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Council updates: Sonoma Clean Power bills, EV programs and regional energy discussions
Summary
A council member reported on Sonoma Clean Power legislative efforts to expand geothermal power, programs to support electric vehicle adoption and a feasibility study for expansion to Lake County; council also discussed transportation funding implications of increased EVs.
A council member updated the City Council on May 21 about Sonoma Clean Power’s legislative and programmatic work, including geothermal legislation, electric-vehicle incentives and a feasibility study to expand service to Lake County.
The council member (name not specified in the transcript) summarized pending and passed bills backed or sponsored by Sonoma Clean Power that would expand geothermal power development (listed in the briefing as AB 526, AB 527 and AB 531) and said that those measures could lead to lower generation costs in the longer term.
The council member also described local programs to encourage electric-vehicle adoption and reduce grid strain: a rebate program offering up to $15,000 for qualifying nonprofit passenger-vehicle purchases and $22,500 for certain cargo vans/pickups (25 rebates had been awarded at the time of the report); a GridSavvy app-based program to help users shift charging to lower-cost times; a Community Charge program offering free Level 2 chargers for eligible organizations including municipalities and nonprofits; and employer commuter grants that fund bike-commute incentives.
The council member noted a broader policy challenge: as more drivers use EVs, gasoline-tax revenue that traditionally funds road maintenance declines; the regional transportation authority is studying potential funding options and surveying EV owners about acceptable approaches to road funding.
The council member said Sonoma Clean Power is also studying the feasibility of expanding service into Lake County and that the agency is sponsoring legislative efforts to develop more geothermal generation capacity, which the speaker said could reduce rates over time for Sonoma Clean Power customers. No council action was taken; the item was a report to the full council.
