1. Channel Islands Clean Energy
Providing Consumer Choice for Ventura County and Beyond
July 2015

2. Community Choice Aggregation
Authorized by CA Assembly Bill 117 in 2002
CCA allows communities to pool their electricity demand in order to purchase and potentially develop power on behalf of local residents, businesses, and municipal facilities.
CCAs in 6 States
California
Illinois
Massachusetts
New Jersey
Ohio
Rhode Island
Under Consideration
Utah, New York, Delaware, Minnesota

3. How Does It Work?
CCA leverages the market power of group purchasing and local control.
It creates a partnership between municipalities and investor-owned utilities.
CCA allows local governments to procure power on behalf of all customers within its borders.
Channel Islands
Clean Energy
SoCal
Edison

4. Why is CCA So Powerful?
Responsive to local environmental and economic goals
Offers consumers a choice where none currently exists
Revenue supported, not taxpayer subsidized
Stable, often cheaper, electricity rates
Allows for rapid switch to cleaner power supply and significant
GHG reductions
Provides funding for energy efficiency and innovative energy programs like energy storage and EV charging stations

5. Basic Program Features
JPA or special district can operate a CCA in CA; local governments participate by passing an ordinance
Southern California Edison continues to provide consolidated billing, customer service, line maintenance
CCA procures electricity, sets rates and develops new community programs
CCA is an opt-out program; Customers receive
minimum 4 opt-out notices over 120 days
and can return to Edison service any time.
CPUC certifies CCA Plan; oversees utility/
CCA relationship and other requirements such
as RPS and RA requirements.

6. Sample Energy Bill – Marin Clean Energy
Page 2
Page 1

7. Channel Islands Clean Energy Potential Scope
All of Ventura County
Southern Santa Barbara County
Part of Los Angeles County (Malibu)
Sliver of Kern County

8. How Do We Make It Happen? Get the word out to government and business!
Resolutions from participating governmental entities:
Ventura County
Cities in Ventura County
Navy bases
Southern Santa Barbara County
Malibu
Feasibility Study
Santa Barbara County has just funded a study, which could include portions of Ventura County
Implementation Plan
Must be approved by California Public Utilities Commission
Channel Islands Clean Energy begins operation!
Non-profit government agency

9. CCA: What are the Risks… And how are they mitigated?
Rate Competition/Market Fluctuation: Power market expertise and well crafted power RFPs are essential; Diversified supply portfolio and “value add” programs.
Customer Opt-Out: Competitive rates are a must; Articulate additional consumer and community benefits;
Political: Align CCA to local policy objectives; Appeal to both progressive and conservative minds by making the environmental AND business case
Regulatory/Legislative: PUC decisions may adversely affect CCA; also example of AB 2145; Participate in the regulatory and legislative process.

10. Why the Timing Is Good…
Historic gas lows help achieve competitive pricing
Solar tax credit shrinking or expiring at end of 2016
Utilities are fully resourced through excess power available
Affordable financing available

11. Success Story: Sonoma Clean Power
Started in 2014
Now the dominant energy supplier in the county with over 200,000 customers
90% share of residential and commercial
Includes all cities except Healdsburg, which had its own power company
Customer plans
Standard 33% renewable at rates 5% below incumbent utility
Option of 100% renewable option at 20% premium to regular rates (sourced from Calpine local geothermal)
Customers saved $6 million in first year

12. Sonoma Clean Power (cont’d)
Power Purchase Agreements
70 MW of new solar through Recurrent Energy in Central Valley and Sonoma - doubles the amount of solar in Sonoma’s mix
12.5 MW new solar provided by Pristine Sun on floating docks in county irrigation ponds (cooperating with Sonoma Water Agency, which celebrated 100% clean energy goal this year)
Geothermal through Calpine that will bring geothermal to 23% of SCPs supply by 2018
30% lower GHG emissions than the incumbent utility.

13. Success Story: Marin Clean Energy
Began service in 2010
Now has 165,000 customers (75% of customers in Marin and Richmond)
Recently celebrated fifth anniversary, meeting or beating incumbent utility rates
Customer Plans:
50% renewable at 6-9% below the incumbent utility
100% option available

14. Marin Clean Energy (cont’d)
200 MW of new renewable energy contracted or developed
Local community projects:
Solar panel array on airport hangars at San Rafael Airport
Solar panels on Novato and Richmond carports
Biogas from a county landfill
24 supply agreements with 12 different energy suppliers
1800 jobs created/supported; most in construction
59,000 tons of GHG reductions
Reached Governor Brown’s 50 % renewable target 18 years early

15. Success Story: Lancaster Choice Energy
Lancaster Choice Energy rolled out in May 2015 with municipal accounts
Full operation in October 2015
First CCA working with Southern California Edison
Mayor Rex Parris (R) expects direct purchases from solar farms to save Lancaster users 15-30%.
Customer Plans:
35% renewable (rates 3% lower than incumbent utility)
100% renewable

16. Lancaster Choice Energy (cont’d)
City of Lancaster
Population of 156,000 with 350 days of sunshine
Located just south of the Tehachapi Mountains , which host one of the world’s largest wind farms
Adjacent Antelope Valley region also houses some of the largest utility- scale solar projects.
Focus on Solar Energy
Lancaster branded itself as a leading solar city (named solar capital of California in July 2012)
Currently producing 118 MW of solar within city limits
Aiming to become one of world’s first net zero cities for electricity use by 2020, producing 530 MW of clean energy.

17. Lancaster Choice Energy (cont’d)
Solar Initiatives
In 2010 Lancaster hired Solar City to construct solar panels covered parking lots at city buildings, saving 7 cents per kwh over previous rates.
All of Lancaster’s 25 schools have panels, saving city $50,000 per year and school district $420,000
Worked with eSolar to bring its 20 acre Sierra Sun Tower solar project to completion in 14 months; first operating solar thermal power tower plant in U.S.
Applications for more than 4,000 MW of generation by photovoltaic plants have been received in High Desert/Antelope Valley region, providing Lancaster with a wide range of options.

18. Lancaster Choice Energy (cont’d)
Other renewable/green investment in Lancaster or nearby:
First Solar’s solar ranch
U.S. Topco Energy Inc.
China’s BYD, leading supplier of advanced battery technology
Beautiful Earth Group
Solar Star Projects
Sunpower Technology Project
Solar Homes (over 1700 single-family home solar permits)
EV quick charging