MCE’s 2020 power supply mix vastly exceeds state renewable energy average

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 29, 2021

MCE Press Contact:
Jenna Tenney, Marketing & Communications Manager
(925) 378-6747 | communications@mceCleanEnergy.org

SAN RAFAEL and CONCORD, Calif. — MCE is excited to announce the release of its 2020 Power Content Label, which showcases MCE’s leadership in renewable electricity innovation in California. In 2020, MCE’s basic service option, Light Green, was 61% renewable and 91% greenhouse gas free, offering customers almost twice the amount of renewable energy compared to California’s state average of 33%. Since 2010, MCE has more than doubled its renewable energy content from 28% to 61% while significantly increasing its customer base by 5300% – from 10,000 to more than 540,000 accounts across four Bay Area counties.

MCE Board Director Katy Miessner, power content label

 “Vallejo is one of MCE’s newest member communities, and one of the most disadvantaged cities in the Bay Area. Being identified by the California Department of Public Health as a community with high health risks posed by environmental contaminants made it an easy decision to join MCE,” said Katy Miessner, MCE Board member and Vallejo city council member. “MCE’s proven track record of providing cost-competitive clean energy will help our city meet climate action targets and decrease harmful emissions that impact the health of our residents. We are proud to partner with MCE in the fight against climate change and the impact it has on our most vulnerable populations.”

MCE’s clean energy highlights:

  • Over 99% of MCE’s power is sourced from clean energy resources, including bioenergy, geothermal, wind, solar, and hydroelectric.
  • MCE’s basic energy service provides 61% renewable energy from bioenergy, geothermal, wind and solar.
  • 72% of MCE’s renewable energy content is sourced from the highest value Power Content Category 1 (PCC1) renewables located in California.
  • Since 2010, MCE has invested more than $1.7 billion in new California renewable projects.
  • MCE has always offered a 100% renewable energy product with MCE Deep Green and launched a locally-sourced 100% solar product, Local Sol, in 2017.
2020 MCE Electric Supply

MCE’s California renewable projects also support statewide economic growth and foster a clean energy workforce. Starting in 2022, MCE is estimating 100% of its renewable energy portfolio will be sourced from PCC1 resources. It also expects that its Light Green service option will be 95% greenhouse gas free by 2023. Looking ahead, MCE is aiming to have its Light Green portfolio include a minimum of 85% renewable energy by 2029, and will continue to lead with renewable and clean energy by incorporating innovative new technologies into its power supply portfolio.

“MCE’s mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while building more equitable communities,“ said Dawn Weisz, CEO of MCE. “We’ve been heavily focused on energy equity and workforce development since our inception. The decision to purchase renewable power further deepens our commitment to creating a just clean energy future where no community is left behind.”

MCE is currently exploring new technologies, including green hydrogen, that use energy from midday solar production to create fuel for use in transportation. Over time, MCE is looking to expand the use of green hydrogen as an energy storage resource to help reduce grid congestion and increase the use of renewable energy. These efforts expand on MCE’s Energy Storage Program to increase access to clean energy technologies while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information about MCE’s power purchasing, visit mceCleanEnergy.org/energy-suppliers.

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About MCE: As California’s first Community Choice Aggregation Program, MCE is a groundbreaking, not-for-profit, public agency that has been setting the standard for energy innovation in our communities since 2010.  MCE offers cleaner power at stable rates, significantly reducing energy-related greenhouse emissions and enabling millions of dollars of reinvestment in local energy programs. MCE is a load-serving entity supporting a 1,200 MW peak load. MCE provides electricity service to more than 540,000 customer accounts and more than one million residents and businesses in 36 member communities across four Bay Area counties: Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano. For more information about MCE, visit mceCleanEnergy.org, or follow us on FacebookLinkedInTwitter and Instagram.

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