FAQ
Table of Contents
About Peninsula Clean Energy
Peninsula Clean Energy is a public, locally-controlled electricity provider that provides its electric customers (residential, commercial, and municipal) with energy that is 100% carbon-free and the choice of having 50% to 100% of their electricity supplied from clean, renewable sources at competitive rates. We generate the electricity, and PG&E delivers it over their lines and wires. PG&E will continue to do the billing for all of these services.
Peninsula Clean Energy sources cleaner, cheaper, electricity than you currently receive from PG&E, and PG&E delivers it. We source greener power for homes and businesses, while the local utility, PG&E, continues to deliver the power over their lines and wires, handle the billing, maintain the power lines, and respond to new service requests and emergencies.
Anyone who lives or owns a business in San Mateo County, and, starting in 2022, Los Banos, may participate in Peninsula Clean Energy.
Peninsula Clean Energy was created in February 2016 when all 20 cities in San Mateo County, plus the County of San Mateo, voted unanimously to form a Joint Powers Authority to administer the program, following years of careful study and development. Peninsula Clean Energy began serving its initial group of customers on October 1, 2016.
When California deregulated the energy market in 1997, many Californians switched to alternative energy providers. Following the energy crisis of 2000-01, consumer choice of electricity providers was suspended. As a response to the closing of the open market, Assembly Bill 117 was passed in 2002 to establish Community Choice Aggregation, which offers an opportunity for California communities to choose their electric provider and the source of their electricity.
Peninsula Clean Energy is governed by a Board of Directors composed of representatives from each of the member cities and San Mateo County. Peninsula Clean Energy's local government structure ensures public transparency. The Board of Directors meets monthly to discuss matters pertaining to the operation of Peninsula Clean Energy. All meetings are open to the public and comments are encouraged.
Our electric services: ECOplus and ECO100
ECOplus is Peninsula Clean Energy’s default electricity service offering and is priced below PG&E's rates. All customers automatically start with ECOplus. ECOplus is at least 50% renewable, which is more than twice the renewable energy that is otherwise available to customers from PG&E. ECOplus is also 100% carbon-free.
Signing up for ECO100 means 100% of the power you are paying for comes from clean, renewable sources. Customers can choose to opt up to this option and buy 100% renewable and 100% carbon-free electricity at a slight premium. It enables our customers to take a bigger step towards reducing their carbon footprint. ECO100 costs $0.01 per kWh more than our ECOplus option. The average PCE residential customer uses 423 kWh per month, so ECO100 will cost the average residential customer $4.23 per month above ECOplus. Compared to PG&E's rates, ECO100 is expected to cost about $2.50 per month extra for a typical residential customer. If you want to enroll in ECO100, click the “Opt Up” button at the top of the screen.
Yes, you can opt up to ECO100 at any time. And if you want to switch back again, just e-mail us at info@peninsulacleanenergy.com and let us know. If you want to enroll in ECO100, click here.
Peninsula Clean Energy procures power supplies from wind and solar sources in an amount equivalent to the demand by ECO100 customers in our service area. This includes generation facilities that are dedicated to Peninsula Clean Energy. The generation from these resources is put onto the California grid. The supply consumed at a given time by any given ECO100 customer may not be the “specific electrons” from Peninsula Clean Energy sources.
Peninsula Clean Energy has a goal to procure power that is renewable on a fully “time-coincident” basis through strategies including increased renewables, addition of storage, and “grid aware” demand systems. Peninsula Clean Energy just announced two major storage enabled renewable procurements (Arica announcement, Chaparral announcement). It is expected that all utilities and load serving agencies will move to full time-coincident procurement over time to ultimately eliminate the need for any fossil fuel generation sources across the entire California grid.
Our goal is for ECOplus to be comprised of at least 50% renewable energy from resources such as solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal. We calculate the renewable content of the energy we purchase according to the Renewable Portfolio Standard, as required by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). We also calculate the renewable content of the energy we purchase according to the Power Source Disclosure method as required by the California Energy Commission (CEC). These two calculations do not match exactly. Since we began in 2016 through 2020, ECOplus has been at least 50% renewable as calculated by both methods.
In 2021 energy purchased for ECOplus was 51.6% renewable (according to the Renewable Portfolio Standard) but was 49.2% renewable (according to the Power Source Disclosure Method). Details of these calculations are below:
There are different ways to calculate the renewable content of ECOplus. To track whether we are meeting our minimum 50% renewable goal, we use the method defined by the CPUC for compliance with the Renewable Portfolio Standard. For the year of 2021, we purchased enough renewable energy to supply 51.6% of the ECOplus customer demand, as determined for the Renewable Portfolio Standard.
We are also required to comply with regulations for the Power Source Disclosure program administered by the CEC. This regulation uses a different methodology for determining the amount of renewable energy shown in the Power Content Label, which does not match the Renewable Portfolio Standard compliance. In 2021, our Power Content Label for ECOplus will show 49.2% renewable content due to adjustments for extra supplies in 2021. Specifically, in 2021 we purchased extra renewable and carbon-free energy to provide a “buffer” in case our load was higher than forecast, or some of our projects delivered less energy than forecast. Our extra energy in 2021 amounted to about 4.8% of the ECOplus customer demand. The Power Source Disclosure report adjusts our total purchases so that it does not exceed the total customer demand. In the Power Source Disclosure report, our renewable supplies are reduced from 51.6% to 49.2%, and our carbon-free supplies are reduced from 53.2% to 50.8%. The Power Mix shown in the Joint Rate Mailer is based on the Power Source Disclosure program calculations.
We are also required to comply with regulations for the Power Source Disclosure program administered by the CEC. This regulation uses a different methodology for determining the amount of renewable energy shown in the Power Content Label, which does not match the Renewable Portfolio Standard compliance. In 2021, our Power Content Label for ECOplus will show 49.2% renewable content due to adjustments for extra supplies in 2021. Specifically, in 2021 we purchased extra renewable and carbon-free energy to provide a “buffer” in case our load was higher than forecast, or some of our projects delivered less energy than forecast. Our extra energy in 2021 amounted to about 4.8% of the ECOplus customer demand. The Power Source Disclosure report adjusts our total purchases so that it does not exceed the total customer demand. In the Power Source Disclosure report, our renewable supplies are reduced from 51.6% to 49.2%, and our carbon-free supplies are reduced from 53.2% to 50.8%. The Power Mix shown in the Joint Rate Mailer is based on the Power Source Disclosure program calculations.
The table below shows the adjustments made to our actual energy purposes for reporting in the Power Source Disclosure Program.
2021 ECOplus Power Supplies Actual Purchases Adjusted per Power Source Disclosure Program Rules
Renewable Energy Purchases (as a % of ECOplus customer load) 51.6% 49.2%
Carbon-Free Energy Purchases (as a % of ECOplus customer load) 53.2% 50.8%
Total Energy Purchases (as a % of ECOplus customer load) 104.8% 100%
About our clean energy
Our energy is produced from clean sources that are carbon-free or renewable, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal. These sources are located in California, Oregon, and Washington State. We are moving away from nonrenewable energy (which includes large hydroelectric power, for example) in order to become 100% renewable by 2030. Currently our ECOplus service is over 50% renewable and our ECO100 service is 100% renewable. To learn more, please see the Power Content Labels and other information posted on PenCleanEnergy.com/power-
Clean energy is carbon-free or renewable energy that creates little to no greenhouse gas emissions. This is in contrast to fossil fuels, which produce a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide and methane. Renewable energy is energy that comes from resources that are naturally replenished such as sunlight, wind, water, and geothermal heat. Unlike fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal, which cannot be replaced, renewable energy regenerates naturally in a short period of time. Nuclear power and even large hydropower are not considered renewable by California state law. Renewable energy is price-stable over the long-term because it does not rely upon volatile fossil fuel prices. That helps PCE ensure that our prices will be competitive for years to come.
We negotiate short and long-term contracts with a variety of power suppliers to meet the energy needs of our customers.
We are required to report to the California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission on an annual basis to verify the amount of renewable energy procured for our customers. This is the same standard used by all California utilities, including PG&E, for verification purposes.
Renewable energy facilities create electricity that is delivered to a network of transmission wires, often referred to as the grid. Renewable energy generation produces two products: 1) the electricity or electrical energy produced by a renewable generator and 2) the renewable attributes of that generation. The renewable attributes or green attributes are sold separately as energy certificates, or RECs. A REC can be created only if the renewable electricity was produced, and only one certificate may be issued for reach unit of renewable energy produced. If the electricity was separated from the REC and sold without the REC, that electricity is no longer considered renewable and cannot be counted as renewable or zero-emissions by whomever buys it. Note that PCE does not purchase “unbundled” RECs to supply our products. Instead, PCE purchases renewable energy along with the associated RECs from that facility.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, electricity is the nation’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Peninsula Clean Energy purchases power from renewable energy resources, which directly reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. GHG emissions are produced from the production and burning of traditional, fossil-based energy sources, such as natural gas and coal. GHG emissions are a leading cause of pollution and climate change. Peninsula Clean Energy helps to eliminate the emission of GHGs. It's an easy and affordable way to reduce your carbon footprint.
As of October 2023, Peninsula Clean Energy has contracts for 212 MW / 906 MWh of electricity storage. Most of these projects are in development.
Peninsula Clean Energy is planning to procure additional storage resources to fulfill our 24/7 goal.
Peninsula Clean Energy procures power supplies from renewable and GHG-free sources in an amount equivalent to the annual demand in our service area. This includes generation facilities that are dedicated to Peninsula Clean Energy. The electricity sources include solar, wind, hydro, biomass and soon geothermal (which can have nominal GHG emissions). The generation from these resources is put onto the California grid. The total amount of energy we buy equals the amount our customers consume, but at any given time, our generators may produce more than our customers consume, which provides other users with excess energy. The supply consumed at a given time by any given customer may not be the “specific electrons” from Peninsula Clean Energy sources however the total energy provided by Peninsula Clean Energy to the grid is from renewable or GHG-free sources and is fully attributed to Peninsula Clean Energy for our service territory. The accounting methods utilized are strictly regulated across the entire state grid so attributed emissions are consistent with the purchases of every utility and “load serving” agency and there is no “double-counting” of this energy.
Peninsula Clean Energy has a goal to procure power that is renewable on a fully “time-coincident” basis through strategies including increased renewables, addition of storage, and “grid aware” demand systems. Peninsula Clean Energy just announced two major storage enabled renewable procurements (Arica announcement, Chaparral announcement). It is expected that all utilities and load serving agencies will move to full time-coincident procurement over time to ultimately eliminate the need for any fossil fuel generation sources across the entire California grid.
Nuclear power is not a renewable resource as defined by California State law.
New nuclear power plants are far more expensive than solar, wind and energy storage resources, and they take decades to site, license, secure permits and to build. It is very challenging to include nuclear power in a grid that relies heavily on renewable energy. Because nuclear power is very slow to respond to demand changes, this can result in shutting down solar plants during the day so that nuclear plants do not overpower the grid.
The shift towards Time-of Use (TOU) pricing throughout California is the part of a statewide effort to both align energy prices with the cost to serve and encourage more renewable energy use. By charging more for electricity when demand is high, customers are encouraged to shift energy use to times of the day when demand is lower and energy is therefore less expensive. These less expensive times of day also happen to be when there is an abundance of clean energy available. When we all take actions to manage and reduce our usage during times when demand for electricity is highest, we can support our state’s use of clean energy and create a healthier environment for all Californians.
Two types of power losses are tracked in California, transmission losses and distribution losses. Transmission losses generally refer to losses that occur on higher voltage transmission lines that move power larger distances. Distribution losses generally refer to losses that occur on lower voltage distribution lines that move power more locally in your community. The California electric grid operator, CAISO, has data on transmission losses on its database website, OASIS. On average for California since 1/1/2020, the transmission losses have been about 2%, and have varied from a minimum of 1% to a maximum of 4%.
Although the distribution system is owned and operated by PG&E, as the local power provider, we at Peninsula Clean Energy are able to track the distribution losses. In Peninsula Clean Energy’s service area, distribution losses have averaged about 6.5% since 1/1/2020, and have varied from a minimum of 6% to a maximum of 9%.
The total power losses between Peninsula Clean Energy’s power sources and its customers (combined transmission and distribution losses) have averaged about 8.5% since 1/1/2020 and have varied from a minimum of 7% to a maximum of 12%.
Peninsula Clean Energy provides about 3,600 GWh per year for San Mateo County and City of Los Banos customers.
Clearly manufacturing and transportation of solar panels and related equipment generate emissions today. In accordance with international standards, emissions from the manufacturing process are attributed to the location where the process takes place. This is consistent for both fossil fuels and renewables. To properly compare full lifecycle GHG impacts, fossil fuel impacts would count not only the fuel burned (what is counted typically for electricity generation) but also all the emissions from drilling, including fugitive emissions at the well-head, transportation, refining and other activities, through the entire life of the alternative (solar, wind, etc.) There are a number of studies that address these considerations and indicate unambiguously that renewables such as solar generate very substantially lower emissions compared to fossil fuel alternatives on a full lifecycle basis (ex: link, link). As the grid becomes cleaner, industrial processes and transportation also become cleaner by using clean energy.
Enrolling & opting out
There is no charge for opting out of Peninsula Clean Energy before or within the first year of service. After the first year of service, Peninsula Clean Energy will charge a one-time $5 (residential) or $25 (commercial) administrative fee.
Customers who opt out before starting Peninsula Clean Energy service or within the first 60 days of Peninsula Clean Energy service may return to Peninsula Clean Energy service at any time. Customers who opt out after the first 60 days of service with Peninsula Clean Energy will be prohibited by PG&E from returning to Peninsula Clean Energy for one year. PG&E's website has details about customer choices when returning after being served by Peninsula Clean Energy for more than 60 days.
While we don’t want to lose you as a customer, you always have the choice to opt out. You can opt out here or by calling 1-866-966-0110.
No. Peninsula Clean Energy supports your power to choose! Any customer may opt out of participation. The choice is yours. We hope that you will choose to receive a cleaner, greener, and more affordable electricity option by staying with Peninsula Clean Energy.
Establishing service is easy. Contact PG&E one week before you will need service at your new address and schedule an appointment by calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. New customers who move into the Peninsula Clean Energy service area are automatically enrolled into Peninsula Clean Energy and will be mailed two notices within the first sixty days of service with information about their options.
California's CCA law requires Peninsula Clean Energy to become the default provider of electric generation for customers within San Mateo County. If a customer wishes to stay with PG&E, they can opt out of Peninsula Clean Energy. Customer choice is very important to us, so we provide four written notices to our customers so that you can choose where your electricity comes from and how your dollars are spent.
State law requires that as we begin to implement our service, we must contact customers in writing a minimum of four times. We will do this via a combination of letters or mailers and postcards.
Peninsula Clean Energy will not charge a fee to sign up. There will be a small one-time service fee to opt out ($5 for Residential customers; $25 for Commercial customers). Customers who opt out after receiving service from Peninsula Clean Energy for more than 60 days must select one of PG&E's two offers:
- You can notify PCE at least six months before the date that you want to return to PG&E bundled service. When you return to bundled service six months later, you will pay the then-existing bundled electric generation rate, which will be identical to similarly situated PG&E customers in your customer class.
- If you do not provide PG&E with a full six-months’ notice, you can return to PG&E bundled service at any time, but you will pay the then-existing Transitional Bundled Commodity Cost (TBCC) – which may be higher or lower than the then-existing bundled electric generation rate – until six months after PG&E receives notice from Peninsula Clean Energy. Thereafter, you will pay the bundled electric generation rate (identical to similarly situated PG&E customers in your customer class).
With either option, you’ll be required to make a one-year commitment to PG&E bundled service.
Finance & government
No. Directors serve on the Board as part of their duties as elected officials and do not receive any additional salaries or other payments of benefits.
During the startup period, the County provided a portion of the startup funding, which Peninsula Clean Energy paid back to the County. Now that Peninsula Clean Energy has been operational since October 2016, is is 100% ratepayer funded.
Peninsula Clean Energy is financed by revenues received from our rate payers based on the electricity they consume. We're self-funded and don't use any tax dollars. As a community agency, any revenues that exceed our costs will be used to benefit the communities we serve.
Net energy metering (NEM)
Yes, Peninsula Clean Energy has similar time of use and electric vehicle rate schedules as PG&E, but with lower rates. For more details, visit residential rates.
Yes! Peninsula Clean Energy buys electricity generated by NEM customers at $.01/kWh* above the rate schedule in effect at the time of solar production (retail price). This is a bonus for producing clean, local electricity. An additional benefit is that instead of an annual true-up where NEM customers may be subject to a year’s worth of charges, Peninsula Clean Energy NEM customers will settle their bills on a monthly basis.
*A kWh (kilowatt hour) is the standard measure of electricity
Final permission to operate your solar PV system and/or wind system is required by PG&E, regardless of whether or not you are a Peninsula Clean Energy customer. PG&E will review your completed application, along with a single-line diagram that is representative of your system. Upon a successful evaluation of your engineering review, PG&E will install your bi-directional meter. You may operate your PV system following receipt of a “Permission to Operate” letter.
Once your system is operational and you are already a Peninsula Clean Energy Customer, you will automatically be on Peninsula Clean Energy’s NEM program. If you are not already a Peninsula Clean Energy customer, you can sign up on the Early Adopter page on our website.
Peninsula Clean Energy customers will need to follow PG&E’s interconnection procedure as a first step. Go here to find the forms required by PG&E. PG&E requires that customers complete the 1) Agreement and Customer Authorization (A&A) form, and 2) Standard Net Energy Metering (NEM) Interconnection Application.
You will be automatically enrolled in Peninsula Clean Energy’s NEM program based on when your true-up date occurs. If you just installed your solar panels, you can sign up with Peninsula Clean Energy right away by calling us at 866-966-0110.
Peninsula Clean Energy will be enrolling all NEM customers either the month of or the month following their annual true-up date. Peninsula Clean Energy has taken care to enroll NEM customers based on their true-up dates to ensure that customers who have credits stored up will be able to cash them out with PG&E instead of losing them. Please see Table 1 below to find out which month you will automatically begin service with Peninsula Clean Energy.
In April of each year, all Peninsula Clean Energy NEM customers will automatically receive compensation for their accrued credit balance. As of April 2024, this payment will be made via check for credit balances over $500 and via on-bill credit for balances under $500. Customers do not lose any value in their excess credits under this updated threshold; on-bill credits will cover any PCE and PG&E charges owed, and will remain on the customer's account until it is fully utilized.
Yes. Peninsula Clean Energy offers one of the most favorable Net Energy Metering programs in California.
Rates & billing
Peninsula Clean Energy offers a cleaner, and more sustainable energy at lower rates than PG&E. For detailed rate information, please see our residential rates and business rates pages.
If you ever have questions about the Peninsula Clean Energy portion of your bill, you can email us at info@peninsulacleanenergy.com. If you have questions about the rest of your PG&E bill, call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
PG&E charges Peninsula Clean Energy customers a Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) and a Franchise Fee Surcharge. Both are calculated based on the number of kilowatt hours used each month. The PCIA is intended to ensure that customers who switch to Peninsula Clean Energy pay for energy that was acquired by PG&E to serve them prior to their switch. The PCIA varies depending on current energy market rates, when they switched to Peninsula Clean Energy and whether they are a residential or a commercial customer. The savings that Peninsula Clean Energy’s ECOplus provides are such that, even with the fee, customers will still save money compared to PG&E’s rates.
Peninsula Clean Energy generation costs are not an additional charge – they replace, and are instead of, PG&E generation charges. PG&E continues to charge for delivery (the use of their power lines). Electricity generation from Peninsula Clean Energy is cleaner and costs less than generation from PG&E.
Yes. CARE, FERA, and Medical Baseline are available to Peninsula Clean Energy customers as well as PG&E customers. Your discounts will remain in place, regardless of enrollment with Peninsula Clean Energy or PG&E. Customers enrolled in Peninsula Clean Energy continue to receive their CARE, FERA, and Medical Baseline discount within their PG&E delivery charges; there is no need to re-apply with Peninsula Clean Energy. New CARE, FERA, and Medical Baseline enrollments or renewals must still be done through PG&E's customer service center or website.
Note that customers enrolled in PG&E’s Medical Baseline Allowance program are not subject to the PCIA fee, providing additional savings for Peninsula Clean Energy customers on Medical Baseline.
No. PG&E must provide the same delivery rates for all customers in their service area whether they receive electricity from Peninsula Clean Energy or another third-party energy service provider.
Our Board, comprised of a representative from each of the participating areas within the County, sets rates according to agreed-upon goals of the program and the cost of its energy contracts during that period. One of our goals is rate stability, and another is affordability so your Peninsula Clean Energy rates will always be as competitive with PG&E rates as possible. Rates are developed, discussed, evaluated and approved at public meetings, where you can give us your feedback.
The tiered rate structure is part of the delivery side of the bill, which remains unaffected by Peninsula Clean Energy. Therefore, whatever “tier” you are currently on with PG&E for delivery charges, that will remain the same. Further detail can be found in PG&E's tariffs. For residential customers, see page two of this document. See the section entitled “Unbundling of Total Rates.” In that section, there is a Generation charge of $0.09838 per kWh. That is PG&E's rate, which will be replaced by Peninsula Clean Energy. Below that you see “Conservation Incentive Adjustment.” That is the baseline treatment. Whether you are a PG&E customer for generation service, or on direct access, or served by Peninsula Clean Energy, that treatment remains the same. So no matter what tier of usage you have in a given month, our ECOplus will be below PG&E's rate.
About our power, clean electricity, and the grid
Yes, through a variety of strategies, the capacity of the electric grid will expand to meet the increased demand due to increased electrification of buildings and transportation.
First, the transition to full electrification will take place over time, allowing for the necessary grid adaptation. Modern electric technology such as electric vehicles and heat pumps are extremely efficient and use less total energy than fossil fuel systems. Nevertheless, investment in clean power generation and upgrades to modernize the electric distribution and transmission system will be required over time. This is similar to the modernization that occurred on the electric grid when air conditioning began being widely installed in the 1970’s. At that time, the successful adaptation included increasing generation, modernizing the grid, and improving the efficiency of systems. In addition, we now have the ability to install solar and storage on buildings, reducing some of the need to upgrade the electric grid itself.
Second, Peninsula Clean Energy’s rigorous electricity demand forecasts assume expected increases in electricity use due to increased EV adoption, building electrification, behind the meter resources, economic and population growth as well as other demographic considerations.
Third, Peninsula Clean Energy analyzes and plans its electricity procurement on a multi-year basis to ensure that it has procured enough supply to meet projected customer electricity use. Since our inception in 2016, 330 MW of new capacity have been added to the grid due to Peninsula Clean Energy procurement. In addition, we have executed contracts for an additional 200 MW of new generation and 100 MW / 400 MWh of new storage resources.
Lastly, it is important to note that many of the current grid challenges, such as Public Safety Power Shutoffs by PG&E and reductions in hydropower due to droughts, are driven by growing extreme weather events, a consequence of accelerating climate change. Investing now in the clean energy transition will reduce these impacts over time. Almost none of the outages Californians have experienced have been caused by being unable to supply enough energy, and instead have almost entirely been related to wildfires and extreme weather events.
An electric supply composed of renewable generation sources can be available at all times because of energy storage, geothermal resources, and broad geographic diversity of renewable sources.
Energy storage systems can store energy when renewable sources are generating more than our customers need (such as solar energy generation in the middle of the day) to use when renewable sources are not generating (especially in the evening and overnight). Peninsula Clean Energy is building significant amounts of energy storage for just this purpose.
In addition, we are investing in geothermal generation which produces energy around the clock. This provides a stable baseload of electricity.
Geographic diversity of renewable energy sources contributes to reliability. The California energy system spans the entire western United States, Canada and part of Mexico. This means that although it may be cloudy in northern California, it is likely to be sunny in Southern California or perhaps Utah. While it may be still in southern California, the wind will be blowing in other states, like Wyoming or New Mexico.
A recent study by the California Energy Commission found that building renewables over the next five years would result in a more reliable grid than if we built an equivalent amount of methane gas plants. This is because while solar and wind can vary with weather, we can use storage to even out this variation, but methane gas plants can break (or explode) unexpectedly at a much higher rate which can cause major problems for the grid. In fact, the outages of summer 2020 were caused in significant part from the unexpected loss of a 494 MW methane gas plant at the same time gas resources were unable to produce at full capacity because of the extreme heatwave.
Peninsula Clean Energy is working to balance all of these tools to provide 100% renewable energy by 2025.
Switching from gas to electric
For many homes, installing solar panels and batteries can be an excellent way to address power outages and save money. But depending on the specific situation – shading, roof condition, and other factors – currently a diesel generator may be more affordable up front, but more costly over time due to fuel costs. While diesel and methane gas generators do produce pollution that affects air quality and climate, their infrequent use to address power outages has negligible climate change impact. Burning methane gas for home water and space heating has a far greater pollution and climate impact.
At the local level, we are partnering with our member communities to provide resiliency to critical facilities and community centers. We are actively helping people be energy self-sufficient in their homes. We have partnered with solar installers to provide incentives to add home battery storage for homeowners. And we are working with partners to pilot options to utilize your electric car as a backup for your home.
Most new methane gas appliances such as water heaters, space heaters, and clothes dryers require electricity to operate – for ignition, blowers and operating the tumblers, respectively. Some gas stoves can be started with a match or lighter. Some older water heaters which use pilot lights do not use electric igniters and may continue to operate in a power outage.
In a power outage due to extreme heat, methane gas systems can offer some added resilience. However, the methane gas distribution system is more vulnerable in other respects. In the event of an earthquake or fire the gas distribution system is more prone to longer duration outages because it is more difficult to repair gas distribution pipes and related systems.
In the long run as solar plus battery system costs continue to decline, these systems provide greater resilience by enabling power generation at any location, including portable and rapidly deployable systems.
Modern electric systems are extremely efficient and use less total energy than gas systems. As one example heat pumps are about four times more efficient than gas systems. The cost to operate modern electric home appliances is about the same as gas, sometimes better. And with smart appliances that control when electricity is used or when those appliances are paired with solar panels, electric appliances cost less to operate.
Looking ahead, the state expects that the cost of gas will rise faster than the cost of electricity, so moving to electric appliances makes sense to avoid those costs. In addition, making the move from combusting methane gas in our homes results in safer and healthier indoor air quality.
In many situations, no additional upgrades are required of the distribution grid for electrification. Depending on the building size and the amount of power required for appliances and EV charging some upgrades may be required. PG&E already has incorporated grid modernization into its plans to account for upgrade needs associated with electrification and typically these result in no added costs for residents.
Peninsula Clean Energy is a not-for-profit, community-led agency, chosen by its member communities (all jurisdictions in San Mateo County and the City of Los Banos) to be the default electricity provider. Our unpaid board of directors is composed of elected officials from each member community. Our mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by expanding access to sustainable and affordable energy solutions. We provide clean electricity at lower cost than PG&E and reinvest earnings in community programs. Since our inception in 2016 thru the end of 2022, we have saved ratepayers about $107 million through reduced electricity costs and our board has committed more than $27 million to community energy programs. Neither the members of our Board of Directors nor our staff stand to gain financially if we sell more electricity.
Research indicates that methane gas is a major fire risk in the event of earthquake.
Natural gas use in the home is linked with asthma and other health risks:
– EPA identifies indoor air quality as a significant health risk and gas appliances are listed as a point of concern: EPA A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
-Cooking with Gas Can Harm Children
– Noxious Gas Stove Emissions Worsen Asthma Symptoms in Young Children
– Lawrence Berkeley Labs, California Energy Commission and others have also produced similar studies
– Carbon monoxide from fuel use has been long deemed a risk. Enough that CO sensors are required in homes that burn fossil fuels: Learn more: California Carbon Monoxide Law Takes Effect
Electric vehicles (EVs) are a convenient, affordable, and clean alternative to gas vehicles. According to Consumer Reports, drivers of EVs save an average of $6,000-10,000 on fuel and maintenance costs over the vehicle’s lifetime. EVs do not emit smelly exhaust fumes, use carcinogenic fuel, and they dramatically reduce air pollution.