3CE and ReGen Monterey Partner to Deliver Local Renewable Power
February 6, 2026
Public Agency Partnership Converts Waste-Derived Methane into Clean, Reliable Power
MONTEREY, Calif., February 6, 2026 – Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) and ReGen Monterey have partnered to deliver locally generated renewable electricity that will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and help keep rates stable for customers.
Under a new short-term power purchase agreement (PPA), ReGen, a local public agency providing waste management service to the Monterey Peninsula and parts of unincorporated Monterey County, will provide 3 MW of electricity generated by its landfill gas-to-energy facility directly to 3CE, the Central Coast’s public power provider. The partnership ensures that landfill emissions are not only reduced, but are put to beneficial use, producing energy to serve the local community.
“By partnering with 3CE, we’re keeping locally produced renewable energy in our communities,” said Zoë Shoats, Director of Communications for ReGen Monterey. “This agreement supports our agencies’ shared mission to reduce emissions, use resources responsibly, and serve the public interest.”
ReGen Monterey is a pioneer in generating energy from biomass, opening one of the nation’s first facilities to capture landfill gas, a natural byproduct created as organic materials break down, in the early 1980s. It has opened its facility as a research site for universities, including UC Berkeley and UC Davis, to test and improve landfill-gas technologies.
3CE’s agreement with ReGen will strengthen reliability by diversifying the portfolio of renewable energy sources that supply the Central Coast. Electricity generated from landfill gas provides steady, around-the-clock power, unlike solar and wind, which vary according to the weather and time of day. The three-year contract also provides pricing stability for 3CE customers in addition to environmental benefit.
“This partnership allows 3CE to increase the amount of renewable power serving the Central Coast while stabilizing energy costs for our customers,” said Das Williams, Director of Legislative and Community Affairs for Central Coast Community Energy. “It’s a practical example of how public agencies can work together to advance sustainability, emissions reduction, and affordability.”
As public agencies, Both 3CE and ReGen Monterey are focused on keeping energy affordable while advancing local climate action. Deliveries under the agreement are expected to begin February 1, 2026.
About Central Coast Community Energy
Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) is a public agency that sources competitively priced electricity from clean and renewable energy resources. 3CE is governed by local officials who represent the communities that make up 3CE and serves more than 1.2 million people throughout the Central Coast, including residential, commercial, and agricultural customers in Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz counties. Revenue generated by 3CE supports the transition to carbon-free power and is invested locally through innovative energy programs designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more at 3CEnergy.org and on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X/Twitter.
About ReGen Monterey
ReGen Monterey is the public name of the Monterey Regional Waste Management District. We offer innovative reuse, recycling, composting, landfilling, household hazardous waste, and landfill gas-to-energy programs. We also work to inspire a zero-waste culture to reduce the magnitude of waste generated by local communities. Thanks to community participation, the jurisdictions we serve benefit from some of the highest waste diversion levels in California – and at some of the lowest rates. We serve a population of approximately 170,000 in 853 square miles including the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Sand City, Seaside, and the unincorporated areas of Big Sur, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral De Tierra, Laguna Seca, Moss Landing, Pebble Beach, San Benancio, and Toro Park.
Central Coast Community Energy | 3CE
Meridith Cook
Communications Specialist
Tel: +1-831-641-7238
mcook@3ce.org