CleanPowerSF, one of the SFPUC’s renewable energy programs, is officially a member of the California Community Power Joint Powers Agency (JPA). Now, CleanPowerSF can join other organizations to increase its buying power for the purchase of new clean energy and reliability resources that will help advance state and local climate action goals.

“Addressing the challenges brought on by climate change will require a collective effort in California—to make a real difference, we need to work together,” said SFPUC Acting General Manager Michael Carlin. “California Community Power will allow local government renewable energy service providers across the state to speak with one clear, decisive voice and to align our shared goal of providing clean, affordable power to all Californians.”

Having increased access to renewable energy products and services is crucial to CleanPowerSF meeting its ambitious climate targets. On Earth Day 2021, Mayor London Breed announced that CleanPowerSF will provide 100 percent renewable energy to all of its customers by 2025—five years ahead of the City’s initial goal and 20 years ahead of the State’s goal. Launched in 2016, CleanPowerSF has played a critical role in helping San Francisco reduce carbon emissions to 41 percent below 1990 levels.

Each local government agency participating in California Community Power operates a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program. CCA allows local governments to make power supply decisions for their community while still receiving transmission and distribution service from their existing utility, such as Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E).

CleanPowerSF will be the 10th local program in California Community Power, joining the following CCAs: Central Coast Community Energy, East Bay Community Energy, Marin Community Energy, Peninsula Clean Energy, Redwood Coast Energy Authority, San José Clean Energy, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, Sonoma Clean Power and Valley Clean Energy. Collectively, the 10 agencies represent roughly 3 million customer accounts.

“The growth of Community Choice Energy throughout California has meant that our locally-governed agencies are the primary drivers of renewable energy development in the state,” Girish Balachandran, California Community Power Board Chair and Silicon Valley Clean Energy CEO. “By working together, we can leverage our economies of scale to advance reliable and affordable solutions for a clean grid and achieve our shared climate goals.”

By teaming together to form a JPA, California Community Power members will have enhanced negotiating power, opportunities for larger joint renewable and storage project procurement, shared risk mitigation, and new opportunities for innovation.