 3rd Grade Water Pollution Solution
4. 4th Grade Electricity Circuits
5. 5th Grade Water Cycle
6. 9-12th Grade STEM Public Utilities Learning Lab
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
RiversideCA.gov
20 RPU provides a comprehensive educational program that focuses on teaching younger people about electricity and the importance of being energy efficient for the future. The program includes:
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
1. 4th Grade Electricity Class: A series of virtual lessons that are aligned with the 4th grade science standards. Students learn the science of electricity& how it is produced
2. TK/Kindergarten Community Helpers: Aligned with
Kindergarten Social Science Standards, offered
in partnership with our field crews. RPU staff created a book, “The Sky is the Limit: The Story of a Lineman”, which is distributed to Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms, along with other age-appropriate materials on how to conserve electricity
RiversideCA.gov
21 1. Off-Peak Cooling System
Incentive Program
2. Utiligraph Home Energy
Analysis Program
3. We Care Program
4. Electric Transportation
Demonstration Program
5. Low-Income Home
Rehabilitation Incentive
6. Rental Housing Rehabilitation
Incentive
SUNSET PROGRAMS
7. Electric Lawn Mower
Incentive
8. LED Buydown Program
9. Whole House Program
10.Upstream HVAC program
11.Enhanced Insulation Program
12.Solar PV
RiversideCA.gov
22 1. Established 30 years ago to ensure that Public Utilities offer customers programs to support energy efficiency and conservation
a. Must collect the funding
b. Must offer programming
2. Low-income support is included in these programs for both energy efficiency and rate/bill rebates – and must be aligned with community need
3. Public utilities must report on their use of the funds each year
4. Public utilities must establish targets for energy efficiency and conservation and low-income support
BOTTOM-LINE ABOUT PUBLIC BENEFIT FUNDS
RiversideCA.gov
23 What are the limitations placed on the Public Benefits Fund?
1. Water conservation
2. Recycling
3. Equipment that does not have a demonstrable energy
savings
4. Electric infrastructure upgrades
5. Any action that does not support the four identified uses
PUBLIC BENEFITS LIMITATIONS
RiversideCA.gov
24 1. RPU staff creates new programs in consideration of:
a. Customer’s market needs
b. New technology advances
c. Achieving kWh savings potential
2. Ideas from Board of Public Utilities, City Council, Community, or Working Groups like this
3. Review of what other utilities – public and investor owned – are doing and monitoring new and emerging programming
in the field of energy efficiencies
ENERGY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
RiversideCA.gov
25 CLOSING THOUGHTS AND NEXT STEPS
Program Concepts RPU
Should Explore
• Battery storage
• A/C efficiency
• Direct installs more broadly
offered
Big Project /
Demonstration
• Demonstration house /
education center
Are there areas for
better communication
/ outreach /
education? Who
should we talk to?
Focus of the
community survey
Anything that you think
is missing or could be
done better
Next Working Group
Meeting – September
and October
Examples only