Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Cities' clout at issue in first Sonoma Clean Power meeting

Cities' clout at issue in first Sonoma Clean Power meeting

Brett Wilkison, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A tussle for control over the future of Sonoma Clean Power dominated the agency’s first public meeting Tuesday, with county officials rejecting for now a request by smaller cities for more say over how the agency is governed.

The decision was a clear sign of how strongly the county is courting Santa Rosa, the largest urban power market. Under current weighted voting rules, Santa Rosa would retain the ability to join the unincorporated county — the other dominant power market — in pushing through governance changes over the objection of all other cities.

via Cities' clout at issue in first Sonoma Clean Power meeting | PressDemocrat.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Sonoma City Council hears final clean power pitch

Sonoma City Council hears final clean power pitch

Derek Moore, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Sonoma County officials made their final clean power pitch Monday night to a mostly receptive audience in Sonoma. With little comment, the Sonoma City Council scheduled a vote in two weeks on a resolution on whether to support the county’s vision of supplanting PG&E as the county’s chief supplier of electricity and provide a greener energy portfolio. Sonoma is on track to meet the county deadline of June 30 for cities to opt-in if they want to participate in the rollout of the power system on Jan. 1.
via Sonoma City Council hears final clean power pitch | PressDemocrat.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Cotati likely to join county power agency

Cotati likely to join county power agency

Dave Williams, THE COMMUNITY VOICE

If the Cotati City Council meeting on Wednesday night is any indication, the city is likely to become part of Sonoma County’s clean power agency.

Although no vote was taken at the meeting following a presentation from Sonoma County officials that lasted more than 2½ hours, the council seemed poised to approve joining the agency when it comes up for vote in the next month or so.

Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) aims to end PG&E’s monopoly and provide local competition and a choice for consumers throughout the county. It also plans to offer an array of green energy sources, including solar, wind, geothermal and small hydroelectric projects.

SCP is a program designed to provide electric power to the residents, businesses and institutions in participating jurisdictions throughout Sonoma County. SCP will be operated by a joint powers authority formed by the County of Sonoma and the Sonoma County Water Agency and will include the cities of Sonoma County which decide to join. SCP is expected to start providing service to a small portion of customers at the beginning of 2014, pending a final vote to proceed by its Board of Directors. 

via The Community Voice – Cotati likely to join county power agency.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Mayor Says Petaluma Should Take Time Studying Sonoma Clean Power

Mayor Says Petaluma Should Take Time Studying Sonoma Clean Power

Karina Ioffee, PETALUMA PATCH

Petaluma Mayor Dave Glass says the city should take more time to study whether it wants to join Sonoma Clean Power, the initiative that would offer ratepayers a choice about where to purchase their energy.

Sonoma Clean Power administrators want Petaluma to vote on the issue by June 30 and pass a resolution by the end of July. But Glass and several other Petaluma council members say they want to carefully weigh the advantages of joining Sonoma Clean Power, and that delaying joining would have absolutely no impact on the program or lowering greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).

via Mayor Says Petaluma Should Take Time Studying Sonoma Clean Power – Top News – Petaluma, CA Patch.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Sebastopol listens to public power agency pitch

Sebastopol listens to public power agency pitch

Guy Kovner, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Sonoma County officials made their first pitch for a public power agency on Tuesday night to the Sebastopol City Council, with seven more stops to go in a campaign to enroll eight cities in a plan to challenge PG&E’s monopoly as a power provider.

Sebastopol officials indicated at the start of the county’s presentation that it would not commit on Tuesday to joining the proposed Sonoma Clean Power, which expects to begin delivering power in January.

via Sebastopol listens to public power agency pitch | PressDemocrat.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Marin Energy Authority moving ahead with plan to build its own solar projects

Marin Energy Authority moving ahead with plan to build its own solar projects

Richard Halstead, MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

The Marin Energy Authority decided this week to begin setting aside money to develop its own renewable energy generation projects within its jurisdictional boundaries, which include all of Marin County and the city of Richmond.

The authority’s board Thursday gave its unanimous approval to the creation of a "local renewable development fund." The fund will be fed by half of the revenue generated each year from the authority’s "Deep Green" program. The authority has set a goal of creating 14 megawatts of new solar capacity within its jurisdiction by 2019.

via Marin Energy Authority moving ahead with plan to build its own solar projects – Marin Independent Journal.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Sebastopol poised to add solar requirement to new construction

Sebastopol poised to add solar requirement to new construction

Guy Kovner, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Sebastopol, the small town of 7,400 tucked next to the green hills of west Sonoma County, would seem to have little in common with Lancaster, a high desert city of 146,000 located 400 miles away in northeast Los Angeles County.

via Sebastopol poised to add solar requirement to new construction | PressDemocrat.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & Energy, Sustainable LivingTags , , Leave a comment on Board to vote on Sonoma Clean Power Tuesday, April 23, 9:00am

Board to vote on Sonoma Clean Power Tuesday, April 23, 9:00am

Climate Protection Campaign

Sonoma Clean Power, the county initiative to purchase greener electricity, comes back to the Board for a vote on April 23rd. Topics include potential rates, start-up financing, and marketing services. Please attend and show support.

The most recent story in the Press Democrat:
Eleven bidders compete to provide power to Sonoma County

Posted on Categories Climate Change & Energy, Local OrganizationsTags , , , Leave a comment on County Creates Sonoma Clean Power

County Creates Sonoma Clean Power

CLIMATE PROTECTION CAMPAIGN
The Board of the Sonoma County Water Agency and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today created a joint powers authority to oversee Sonoma Clean Power, a proposed local program to buy and generate electricity for residents and businesses.
Three local organizations hailed the move and pledged to work with the new Sonoma Clean Power Authority, while cautioning that the power provider must be run like a competitive business venture rather than a government program. Climate Protection Campaign, Sonoma County Alliance, and the North Coast Builders Exchange each communicated their concerns to county officials.
“For Sonoma Clean Power to be successful in local job creation as well as greenhouse gas reduction, it must be run by proven energy entrepreneurs with a competitive mentality,” said Ann Hancock, Executive Director of the Climate Protection Campaign.
via County Creates Sonoma Clean Power | Climate Protection Campaign.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , , Leave a comment on 50-acre solar array planned at Sonoma County airport

50-acre solar array planned at Sonoma County airport

Bob Norberg, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
What would be the largest solar energy project in Sonoma County, generating enough electricity for 10,000 homes, is being planned for vacant land at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport.
“The goal is to get renewable energy projects started here in Sonoma County and get local jobs in this arena,” said Cordel Stillman, the capital projects manager for the Sonoma County Water Agency.
In addition, the airport is planning its own solar installations to provide electricity to the administration building, terminal and runway and security lighting.
via 50-acre solar array planned at Sonoma County airport | PressDemocrat.com.