Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Sourcing Renewables topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sonoma Clean Power outlines Evergreen 100% renewable option and local geothermal plans; City of Sonoma pays about $13,000 annual premium
Summary
Sonoma Clean Power presented details of its default and premium electricity offerings, Evergreen’s 100% local renewable product and an initiative to expand geothermal capacity. Commissioners asked about greenhouse gas accounting, the Evergreen premium and local projects.
Sonoma Clean Power told the Climate Action Commission that its Evergreen product — a 100% renewable, locally sourced premium electricity offering — remains available to customers who want continuous renewable generation. Leif Christiansen, Sonoma Clean Power commercial account manager, outlined the agency’s power portfolio, the Evergreen premium cost and planned local projects, and answered commissioners’ questions about greenhouse gas accounting and community benefits.
Christiansen said Sonoma Clean Power’s default service, Clean Start, is 51% renewable and 88% carbon‑free and generally costs 5–7% less on customers’ total bills than service from PG&E. He described Evergreen as a 24/7, 100% renewable product that currently carries a premium of about 2.5 cents per kilowatt‑hour. The City of Sonoma’s municipal facilities have been enrolled in Evergreen since May 2017; based on the city’s reported annual usage of a little over 500,000 kWh, that enrollment carries an annual Evergreen premium of about $13,000.
Christiansen said Evergreen’s 24/7 profile is made possible in part by geothermal power from the Geysers and by several small local solar projects. He described Sonoma Clean Power’s GeoZone initiative to expand geothermal development around the Geysers, and said the agency is developing a capital projects arm to own local solar and battery projects rather than only procuring power from third parties.
Commissioners pressed for clarity on the program’s climate benefits relative to its cost. Christiansen and members of the audience who identified themselves as members of Sonoma Clean Power’s community advisory committee said Evergreen’s carbon reporting more accurately reflects the emissions associated with nighttime fossil generation than some reporting methods used elsewhere in the state. Christiansen said that, by Sonoma Clean Power’s accounting, Evergreen’s reported carbon footprint is about half that of Clean Start and that state reporting changes scheduled for 2028 should make carbon accounting more comparable across utilities.
Commissioners and residents also asked about how Evergreen customers are engaged and whether municipalities or businesses receive extra services for paying the premium. Christiansen said Evergreen customers are not provided different basic services but tend to be highly engaged and that the agency has highlighted Evergreen customers in outreach and pilot programs, including a planned “Climate Corner” library initiative and a microgrid partnership in a remote area with PG&E.
On electrification, attendees asked about heat pump water heaters and other building‑electrification issues. Sonoma Clean Power staff pointed listeners to the agency’s downtown customer center and said incentives are available; they cautioned that switching from gas to heat pumps can be cost‑effective in many scenarios but is case‑by‑case, depending on equipment age, existing electrical service and up‑front replacement costs.
No formal action or vote followed the presentation; commissioners said they would use the information as the commission refines its local climate strategies and considers budget trade‑offs.
