Energy innovators recognize the 100% renewable energy microgrid for cutting edge community contribution

EUREKA, CA. May 31, 2023 — The Redwood Coast Energy Authority received two distinguished awards last week for the collaborative Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid (RCAM) project. The California Community Choice Association (CalCCA) recognized RCEA with a first place Impact Award in the Reliability category at their annual conference in San Diego. RCEA also won the “California Microgrid” award during Microgrid Knowledge’s 2023 Greater Good Award ceremony in Anaheim.

RCEA staff were among 600 attendees at the CalCCA Conference in San Diego from May 16 to 19. Staff both led and participated in panel discussions and attended workshops with other Community Choice Aggregators.

“Community choice energy providers across California are developing and implementing exciting projects and programs and CalCCA is central in sharing success stories so effective strategies can be replicated up and down the state,” said RCEA Executive Director Matthew Marshall. “It is an honor to receive this recognition and we look forward to building on what we’ve learned through this project to deploy future microgrids in our region.”

RCEA’s Infrastructure Planning and Operations Director Dana Boudreau attended the Microgrid Knowledge Conference in Anaheim with David Carter from Schatz Energy Research Center, a key project partner. “RCEA is honored to accept this award on behalf of the Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid project team. We’re grateful for the opportunity to bring new knowledge, technology, and skills into the industry and to accelerate the transition toward clean, resilient and sustainable energy for communities around the world,” said Boudreau. The award-winning project team continues to seek and develop innovative new technologies to maintain and improve the RCAM system and identify opportunities for additional microgrids.

Since its launch in June 2022, RCAM’s solar powered battery storage system repeatedly and seamlessly provided backup power to the U.S. Coast Guard Humboldt Bay Air Station, the California Redwood Coast – Humboldt County Airport, and the neighboring community during a long winter of power outages caused by severe weather and earthquakes.

Projects tackling adverse challenges are essential in rural areas like Humboldt County and community choice energy programs that keep energy dollars local are key to getting them built. The State of California, through the California Energy Commission, saw RCAM as a model project to be replicated across the state and joined community choice energy provider RCEA as a major project funder.

The RCAM microgrid project was made possible by a collaborative partnership with the Schatz Energy Research Center at Cal Poly Humboldt, the County of Humboldt, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Tesla, The Energy Authority, TRC, and Schweitzer Engineering Labs.

About CalCCA

The California Community Choice Association supports community choice electricity providers, such as RCEA, in the legislature and at state regulatory agencies, including the California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission and California Air Resources Board. CalCCA is comprised of 24 of the 25 Community Choice Aggregators currently operating in the state. Its mission focuses on advocating for its Community Choice Aggregators by supporting legislative and regulatory objectives, and aiding long-term goals of education, sustainability, and technical guidance.

About Microgrid Knowledge

Microgrid Knowledge is the self-proclaimed “world’s largest news site dedicated to all things microgrid.” Their 2023 Anaheim conference explored the markets, technologies, policies, and customer benefits emerging as the world decentralizes its energy supply and electrifies buildings and transportation. The conference was an opportunity for businesses, communities, institutions, and government to learn what is available now and what lies ahead to improve microgrids and distributed energy operations.

About Microgrids

Microgrids can function and support communities during threats and outages to the traditional electricity grid, allowing communities to be resilient against unexpected forces such as earthquakes and severe weather. Microgrids can disconnect or “island” from the main grid and produce electricity independently during outages. During the major 6.4 magnitude earthquake in December 2022, the microgrid remained autonomously energized for nearly 15 hours.

About RCEA

Established in 2003, the Redwood Coast Energy Authority is a local government joint powers agency whose members include the County of Humboldt, the seven cities within the county, the Yurok Tribe and the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. The Energy Authority’s purpose is to develop and implement sustainable energy initiatives that reduce energy demand, increase energy efficiency, and advance the use of clean, efficient, and renewable resources available in the region. For more info, visit redwoodenergy.org.

CC Power’s nine members will gain information and may explore offshore wind procurement following the RFI

Sacramento, Calif. – California Community Power (CC Power) has posted its Request for Information (RFI) on offshore wind, seeking information for projects targeted to be developed in the Humboldt and Morro Bay Wind Energy Areas, along with other possible offshore wind developments. This offshore wind RFI will inform Board recommendations regarding procurement, readiness, barriers, or other CC Power and Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) member actions for offshore wind.

The Humboldt and Morro Bay wind areas can provide high-quality wind energy that supports California’s grid reliability. CC Power could contract for such resources on behalf of its nine members, pending CC Power Board direction and related clean energy and economic analysis.

“Offshore wind energy can provide steady, valuable, and renewable energy to meet California’s clean energy needs, including during heat storms when the grid is taxed. This RFI fits with the goals of CC Power and RCEA,” said Matthew Marshall, Redwood Coast Energy Authority Executive Director and CC Power Board Member. “Gathering information and signaling interest in offshore wind is a prudent step for CC Power to gear up in exploring contracting for new offshore wind resources.”

CC Power represents nine CCAs, each governed by local and regional boards, overseeing the CCAs’ pursuit of clean energy resources, programs, and cost-competitive electrical service for local communities. The pursuit of 100% clean energy based on California law will require a portfolio of clean energy resources, including those that deliver clean energy at night and during extreme weather events. If contracted for development by CC Power, such resources will be included in each CCA’s resource plan, and CC Power will administer contracts to drive timely development and operations of new resources.

“This joint-action RFI will focus on California’s opportunity for floating offshore wind turbines, a technology gradually being deployed around the world,” said Alex J. Morris, General Manager of CC Power. “CC Power and its member CCAs have a track record of contracting for valuable renewable energy. This RFI helps us build formal recommendations on procurement for our Board and will inform strategies to address needs for port infrastructure and expanded electrical grid transmission, known barriers for offshore wind development in California.”

The ongoing RFI process, as well as member participation, have been discussed during noticed, public meetings of the CC Power board. Information is available at https://cacommunitypower.org/solicitations/.

About California Community Power

California Community Power is a Joint Powers Agency comprised of nine California Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs). The agency allows its member CCAs to combine their buying power to procure new, cost-effective clean energy and reliability resources to continue advancing local and state climate goals. California Community Power members represent 2.7 million customers across 112 municipalities spanning from Humboldt County to Santa Barbara County. Learn more at cacommunitypower.org.

Yurok Tribe, RCEA Aim to Increase Access to Clean, Renewable Energy

The Yurok Tribe is the first sovereign tribal government to become a member of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority.

“We joined RCEA because its mission to implement initiatives that increase access to affordable, clean energy aligns with our core values,” said Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers “As an RCEA member, the Tribe will be able to participate at the government to government level in the planning and development of long term renewable energy projects. We strongly believe the transition to sustainable energy sources is essential to the long-term health and prosperity of our community.”

“It is exciting to have the Yurok Tribe joining RCEA,” said RCEA Executive Director Matthew Marshall. “Over RCEA’s 20 years of se rv ing Humboldt County we’ve worked with the Tribe on many projects, and we are very much looking forward to building on that relationship and having Tribal representation on our governing board.” RCEA’s Board of Directors and the Yurok Tribal Council passed separate resolutions approving a joint powers agreement which made the Tribe an agency member. “The Yurok Tribe wishes to provide input on the development of secure, sustainable, clean, and affordable energy resources, and participate as a stakeholder,” according to the Yurok resolution.

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority is a local government Joint Powers Agency. The agency was established to develop and implement sustainable energy initiatives that reduce energy demand, increase energy efficiency, and advance the use of clean, efficient, and renewable resources available in the region. RCEA members include: the County of Humboldt; the Cities of Arcata, Blue Lake, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Rio Dell, and Trinidad; and the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District and the Yurok Tribe.

Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers will represent the Tribe on the RCEA’s Board of Directors. Vice Chairman Myers has decades of experience in natural resources management, community development and cultural preservation. In addition to serving on the Yurok Tribal Council, he is the president of the Prey-go-neesh Construction Corporation, which performs infrastructure-building projects all over the United States. He is also leading the Tribe’s effort to equitably engage in the prospective floating offshore wind energy projects along California’s North Coast.

Last December, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) auctioned the development rights to 130,000 acres off the Humboldt coast for offshore wind energy production. Earlier this month, the Yurok Tribe, Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods announced plans to prepare a local workforce to take advantage of future jobs in the new industry. This unique collaboration provides potential floating offshore wind developers an opportunity to support local workforce training.

Humboldt County electricians can get reimbursed for their EVITP certification.

Redwood Coast Energy Authority is offering scholarships for up to ten certified electricians to become certified to install EV charging stations.
If you are a state licensed or certified electrician, you may be interested in getting EVITP certified to bid on:

• RCEA’s upcoming North Coast Phase 2 EVSE EV charging station projects
• Public works projects across the state of California
• EV charging stations at homes and businesses

Interested certified electricians can sign-up for the EVITP certification training and exam on-line, which takes approximately 20 hours to complete (plus the exam time). Once completed, up to 10 electricians can apply for a scholarship by:

• Filling out an application
• Presenting proof of completion of the training
• Providing an invoice for the course

Funding for the North Coast Phase 2 EVSE EV charging stations is provided by RCEA and a Headwaters Fund Mini Grant.

For more information on EVITP training: https://evitp.org/training/
At RCEA contact Marianne Bithell (707) 382-2014.  MBithell@redwoodenergy.org