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March 2021

It's getting greener around Alameda County (and Tracy), and that's not just because of the recent rain showers. The City of Dublin recently elected to set Renewable 100 as their default service for residential customers, with the exception of customers on CARE, FERA or Medical Baseline discounted rates. Back in the virtual office, EBCE continues to develop innovative programs, such as this energy hedge agreement with OhmConnect based on residential demand response. Meanwhile, progress continues on EBCE's wind farm in Livermore - we are busy planning a virtual ribbon-cutting event in June and will provide details in our next newsletter. 

It's Time for Time-of-Use Rates

In 2021, PG&E and EBCE will transition customers to a Time-of-Use (TOU) rate plan based on when you use electricity

In May 2021, residential customers throughout Alameda County who are on a flat-rate plan (tiered or volume-based) will be placed onto Time-of-Use rates. Time-of-Use rate plans charge customers based on when they use electricity. The default residential plan, E-TOU-C, has peak rates from 4-9 PM. By shifting some electricity usage to non-peak hours when energy costs less (and is typically less polluting), you can lower your bill and support a healthier environment. The transition for residential customers in Tracy is planned for November 2021.

This transition, happening for EBCE and PG&E customers alike, is part of California’s statewide initiative to ensure greater power reliability and cleaner energy. PG&E and EBCE are sending several notification letters to all customers with more information. For details, check PG&E's website or EBCE's website. 

Three times per year, EBCE issues sponsorships of up to $2,500 each to dozens of local organizations to help make our community shine. The application for the next round of sponsorship will close on March 31 with awards issued by April 30. Info and application here.

Coming soon - EBCE in Newark, Pleasanton, and Tracy!

EBCE now serves all of Alameda County except the City of Alameda

In April, residences and businesses in Newark, Pleasanton, and Tracy will begin receiving EBCE’s electricity service. The cities of Newark and Tracy have selected Bright Choice as their default service level, while Pleasanton customers will be enrolled in Brilliant 100, with the exception of customers on CARE, FERA, or Medical Baseline discounts (who will be placed on Bright Choice). 

The three cities have a combined population of 222,000, with potentially 75,719 new customer accounts for EBCE. This will boost the number of EBCE customers by 13.7 percent, and increase EBCE’s electricity demand by just over one terawatt-hour (billion kilowatt-hours), or 18.3 percent (assuming none opt out of EBCE service). Almost 90 percent of new customers are residential, accounting for about 40 percent of new power demand. About half of the new load will come from just over 1,000 large customers.

The three cities should also feel right at home with EBCE’s efforts to promote local clean energy resources like rooftop solar, battery backup, and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. The three cities are home to almost 4,000 electric vehicles, according to state EV rebate data, as well as 10,000 rooftop solar systems. In Tracy, one out of six customers has gone solar!

Customers in Newark, Pleasanton, and Tracy can learn more by joining one of our information webinars. Details here about upcoming webinars, and our recorded webinars are uploaded to our YouTube channel. 

Can Oakland-based James Beard finalist Assil Reem make her signature dish on a portable induction cooktop? EBCE and Sunset Magazine challenge her to a new kind of shakshuka.

Women’s History Month: Energy and Environment Edition

Celebrating Women's Achievements

In honor of Women's History Month, we are taking a look at and celebrating the achievements of four women who have left their mark on the clean energy field. Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter using the handle @poweredbyebce to learn more about these influential leaders! 

Upcoming Virtual Meetings

Executive Committee  |  3/26 at noon  

Community Advisory Committee  |  4/19 at 6 PM  

Board of Directors |  4/21 at 5 PM