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A New Program Offering Electric and Gas Bill Financial Support is Now Available
The Arrearage Management Program provides up to $8,000 total past due or “arrearage” forgiveness for 3CE and PG&E customers. Customers must be enrolled in PG&E’s California Alternate Rates for Energy Programs (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA) to be eligible for AMP.
Customers must also owe at least $500 in arrearages, or $250 for gas-only customers, with some portion of the arrearage at least 90 days past due. At this time, Net energy Metering (NEM) customers are not eligible to participate in the AMP program.
How does the Arrearage Management Program Work?
Customers enrolled in AMP will receive forgiveness for 1/12 of their starting arrearage balance for every on-time payment of a current monthly bill, with a maximum possible amount of $8,000 in total forgiveness per 12-month period. Customers must make all 12 months of on-time payments to remain in the program. If a customer falls out of compliance, any amount previously forgiven is not forfeited.
Customers can call PG&E to enroll in the program at 1-800-743-5000.
AG Electrification Grant Program
Due to the success of the 2020 AG Electrification Grant Program, 3CE is launching an updated version of this program for 2021! Applications will be accepted through Friday, March 26, 2021.
This competitive grant program aims to support electrification or “fuel switching”, in the ag industry by providing grant incentives for the purchase of all-electric ag equipment for 3CE customers. Eligible applicants will be awarded up to 80% of the cost of their electrification project (not to exceed $20,000).
New Construction Electrification Grant Program
With over $2.2 million in funding, 3CE’s New Construction Electrification Grant Program (NCEP) supports housing developers and wildfire impacted homeowners to build clean all-electric homes. The grant program has two tracks, one for developers of new all-electric Multi-Unit Dwelling and Single-Family Home housing projects, and another for homeowners impacted by the 2020 wildfire season in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties.
Developer Incentive Program
The NCEP Developer Incentive track is a competitive grant for developers who are planning new all-electric housing construction developments. Applications will be accepted through Monday, March 8th.
Homeowner Rebuild Program
The NCEP Homeowner Rebuild Incentive track is a grant for homeowners affected by the 2020 wildfire season who plan to rebuild their homes as all-electric.
Homeowners can also apply for an additional incentive for Level 2 electric vehicle chargers to be installed in their homes. Applications will be accepted until funds are fully reserved.
3CE Local Renewable Generation & Storage RFP
3CE is proud to announce our Local Request for Proposals to solicit local renewable energy generation resources and/or energy storage resources within our service area across the Central Coast. Customers, landowners, and developers are welcome to review the RFP and submit a bid for potential projects of at least 20 MWs for locally-sited clean and renewable energy (can include storage) or stand-alone energy storage systems of 1 MW or larger without the need for entitlements or a position in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) queue for interconnection.
Deadline for submissions: February 17, 2021 at 5:00 pm.
All questions and bids shall be emailed to PSsolicitations@3CE.org
3CE staff encourages all customers and advocates to share this information with relevant stakeholders who may have access to developers or potential sites that meet RFP criteria. We look forward to exploring the potential of expanding clean and renewable resources along the Central Coast.
Welcome Enrolling Communities
3CE wants to give a warm welcome to the cities of Arroyo Grande, Del Rey Oaks, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Santa Maria, Solvang and Northern Santa Barbara County as they near enrollment with 3CE in January 2021. We are excited to share the economic and environmental benefits of clean energy and local control with our neighboring communities. More communities joining 3CE means greater benefits for all!
“Our expansion to serve 11 new communities in Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties marks an important transition in 3CE’s development as a community choice energy agency,” shares 3CE CEO, Tom Habashi. “This expansion led to a name change, a larger board and most importantly a new direction and a real commitment to renewable energy. In 2021, 3CE will be serving 4 counties and 29 cities along California’s Central Coast.”
3CE Earns ‘A’ Credit Rating by S&P Global Markets – a First Among California CCAs
On Friday October 16, 2020 Standard & Poor’s (S&P’s) Global Ratings assigned 3CE with an ‘A’ credit rating, the highest rating received by a California community choice aggregator (CCA) to date. 3CE joins three other CCAs (MCE, Peninsula Clean Energy and Silicon Valley Clean Energy) who also received credit ratings further strengthening the viability and financial sustainability of the CCA industry. Like so many 3CE accomplishments, the support of customers and communities we serve played an instrumental role in this achievement. Other contributing factors as noted by S&P include strong economic fundamentals, comprehensive governance structure, robust energy risk management policy and experienced executive leadership.
”Achieving the first ‘A’ rating is a testament to our Boards, customers, staff and 33 communities that believe in the CCA model as critical to our affordable clean and renewable energy future,” stated 3CE’s CEO Tom Habashi. “This rating also demonstrates the viability of both the CCA business model and the leadership that CCAs provide in achieving California’s greenhouse gas emission goals while providing reliable low-cost electricity. 3CE’s CEO Tom Habashi said.
3CE’s ‘A’ Rating will aid in accelerating the path to 100% clean & renewable energy for Central Coast communities, increasing wholesale buying power, lowering transaction costs & helping us make innovative financing structures for energy challenges.
Please click here to learn more and review S&P’s full rating action.
Pathway to 100% Clean and Renewable Energy by 2030
The adoption of a new and affordable pathway to 100% renewable energy by 2030 will provide more enduring impact toward the 3CE’s original goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This pathway ensures 60% of our energy supply will come from new renewable resources by 2025 and 100% by 2030, putting 3CE 15 years ahead of the state’s clean energy goals. Adopted on September 2nd, the new strategy will move power purchasing towards optimizing increasing low-cost renewable energy and energy storage technologies as well as closer to seeking renewable energy projects within its expansive service area.
“With the formal adoption of our new name, Central Coast Community Energy, we are charting a new course to achieve significant and meaningful reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, aiming to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030. 3CE’s new resource procurement strategy comes at an opportune time when we can further capitalize on low cost long term new renewable energy projects to achieve an even greater impact on the environment while lowering customer cost,” shares CEO, Tom Habashi.
This transition would produce both utility-scale progress toward growing renewables and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while also increasing the likelihood of localized generation and battery storage. Because the cost of renewable energy is at an all-time low while carbon-free attributes have increased five-fold in the past 3 years, this new approach would also reduce 3CE’s energy supply costs by up to $10 million a year or potentially over $100 million by 2030. With more financial flexibility, 3CE can further support rate stability, re-investment in efforts to bolster and accelerate the electrification of the Central Coast’s transportation, building and agricultural sectors while evaluating the value proposition of distributed energy resources.
To learn more about our new pathway to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2030, please visit our website below.
Monterey Bay Community Power Has a New Name!
This new name reflects our expanded service area now covering 33 communities, including additional communities in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, as well as Del Rey Oaks in Monterey County starting in early 2021 and the city of Buellton in early 2022. These communities join our existing service area in Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz counties, and the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. This will unify access to clean energy and local control for over 400,000 residential, commercial, and agricultural customers on the Central Coast.
Your service will not be impacted by this change. The current MBCP Electric Generation Charges on your statement will be renamed as Central Coast Community Energy Electric Generation Charges. Our commitment to local control and competitively priced electricity from clean and renewable energy sources remains the same.
Central Coast Community Energy invites customers to visit its new website and learn more about the 2021 enrollment of Arroyo Grande, Carpinteria, Del Rey Oaks, Goleta, Guadalupe, Grover Beach, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Santa Maria, Solvang and the County of Santa Barbara at 3CEnergy.org.
Electrifying Our Local Ag Industry with the MBCP Ag Electrification Grant Program
Through our Ag Electrification Grant Program, with a total available funding of $160,000, MBCP is offering eligible customers up to $20,000 to assist with fuel-switching or electrifying tractors, forklifts, coolers/boilers, light/heavy duty vehicles, diesel-powered irrigation pumps, and more.
Many of our agricultural customers are already focused on reducing the climate impact of their operations, benefiting their bottom line and the planet. As a local partner in GHG reduction efforts and economic development, MBCP has identified the Electrification of the Ag Sector as a key initiative and focus for future Energy Programs. Electrification, often referred to as “fuel switching,” has a variety of benefits for the customer, the surrounding communities and the people who work in the fields.
Our Energy Programs team has already received four applications from local farms interested in fuel switching to cleaner, all-electric alternatives. If you know someone in the local ag industry, please share or forward this information to them. Applications are being accepted through September 16, 2020.
