CleanPowerSF now serves more than 375,000 residents and businesses in San Francisco with clean power. But where does all that energy, which powers Netflix binging, late-night refrigerated snacks, and nighttime reading lamps, actually come from? For many, it is a bit of a mystery.

CleanPowerSF sources power from a variety of renewable and greenhouse gas-free resources: wind, water, the sun, heat, and even poop(!). When choosing which resources and how much, CleanPowerSF keeps in mind affordability and service reliability, among other factors.

Supporting local renewable projects and jobs is a factor, too. That is why CleanPowerSF continues to make investments in new renewable energy projects in the Bay Area and California that, once completed, will help power San Francisco residents and businesses and beyond. In December, CleanPowerSF announced its largest commitment to date for new wind and solar projects in the state, which will create 500 jobs and generate one million megawatt-hours of renewable energy per year—or about a third of CleanPowerSF’s entire annual energy use.

CleanPowerSF’s current and future sources can be found online.

sPower Solar Project

The 100-MW new solar project, called San Pablo Raceway, began delivering solar power in August 2019. The 22-year contract was developed by sPower, the largest private owner of operating solar assets in the U.S. The project is located in Lancaster in Los Angeles County.

Shiloh Wind Farm

The Shiloh Wind Farm is in the Montezuma Hills of Solano County approximately 40 miles northeast of San Francisco. CleanPowerSF purchases 25 megawatts (MW) of energy from this plant, enough energy to power roughly 20,000 average San Francisco residential customers for a year. CleanPowerSF SuperGreen customers received all of their energy from Shiloh Wind Farm in 2018. 

The Geysers

The Geysers, comprising 45 square miles along the Sonoma and Lake County border in the Mayacamas Mountains, is the largest complex of geothermal power plants in the world. The Geysers has a net generating capacity of about 725 MW of electricity.

Maverick Solar 6

Maverick Solar 6, a 100-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant to be built near Desert Center, a community east of Palm Springs, will begin delivering power under a 20-year agreement in December 2021. Developed by EDF Renewables, Maverick Solar 6 will create 150 – 200 full-time positions during construction and operation of the project.