SUCCESSES ABOUND FOR MONTEREY BAY COMMUNITY POWER

SUCCESSES ABOUND FOR MONTEREY BAY COMMUNITY POWER

On the heels of a successful launch for residential service and just nine months into operation, Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP) continues to make gains toward the agency’s primary goals; controlling costs, reducing emissions, and contributing to the economic vitality of the tri-county region.

Community Outreach

Driving an expansive community outreach program has been a top priority for staff at Monterey Bay Community Power. In just nine months, MBCP has taken part in more than 150 events across all three counties and even produced two inaugural events of its very own, the Clean Air Fair in Monterey and the Community Power Festival in Santa Cruz. Both MBCP events provided low and no-cost opportunities for local businesses, community organizations and non-profits to participate and support shared values around clean energy, clean air, sustainability and community.

Strong Customer Enrollment

To date, 98% of businesses and residents in tri-county have chosen to remain enrolled with MBCP. The Community Choice Energy (CCE) model, which MBCP follows, was put in place by elected officials and City Managers representing all cities and counties within tri-county, excluding Del Rey Oaks and King City. Clearly, the will of our communities was accurately assessed by community leaders as businesses and residents both continue to embrace the opportunity to acquire more local control – and more benefits – related to the Monterey Bay region’s electricity needs.

New, 100% Renewable Energy Service Offering – MBprime

Coinciding with the launch of residential service on July 1, MBCP announced the new MBprime service offering as an alternative to MBchoice, the default service offering which provides electricity generated from carbon-free sources like wind, solar and hydroelectric. MBprime was created for MBCP customers like the Monterey Bay Aquarium who want to support 100% Eligible Renewable (based on California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard) energy sourced exclusively from wind and solar. The creation of MBprime exemplifies MBCP’s commitment to meeting the unique needs of the Monterey Bay Region’s diverse residential and business communities. For more about MBCP’s Service Offerings and Rebate Options, click here

Community Advisory Council

In and of itself, the formation of MBCP’s Community Advisory Council (CAC) is a real-time example of the agency’s commitment to engage with tri-county residents and businesses, and to factor their needs into key decisions around how MBCP will balance its own goals with the needs of customers. Originally, the CAC was designed with a sunset provision, meaning the council would be retired after a fixed timeframe. But after community and business leaders spoke up at MBCP board meetings – all of which are open to the public – it became clear that the community at large preferred a permanent council to advise the MBCP Operations and Policy Boards. As such, the MBCP Policy Board voted unanimously in support of a permanent Community Advisory Council. For more information about the MBCP Community Advisory Council, and a complete list of CAC members, click here…

Go Local Request for Offers

As part of Monterey Bay Community Power’s efforts to grow renewable energy infrastructure in the Monterey Bay Region, MBCP issued a Request for Offers (RFO) on June 7, 2018 for local renewable generation and storage projects located within MBCP’s service territory. The Go Local RFO came in direct response to feedback from the communities which MBCP serves, with the goal of increasing local renewable generation, increasing local energy storage, and promoting the economic vitality of the tri-county area. MBCP aims to procure a total of 20 megawatts through this process. For more information about the Go Local RFO, click here…

MBCP Strikes Major Renewable Energy Deal During First Year of Operation

In a first among all 16 Community Choice Energy agencies operating in California, Monterey Bay Community Power partnered with Silicon Valley Clean Energy for a joint-procurement project and MBCP’s first long-term investment in renewable energy from a new wind farm. The energy production from this new project will ramp up delivery of clean power to the electric grid. The 200 megawatt (MW) Duran Mesa Wind project is currently in development near Corona, New Mexico by Pattern Energy Group 2 LP (Pattern Development).

The Duran Mesa Wind project is an important addition to the MBCP power portfolio because the renewable wind energy becomes available just as the available solar energy from daylight ramps down. The location, high wind patterns and time difference in New Mexico help alleviate the strain on the electric grid in the evenings, during California’s peak electricity usage. For more about the Duran Mesa Wind project, click here…

Contributing to Tri-county Economic Vitality

Since the day Monterey Bay Community Power opened its offices on Garden Court in Monterey, MBCP has been making valuable contributions to the Monterey Bay Region’s economy. From renting office space and now employing 16 full-time staff members, to supporting countless community events and organizations, to doing business in all three counties for needs around signage, graphic design, apparel and more, MBCP is consistently injecting dollars into tri-county’s economy.

Additionally, all MBCP customers will benefit from a 3% rebate on their electric generation charges, in the form of a credit on their bill. Commercial customers will receive rebates on a quarterly or monthly basis depending on their electricity usage, and all residential customers will receive their rebate in December. All told, MBCP anticipates 2018 rebates totaling approximately $3,000,000.

For more information about Monterey Bay Community Power, visit www.mbcommunitypower.org