Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Center for Sustainable Energy and ADM Associates to assist with customer program design, implementation and evaluation
Sunnyvale, Calif. – Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) has selected experienced partners to support programs that will help local communities reduce carbon pollution. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), pending SMUD board approval, will assist with administration of the programs outlined in the SVCE Decarbonization Roadmap. The Center for Sustainable Energy will assist with the SVCE Innovation Onramp program, which provides grants to pilot projects with cutting-edge solutions in decarbonization. All programs and pilot projects will be audited by ADM Associates, Inc., a third party contracted for Evaluation, Measurement and Verification services.
“Strong partnerships with energy industry leaders will help SVCE achieve impactful results for our communities and ensure smooth implementation for this initial set of customer program offerings,” said Girish Balachandran, SVCE CEO. “We are eager to roll out well-designed programs that benefit customers and improve sustainability for the grid and our environment.”
SVCE’s initial set of residential customer programs are set to launch this summer. Through the FutureFit Home program, SVCE will provide customers with a rebate to replace their natural gas water heater with a high efficiency, electric, heat pump water heater, and providing additional funds for service panel upgrades if needed. SVCE is also launching All-Electric Showcase Awards, which will offer existing and qualifying all-electric homes and buildings a monetary award and the opportunity to serve as a showcase to our community, highlighting the benefits of all-electric construction. SVCE is also in the early stages of building a Customer Resource Center, which will serve as an online platform to help customers better understand their energy use, and how to lower their carbon footprint through energy efficiency and fuel switching.
“We are proud to partner with SVCE on a comprehensive suite of programs that will directly benefit the community. Electrification is the future of clean energy and will not only improve local air quality, but also save customers money. We are looking forward to implementing more innovative programs while adding value to what SVCE offers to its customers and its community,” said Arlen Orchard, CEO and General Manager of SMUD.
SMUD has been Sacramento’s municipal utility for over 70 years and has extensive experience with customer programs. The utility offers free classes and workshops, as well as rebates for home energy improvements. SMUD’s experience in these areas make the utility an excellent resource to help roll-out the suite of SVCE programs that will eliminate carbon from transportation and buildings, maximize clean energy use and engage the public through education and outreach.
The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is a nonprofit that specializes in program administration for sustainable, equitable and resilient transportation, buildings and communities. CSE will assist with administering the Innovation Onramp program. Innovation Onramp is a program launched in spring 2019 to engage Silicon Valley’s ‘innovation ecosystem’ in addressing key technical, market and policy barriers to achieving deep decarbonization, locally and beyond. CSE will administer grant funds and work with recipients to manage pilot projects.
“SV Clean Energy is emerging as a leader in innovative approaches to community decarbonization and has established aggressive targets for greenhouse gas reductions,” said Beckie Menten, CSE’s director of distributed energy resources. “Achieving these targets will require both broad implementation of existing strategies as well as rapid identification and scaled deployment of promising new approaches, and we look forward to assisting in these efforts to create and deploy effective projects.”
ADM Associates will evaluate programs to measure success and allow SVCE to continue to leverage its programs budget in an effective and meaningful way. Having a third-party consultant for Evaluation, Measurement and Verification ensures an unbiased review of program success that is not tied to the staff administering them. ADM has 40 years of experience in energy research and evaluation and has worked with public and private utilities and other entities to establish industry best practices.
“For 40 years, ADM has worked with organizations in California and nationwide to evaluate and improve their conservation programs. We are thrilled to partner with SVCE on this important project which will put the SVCE community at the forefront on the path to decarbonization,” said Adam Thomas, ADM Associates’ director of evaluation.
In 2018, the SVCE Board of Directors allocated more than $6 million to Decarbonization and Grid Innovation programs over the next two fiscal years. Other SVCE programs launched earlier this year include Reach Codes, Innovation Partners, Virtual Power Plant, and an EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy and Plan. This suite of customer programs aims to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030. SVCE programs are focused on procuring and maintaining a sustainable, affordable and carbon-free power supply, promoting energy efficiency and grid integration, and electrifying transportation and the built environment. The selected partners were all awarded contracts through a competitive solicitation process. Learn more about SVCE programs at svcleanenergy.org/programs.
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About Silicon Valley Clean Energy
Silicon Valley Clean Energy is a community-owned agency serving the majority of Santa Clara County communities, acquiring clean, carbon-free electricity on behalf of more than 270,000 residential and commercial customers. As a public agency, net revenues are returned to the community to keep rates competitive and promote clean energy programs. Member jurisdictions include Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Saratoga, Sunnyvale and unincorporated Santa Clara County. SVCE is guided by a Board of Directors, which is comprised of a representative from the governing body of each member community. For more information, please visit SVCleanEnergy.org.
About SMUD
As the nation’s sixth-largest community-owned, not-for-profit, electric service provider, SMUD has been providing low-cost, reliable electricity for more than 70 years to Sacramento County and small adjoining portions of Placer and Yolo Counties. SMUD is a recognized industry leader and award winner for its innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power technologies, and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment. SMUD’s power mix is about 50 percent non-carbon emitting. For more information, about SMUD, visit smud.org.
About Center for Sustainable Energy
The Center for Sustainable Energy® (CSE) is a nonprofit offering clean energy program administration and technical advisory services. With the experience and streamlined efficiency of a for-profit operation, CSE leads with the passion and heart of a nonprofit. We work nationwide with energy policymakers, regulators, public agencies, businesses and others as an expert implementation partner and trusted resource. Headquartered in San Diego, CSE operates regional offices in Los Angeles, Oakland and Sacramento, CA; Stony Brook and Brooklyn, NY; and Boston, MA. Learn more at EnergyCenter.org.
About ADM Associates
ADM Associates was founded in 1979 to fulfill ever-growing needs for energy research using multidisciplinary methods of analysis. ADM’s team of engineers, economists, and social science researchers has developed innovative energy research and program evaluation strategies to meet the needs of diverse clients across the U.S. For more information about ADM, please visit admenergy.com.
Media Contact:
Pamela Leonard
Communications Manager
Silicon Valley Clean Energy
pamela.leonard@svcleanenergy.org
O: (408) 721-5301 x1004
