In addition to a Board of Directors comprised of elected officials, Peninsula Clean Energy is advised by a group of highly engaged community liaisons through our Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). Established in 2017, members include environmental advocates, energy professionals, labor organizers, teachers and youth leaders, and other active community leaders. The CAC has been integral to Peninsula Clean Energy since its launch and gives the community a voice in its choice of electricity services, clean energy resource investments, and energy programs.
In June, three new Board-appointed members were sworn-in to the Committee: Tim Bussiek, Terri Givens, and Kathryn Green. They join 12 other current members. The Committee has been led by Chair, Desiree Thayer for the past year.
Tim Bussiek, Belmont
Current Job: Helping create and grow an everyday business coordination app for human beings.
Why Peninsula Clean Energy and CAC?
Focus and investment should now turn to the ‘electrify everything’ broadscale consumer and business adoption, to lead California and the world in showing how this can be achieved in a dramatically short time in a local setting. My passion is bringing category-changing products to market, and some of this background and energy I am looking to contribute here.
Terri Givens, Unincorporated San Mateo County
Current Job: CEO and Founder of the Center for Higher Education Leadership, Political Scientist (European Politics and Immigration Politics), Consultant.
My Peninsula Clean Energy Goal: To promote Peninsula Clean Energy and sustainability in my community and to raise awareness and outreach to minority communities
Kathryn Green, San Mateo
Current Job: Research Analyst, DNV GL. Researches energy efficiency programs and policies by conducting market research, interviews, surveys, and field work. Helps write, edit, and support city climate action plan.
My Peninsula Clean Energy Goal: To increase participation in and awareness and importance of Peninsula Clean Energy programs through outreach in the community and schools. Also, to assist with legislative advocacy.
For the upcoming year, the CAC has developed a 2020 Work Plan to support Peninsula Clean Energy’s organizational priorities:
- By 2025, deliver 100% renewable energy each and every hour of the day
- Contribute to San Mateo County reaching the state’s goal to be 100% greenhouse gas-free by 2045
2020 Citizens Advisory Committee Work Plan
| Focus | Task | CAC members |
| Transportation | Help promote EV engagement strategies, leverage networks and relationships with community groups | Lead: Janelle London
Other Members: Tim Bussiek, Ray Larios |
| Help generate ideas for promoting participation in e-bike programs | ||
| Building Electrification | Reach code advocacy | Lead: Diane Bailey
Other Members: Steven Booker, Jason Mendelson, Ray Larios, Janet Creech |
| Heat pump water heater and electrification outreach to assist with promotion and buy-in with other enviro groups | ||
| Support development of programs for low-income residents | ||
| Participate in tech pilot “assessment team” | ||
| Education | Continue & build upon existing education programs (science fair awards, internship programs, dashboards, curricula) | Lead: Janet Creech
Other Members: Katie Green, Joe Fullerton, Steven Booker, Allen Brown, Desiree Thayer |
| Work Force | Assist with programs for work force development in electrification | Lead: Joe Fullerton
Other Members: Diane Bailey, Steven Booker, Ray Larios |
| Advise on grant program | ||
| Resiliency & Distributed Energy Resources (DER) | Promote participation in resilience programs | Lead: Michael Closson
Other Members: Allen Brown, Joe Fullerton, Jason Mendelson |
| Research life cycle of existing renewable technologies including solar, wind, and lithium-based energy storage | ||
| Explore trends in long-duration batteries, alternative forms of energy storage, distributed geothermal resources, and distributed biogas/ anaerobic digestors; provide summary of technologies, qualitative costs and benefits, and potential barriers to adoption | ||
| Support local sourcing of generation and distributed energy resources | ||
| Legislative & Regulatory | Assist in timely advocacy and participate in promoting policies to support CCAs | Lead: Desiree Thayer
Other Members: Steven Booker, Jason Mendelson, Katie Green, Ray Larios |
| Support reach code advocacy as needed (Building Electrification group has primary responsibility) | ||
| Peninsula Clean Energy Strategic Priorities | Continue to respond to issues raised by the organization. For example: Diablo Canyon, Central Valley, Resiliency, Storage | Lead: Tim Bussiek
Other Members: Michael Closson Janet Creech Desiree Thayer |
| Explore options for future of ECOplus and ECO100 | ||
| General Marketing/ Outreach | Explore potential op-ed pieces to support building electrification and other programs | Lead: Desiree Thayer
Other Members: Tim Bussiek |
| Promote Peninsula Clean Energy messages e.g. via social media | ||
| Write blog posts on specific topics to support engagement in programs and initiatives | ||
| Equity | Equity working group to ensure equity is a priority across all working groups and built into Peninsula Clean Energy strategic priorities | Lead: Ray Larios
Other Members: Diane Bailey, Jason Mendelson, Katie Green |
The Citizens Advisory Committee usually meets two Thursdays before the Board of Directors meeting, at 6:30 pm. All CAC meetings are open to the public, and currently take place through video conferencing.
For background documents and full meeting details, visit the Citizens Advisory Committee page.