By Woody Hastings, CCP | December 29, 2015
The Climate Center
is proud to announce that the Reva and David Logan Foundation awarded it a
grant for 2016 to spread Community Choice energy programs in California. The
Logan-funded project will focus on five yet-to-be-selected Central Valley communities
in California, communities that are severely impacted by economic challenges
and pollution. The project marries two critical issues, climate protection and social
justice.
R. Alden Feldon, a Board director of the Reva and David Logan Foundation, stated that, “We are very excited about the Clean Power Exchange as it fulfills one of our board’s primary interests, supporting community organizing and programs that promote social justice. We look forward to seeing results that will help California communities achieve clean energy solutions in another step toward helping us all realize a sustainable future.”
The Center will focus its 2016
Logan-funded project on outreach and education to build awareness about the
economic and environmental benefits of Community Choice energy. Community
Choice significantly reduces emissions and democratizes energy in a unique way
by giving customers a choice and voice in their electricity service. This
program also retains money in local communities, offers lower rates, spurs
innovation, and helps build the local green economy.
The Center introduced Community
Choice to Sonoma County in 2005, and built momentum for its establishment. Sonoma
Clean Power began serving customers in May 2014, and has already exceeded
expectations, as described in the Center’s recent Community Report.
Word about the success of
Community Choice is spreading. Currently more than 70 California communities
are in varying stages of exploring Community Choice, most of them located along
the coast.
“We are thrilled to have this
opportunity to work with the people and organizations in these communities who have
been addressing environmental problems, increasing the adoption of renewable
energy, and improving energy efficiency,” stated Ann Hancock, Executive
Director of the Center. “We’ve learned a lot about establishing Community
Choice over the past ten years, and are eager to share this with others.”
Woody Hastings is the Renewable Energy
Implementation Manager for The Climate Center. He can be reached
at woody@theclimatecenter.org