Central Coast Community Energy outlines battery, solar and customer rebate programs for Santa Maria

Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) representatives told the Santa Maria City Council on July 1 that the agency is advancing large battery and solar-plus-storage projects while expanding customer-facing incentives for electrification.

Doss Williams, 3CE senior advisor for policy and legislative affairs, and Spencer Brandt, community relations manager, briefed the council on several procurement and program items: the role of battery energy storage in reducing reliance on fossil fuels during peak hours; upcoming projects under contract; local incentives for vehicle and home electrification; and a legislative proposal to create a regional western market for power trading (SB 540 / Pathways Market Initiative).

Why it matters: 3CE purchases power for member communities along the Central Coast and negotiates long-term contracts for renewable generation and storage. The projects and programs the agency highlights affect local emissions, provide customer rebates and can influence local infrastructure such as public chargers and municipal fleet electrification.

Key details presented: 3CE said it sourced 409 megawatts of renewable energy in 2024 and that battery storage performance has helped reduce fossil-fuel reliance during peak events between 2022 and 2024. Projects described to the council include Willow Rock (a compressed-air storage center described as large-scale capacity for peak evening hours), Atlas Solar (a 150 MW solar-plus-storage project), Aretina (120 MW, expected next year) and the already online Victory Pass project (more than 100 MW delivering energy to 3CE customers). Brandt said 3CE has programs that offer between $1,000 and $4,000 for qualifying new or used electric vehicle purchases and funds for electrifying home appliances, batteries and agricultural electrification needs.

Safety and siting: Williams said 3CE does not contract for indoor battery facilities similar to the pre-code Moss Landing unit; projects contracted by 3CE use containerized systems with individual fire suppression and meet current building and fire codes. He said battery system failure rates have dropped substantially since 2018 even as deployments have grown.

Local projects and support: Brandt described a pilot to install eight EV chargers across from the Santa Maria Public Library (two fast chargers), a $10,000 contribution toward two light-duty electric vehicles for the Santa Maria Police Department and technical assistance for municipal “reach codes.” He said 3CE has provided more than $11 million in rebates since 2018 and that roughly $4 million of that was for income-qualified or underserved communities.

Legislative and federal context: Williams briefed the council on state and federal developments. He described SB 540 (referred to as the Pathways Market Initiative) as a proposal to create a regional market in the Western U.S. that could increase markets for California renewables and improve affordability; he also warned about changes in federal incentives under a recently passed congressional budget measure that will reduce or phase out EV and energy-efficiency tax credits (examples cited: $7,500 new EV, $4,000 used EV, and a 30% tax credit on certain home efficiency investments). Williams urged residents seeking to use expiring federal incentives to plan before announced deadlines (Sept. 30 for EV credits and the end of the year for some energy-efficiency credits).

Council reaction: Council members asked clarification questions about how battery discharge/charging appears on usage charts, safety and siting of storage facilities and program uptake in Santa Maria. No formal council action was requested; the presentation was informational.