In a presentation to Clean Energy Action in May 2010, Charles McGlashan shared the experience of Marin County, CA in taking control of its own energy supply, a challenge now facing Boulder, CO. As a member of the Marin County Board of Supervisors, McGlashan has been instrumental in the creation of Marin County Energy, the entity that has worked to provide the community with renewable energy options and local power.

1. Marin Clean Energy
“Renewable by Choice”
A program of the Marin Energy Authority
April 2010
1

2.
• Marin Clean Energy (MCE)
– Energy procurement through Community Choice Aggregation
(CCA) to “green up” the energy supply in Marin County at a low
cost;
• Solar and Energy Efficiency District (SEED) Program
– Based on AB 811, a land-based financing program to implement
rooftop solar and energy efficiency improvements;
• Net Metering
– MCE offers a better program to those who generate more solar
power than they use: a higher rate on generation, monthly ‘true
ups’ and annual rollover of energy credits;
• Other Grant Proposals and Projects
– Solar car ports, smart grid integration, others
2

3. MCE = public-private partnership
IOU CCA Public Utility
Investor Owned Utility Community Choice Municipal Utility
(PG&E) (Marin Clean Energy) (Sacramento, LA, Palo
Alto, etc.)
PG&E Purchases MCE Purchases Muni Purchases
Power Power Power
PG&E Maintains PG&E Maintains Muni Maintains
Transmission Lines Transmission Lines Transmission Lines
PG&E Provides PG&E Provides Muni Provides
Customer Service Customer Service Customer Service

4. The Basics

5. What Changes?
• MEA procures the electricity through the contract with
Shell Energy North America
• Higher renewable content
• Same or lower prices than PG&E
• Improved Net-Metering program
What Remains the Same?
• Senior, low-income and disabled programs
• Tiered pricing structures
• All of the services that PG&E has historically performed
so well: transmission, distribution, maintenance,
customer service and billing.

6. Two Unique Energy Supply Options
Light Green Deep Green
Initially 25% renewable, increasing to 100% renewable
50% within 5 years Cost: Initially 7% higher than PG&E,
Cost: Same costs as PG&E decreasing overtime

7. What Is the Impact to MEA
Customers?
MEA customers continue to pay PG&E Bill; Generation charges are remitted to MEA
7

8. The Cost of Deep Green
An additional 1¢ per Kwh ($2.80 here) would be added to this
customer’s monthly bill to pay for the Deep Green energy product
8

9. Rate Example: Residential
1. PG&E Gen Rate per PG&E Advice Letter 3518 E-A.
2. PCIA estimate per PG&E letter to MEA, dated January 4, 2010.

10. Contract Pricing
$300.00
$245.00
PG&E
$190.00 Light Green
$135.00
$80.00
Year 1 Year 5 Year 10 Year 15 Year 20 Year 25 Year 30
Note: This assumes a 3.4% rate increase for PG&E, their average
rate increase over the last 10 years. It assumes a 3% rate increase for MEA
through Year 6 and a 2% increase for MEA after Year 6
10

11. Where will renewable energy
come from?
Outside Marin initially, then
phase in local assets by
providing incentives.
For example:
 Small local solar (net
metering, rebates, over
sizing systems)
 Large local solar
 Methane capture (landfill)

12. GHG Reduction
Sample Measures for Marin
800,000 Marin GHG
Reduction
Target
CO2 Reduction (tons per year)
600,000
534,000
2011
400,000 2020
200,000 175,000
200 850 8728,720 1,100
1,100 7237,238
0
Green Building Standards Watch Partnership Municipal Facilities Marin Clean Energy
Marin Energy
Install Solar Panels on AB811
12

13. Projected GHG emissions
using PG&E methodology for 2010
Marin Energy Authority Greenhouse Gas Emissions
2010 Marin Energy Authority Greenhouse Gas Emissions
22%
51% 49%
CO2 CO2
Non-CO2 Non-CO2
78%

14. Projected GHG emissions
using PG&E methodology for 2015
015 Marin Energy Authority Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2015 PG&E Greenhouse Gas Emissions
15%
37%
CO2 CO2
Non-CO2 63% Non-CO2
85%

15. Questions?
Call Marin Clean Energy at 888-632-3674
or visit
www.marincleanenergy.info
www.marinenergyauthority.org
15