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 Cloverdale puts off public power decision

Cloverdale puts off public power decision

Clark Mason, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

The Cloverdale City Council has said it’s premature to join a public power agency intended to supplant PG&E as the city’s primary source of electricity.

Citing the need for more information, Council members Wednesday night declined tocommit to the proposed Sonoma Clean Power Authority, but left the door open to doing so in the future.

via Cloverdale says no, for now, to county power agency | Watch Sonoma County.

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 & 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 & EnergyTags Leave a comment on 11 bidders compete to provide power to Sonoma County

11 bidders compete to provide power to Sonoma County

Brett Wilkison, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Ten companies and one nonprofit agency are competing for an initial contract to provide electricity to Sonoma County homes and businesses through the county’s proposed public power agency.

The bids are for a contract of at least three years with an estimated worth of about $340 million, according to county officials. The program seeks to displace PG&E as the area’s dominant electricity supplier, a move that supporters say would boost support for renewable energy and spur investment in local power projects.

via 11 bidders compete to provide power to Sonoma County | PressDemocrat.com.

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 Sonoma Clean Power vs. PG&E’s “Green Option” program

Sonoma Clean Power vs. PG&E’s “Green Option” program

by bvesser, CLIMATE PROTECTION CAMPAIGN
Background:
April 10, 2012, the Sonoma County Water Agency Board voted unanimously to continue its evaluation of Sonoma Clean Power. Since 2011 the Sonoma County Water Agency has studied the feasibility and desirability of implementing Sonoma Clean Power, a local program that will buy and generate electricity for businesses and residents to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions.
April 24, 2012, PG&E announced it had asked permission of the California Public Utilities Commission to offer its electric ratepayers a voluntary new program to support 100 percent renewable energy. PG&E expects that residential customers who voluntarily opt in to the program will pay on average about $6.00 more per month.
via Sonoma Clean Power vs. PG&E’s “Green Option” Program | Climate Protection Campaign.