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Who's knockin gon my door scam alert graphic

SCAM ALERT from the Redwood Coast Energy Authority

Monday, May 23, 2022

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) and local law enforcement are receiving reports that individuals claiming to represent RCEA and/or Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) are going through neighborhoods asking to come into homes to discuss energy contracts and potential bill savings. Please be aware that this is not RCEA; RCEA does not go door-to-door to discuss bills or services. Included in the reports are promises of less expensive natural gas contracts, which RCEA does not handle. RCEA only sells electricity.

RCEA encourages the community to approach these solicitations with caution, read through all the details, don’t share your personal information or sign anything until you are confident that it will benefit you and that it is a legitimate offer.  Some customers who have signed up with similar non-local gas solicitors in the past have reported that they were locked into long-term contracts and that the cost was significantly higher than what they were previously paying with PG&E.

Additional scams reported this year include callers asking for bill payment over the phone. Remember to only pay your current and past due bills via your usual secure payment options. If someone calls for your credit card information to keep your account active, hang up and call PG&E’s customer service if you have questions.

To discuss your bill in detail, call RCEA at (707) 269-1700 or PG&E at (800) 743-5000. RCEA’s website has information about all of RCEA’s trusted services, including rebates, financial assistance, energy efficiency, electric vehicle incentives, local renewable energy projects, events, and notifications about current scams. www. RedwoodEnergy.org.

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Graphic explaining how Community Choice Energy works

Community Choice Energy Celebrates Five Years in Humboldt County

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority’s Community Choice Energy Program is celebrating its five-year anniversary this May. We have been meeting the electricity demands of about 63,000 Humboldt County customers to the tune of roughly 700,000 MWh per year since 2017, and providing that power at discounted prices.

“Five years ago, RCEA switched on the Community Choice Energy program on behalf of Humboldt County residents and business owners,” said RCEA Board Chair Stephen Avis. “As a joint powers public agency, City and County elected officials voted to participate in a program designed to retain control of our energy dollars by reinvesting them in local and sustainable energy projects instead of sending them to out of area shareholders. The decision-making process of our RCEA board of directors has helped us replace fossil fuel with renewable and sustainable sources of energy. This shift has put our county on the leading edge of combating the causes of climate change, and I am very proud to be a part of that.”

RCEA’s CCE program aims to provide local energy customers with a mix of 100% renewable and carbon-free electricity by 2025, and 100% local renewable power by 2030. “RCEA is pursuing and signing contracts for local renewable energy and utility-scale energy storage to make good on the ambitious clean energy goals advocated by our community and adopted by our Board,” said RCEA’s Power Resources Director Richard Engel.

Solar panels at the Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid

“The Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid in McKinleyville is an example of RCEA building local resilience and clean energy resources for our Community Choice Energy portfolio. It’s built, operational and feeding renewable power to the grid now,” said RCEA Board member and former Chair Sheri Woo. “Join us for the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the airport.” Details for the Wednesday, June 22 celebration will be forthcoming. RCEA, the Schatz Energy Research Center at Cal Poly Humboldt, PG&E, and the County of Humboldt, constructed this first-of-its-kind, multi-customer microgrid during the pandemic. The 2.3 MW solar array and battery energy storage system was funded by RCEA and the California Energy Commission and provides electricity for RCEA’s customers during normal operations. During power outages, the electricity will support the Coast Guard, air transport activities, and regional emergency responses.

Local leaders standing in front of a solar array at the Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid
Local leaders visit the Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid

RCEA is also working to make offshore wind part of its Community Choice Energy local power mix. “In 2016 when our CCE program was being designed, local offshore wind energy was a distant concept,” said RCEA Executive Director Matthew Marshall. “This fall, the federal government will auction off leases to developers who wish to explore the feasibility of wind energy projects 20 or so miles off Humboldt Bay, which could be operational by 2030. Offshore wind will be a critical tool in combating climate change while creating skilled jobs and driving economic development up and down the California coast. RCEA will continue to work with our community, the local fishing industry, Tribes, local labor organizations, and other stakeholders to maximize offshore wind’s benefits for our community.”

image showing how the port for offshore wind services might look on the Samoa Peninsula

Revenues from the CCE’s power sales are directed back into the community in the form of RCEA’s customer programs. “In addition to cleaner, more affordable energy, Community Choice Energy in Humboldt County allows us greater flexibility to provide energy efficiency services to residents, businesses, and public agencies by keeping energy dollars local,” said Stephen Kullmann, who leads RCEA’s Customer Energy Solutions. “We recently launched a new series of rebates, this time for a wide variety of equipment like washers, dryers, heat pumps, and other efficient appliances. We’ll continue with our assessment and installation services–with even more energy-saving programs planned.”

Visit our Rebates page for details on all our rebates and incentives, including EVS and EV charging equipment.

THANK YOU to all our customers and partners for joining us and exercising your power to choose.

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Stock energy storage photo

RCEA Joins California Community Power Members for a 2nd Long Duration Energy Storage Procurement Project

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) has again teamed up with six of our Community Choice Aggregator members on another lithium-ion energy storage project. ‘Goal Line’ will be a 50MW/400MWh project with eight hours of discharge duration. It’ll be developed by Onward Energy in Escondido, California, with an expected online date of 2025.

Energy storage continues to play a key role in maximizing the benefits of renewable energy that is so abundant during the day but drops off in the evening.

See our joint press release below for further details.

Read press release

California Community Power Members Approve Second Lithium-Ion Long-Duration Energy Storage Contract
Six CCAs sign on to new California lithium-ion storage project

March 7, 2022

Monterey, Calif. – At a special meeting of the California Community Power (CC Power) board on February 25, members of the Joint Powers Agency voted to enter into a contract for the 50-megawatt (MW)/400-megawatt hour (MWh) Goal Line long-duration energy storage project. The lithium-ion battery storage project, developed by Onward Energy, will have eight hours of discharge duration and will be located in Escondido, California, with an expected online date of 2025.

“The collaboration of California Community Power members has been a tremendous success as we enter into our second long-duration storage agreement,” said Geof Syphers, CC Power Board Chair and Sonoma Clean Power CEO. “This new contract allows the participating members to meet our state-mandated long-duration storage requirements, showing how CCAs are leading the way to advance clean energy in California.”

“Combined with the approval of the Tumbleweed project in January 2022 – the first CC Power long-duration storage contract, the Goal Line contract demonstrates the commitment of member CCAs to confront the reliability needs of the power grid to hit California’s greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2030,” said Tim Haines, CC Power Interim General Manager.

“Onward is honored that California Community Power has entrusted us with this important project,” said Steve Doyon, CEO of Onward Energy. “Long-duration storage is an important part of the energy transition, and we are proud that the Goal Line battery storage facility will provide clean, reliable power to CC Power members for years to come.”

Participating CCAs

The Goal Line project adheres to the long-duration storage enhanced conditions adopted by the CC Power Board. It will be constructed under a Project Labor Agreement, assuring prevailing wages and use of apprenticeship programs.

This joint procurement effort for long-duration energy storage is a continuation of the Oct. 2020 Request for Offers (RFO) seeking to procure cost-effective and viable long-duration storage resources. A subset of CC Power member CCAs issued the RFO before the California Public Utilities Commission Mid-Term Reliability procurement order (Decision 21-06-035). The Goal Line and Tumbleweed contracts will allow the participating CCAs to meet their obligation for the long-duration energy storage requirement mandated by the CPUC.

Participation in the RFO and resulting projects is voluntary for each CC Power member. The participating agencies for the Goal Line project are CleanPowerSF, Redwood Coast Energy Authority, San Jose Clean Energy, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, Sonoma Clean Power Authority, and Valley Clean Energy. The governing boards of each participating member will follow their local review and approval processes for the contract and associated agreements for the Goal Line project.

The ongoing RFO process and member participation are discussed during noticed public meetings of the CC Power board. Additional projects identified during the competitive solicitation process will be reviewed at upcoming meetings. Meeting information is available at cacommunitypower.org/meetings.

About California Community Power

California Community Power is a Joint Powers Agency comprised of ten 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 over 3 million customers across more than 145 municipalities spanning from Humboldt County to Santa Barbara County. Learn more at cacommunitypower.org.

About Onward Energy
Onward Energy is an independent power generator that owns and operates a 4GW portfolio of solar, wind, and gas generation projects in the U.S. With 43 projects in 16 states, Onward Energy is a national leader in the clean energy transition, investing in the next generation of reliable, clean technologies that will enable our customers and communities to meet their decarbonization goals faster. More information can be found at www.OnwardEnergy.com.

Media Contact
Pamela Leonard
Communications Manager
Silicon Valley Clean Energy
pamela.leonard@svcleanenergy.org
O: 408-721-5301 x1004

Here are a few links to coverage of the story:

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Battery energy storage system in nature

RCEA Joins Six California Community Power Members in a Contract for 69 Megawatts of Long Duration Energy Storage

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) has teamed up with six other Community Choice Aggregators on a new energy storage project that not only helps fulfill compliance requirements but more importantly supports the transition to a carbon-free energy future. Low-carbon renewable energy supplies tend to be more intermittent on the grid, so RCEA and others load-serving entities will continue to invest in long-term storage to reliably deliver clean, affordable electricity to our customers.

RCEA’s share of the project will be 2.5 MW, or 3.6% of the total of the project’s capacity, which satisfies about one-third of RCEA’s total “long lead time” compliance requirements. RCEA’s Board of Directors is expected to finalize the contract at its February meeting.

See our joint press release below for further details.

Read press release

Seven California Community Power Members Contract for 69 Megawatts of Long Duration Energy Storage

Project marks first major procurement milestone for CCA Joint Powers Agency

Monterey, Calif.

At the January 19 California Community Power (CC Power) board meeting, members of the Joint Powers Agency voted to enter into an energy storage service agreement with REV Renewables for 69 megawatts (MW)/552 megawatt hours (MWh) of long-duration energy storage. The REV Renewables Tumbleweed project will be a CAISO grid-connected, lithium-ion battery storage resource located near Rosamond, in Kern County, California, with an expected online date of 2026.

“Long-duration energy storage is a vital resource, needed to amplify the value of renewable power, and accelerate California’s shift to a clean, reliable and affordable grid,” said Girish Balachandran, California Community Power Board Chair and Silicon Valley Clean Energy CEO. “This first project is an exciting milestone that shows how CCAs work together to advance our shared goals in the transition to a carbon-free grid.”

The California Public Utilities Commission Mid-Term Reliability Procurement order (Decision 21-06-035) requires all CPUC-jurisdictional load serving entities, including CC Power Members, to procure from energy storage facilities capable of discharging for a minimum of 8 hours. This project satisfies approximately 55% of the long-duration storage compliance requirements of the participating members.

This joint procurement effort for long-duration energy storage began before the CPUC issued the new procurement order when a subset of the CC Power members issued a Request for Offers (RFO) in Oct. 2020 seeking to procure cost effective and viable long-duration storage resources.

Participating CCAs

Participation in the RFO and resulting projects is voluntary for each CC Power member. The participating agencies for this project are CleanPowerSF, Peninsula Clean Energy, Redwood Coast Energy Authority, San Jose Clean Energy, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, Sonoma Clean Power Authority and Valley Clean Energy. Participating members will follow their own review and approval processes with their local, elected boards.

The Tumbleweed project adheres to the long-duration storage enhanced conditions adopted by the CC Power Board for this procurement effort. It will be constructed under a Project Labor Agreement, assuring prevailing wages and use of apprenticeship programs and is expected to create dozens of new jobs.

The ongoing RFO process, as well as member participation, have been discussed during noticed, public meetings of the CC Power board. Additional projects identified during the competitive solicitation process will be discussed at upcoming meetings. Meeting information is available at cacommunitypower.org/meetings.

 

This story was also covered here:

  • https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/long-duration-energy-storage/lithium-ion-batteries-beat-novel-long-duration-tech-in-california-contest
  • https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/lithium-ion-takes-early-lead-in-calif-race-for-longer-lasting-energy-storage-68468842
  • https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/01/26/california-community-power-members-procure-69mw-of-long-duration-storage/
  • https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/01/7-california-ccas-sign-on-for-nearly-70-mw-long-duration-energy-storage-project/

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RCEA Contractor and Vendor Network

One of the challenges that RCEA and our customers have had to deal with is that as a government agency, RCEA is not allowed to make recommendations for individual contractors or vendors. Our customers want to make improvements to their homes and businesses to make them more energy-efficient, but they don’t always know where to start.

In order to better serve our customers, RCEA invited contractors and vendors to submit an application to be included in our Contractor and Vendor Network. This new resource is for our customers who are looking for licensed contractors for their installation needs, and qualified vendors for their equipment needs related to RCEA program services or referrals made by RCEA.

Please visit our new webpage and be sure to visit again soon since we are going to be adding to it on an ongoing basis.

Contractor and Vendor Network

Contractors and Vendors – please join our network! You can get more information and learn more about how to apply by going to the Ongoing Opportunities section of our Contracting page.

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