AnonymousSource: Central Coast Community Energy
Central Coast Community Energy [this month] announced four new energy storage projects located within its service area, a major milestone for the community focused energy provider responsible for sourcing clean and renewable electricity on behalf of Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz Counties. All projects came to fruition in response to CCCE’s Local Energy Storage Resiliency Project Request for Proposals issued in June of this year, with two additional storage projects still under consideration in San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties, one of which includes solar generation. CCCE received a total of 21 proposals from 16 developers.
All approved projects are estimated to be operational in 2026. The Bodega Energy Storage project is located in Gonzales and will provide 10 MW of storage and deliver 80 MW/hours (MWh), the Green Valley Energy Storage Project is located in Salinas and will provide 16 MW of storage to discharge 128 MWh, and the Rava Mesa project is located in Unincorporated Monterey County and will provide 6 MW of storage for a total discharge cycle of 18 MWh. All three of these projects will be developed by local firm, Concentric Power, Inc. In Santa Maria, the Industrial Parkway Storage Project, to be developed by Renewable Properties, LLC. will provide 10 MW of storage for a total discharge cycle of 40 MWh. Of the four projects announced, the Industrial Parkway Storage Project is the only one that will not deploy long-duration storage.
“These local energy storage projects will create jobs, support the effectiveness of standalone energy storage, contribute to statewide grid stability, and support California’s transition to clean and renewable energy,” shared CCCE CEO, Tom Habashi. “Long duration energy storage plays an integral role in all of this. Central Coast Community Energy is proud to be innovating with emerging technologies within our service area.”
The landmark announcement highlights the economic and logistical challenges often associated with local energy generation and distribution, challenges which CCCE has remained committed to overcoming despite prior solicitations resulting in project proposals that risked being counterproductive to delivering fair and stable electricity rates – a hallmark of CCCE service.
In contrast to the economic equation, CCCE’s pledge to grow clean and renewable energy resources adds a necessary variable to the equation – energy storage. With the intermittent nature of solar and wind power, for example, renewable energy that is generated when the sun is shining, and the wind is blowing must be captured and stored so it can be utilized when the sun and wind are absent.
Energy storage is cornerstone to realizing the full potential of renewable energy and to improving California’s grid reliability. Although CCCE has already contracted for more than 800 MW from new renewable energy projects and 200 MW from associated energy storage projects throughout California, the recent announcement marks the first series of distributed energy storage projects within CCCE’s service area.
“CCCE’s responsiveness and innovation continue to support and remind us of how important local control is in addressing economic development and clean energy resources,” shares CCCE Policy Board Chair and Salinas City Council member, Steve McShane. “This is a huge win for our region and the state. Long duration energy storage is the crux for large-scale renewable energy growth. These projects are big accomplishments in themselves but also key to CCCE achieving future goals such as 100% clean and renewable energy by 2030.”
Three of the four energy storage projects implicated will utilize vanadium redox flow battery (VRB) technology, another milestone in itself. VRB is lesser known but the advantages are clear, slower release for longer duration, longer operational lifespan, and safer due to nonflammable materials. Long duration storage is something that California’s energy regulators are calling for as the state prepares for more conventional power plants to be replaced by renewable sources. Once again, CCCE is leading by example and not just among California CCAs, these projects set a precedent for California’s investor-owned utilities and the nation’s energy industry.
About Central Coast Community Energy
Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) is a public agency that sources competitively priced electricity from clean and renewable energy resources. CCCE is locally controlled and governed by board members who represent each community served by the agency. Revenue generated by CCCE stays local and helps keep electricity rates affordable for customers, while also funding innovative energy programs designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate economic development. CCCE serves 436,000 customers throughout the Central Coast, including residential, commercial and agricultural customers in communities located within Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz counties. Learn more at 3CEnergy.org and on social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @3CEnergy.
“Of the four projects announced, the Industrial Parkway Storage Project is the only one that will not deploy long-duration storage.” The article goes on “VRB is lesser known but the advantages are clear, slower release for longer duration, longer operational lifespan, and safer due to nonflammable materials. Long duration storage is something that California’s energy regulators are calling for”
Interesting they say this is the way to go of course SB County gets the more flammable less useful non long duration project. CCCE is not a local provider for SB County. We have minimal representation on the Boards . We are simply an additional revenue source to implement programs & projects far to the north of here. We are part of an agenda.
Your comments, thus far, speak to your ignorance. There is no “money grab” by any municipality. They are not even involved. There is no issue with flammability here, there, or anywhere. Almost all of what you three have written is simply false. So stop it.
The transition to locally developed and controlled “green energy” and local microgrids is not going to happen overnight and it is not going to be without at least short-term costs. It also creates jobs, helps to secure our future energy independence, and helps to address the Climate Crisis. This is an excellent path to sustainable and reliable energy independence from the for-profit utilities.
Everything I read says we pay more and the city collects the revenue. I can not speak for anyone else but I do not trust the city to invest proceeds effectively.
The Green Start option offers 50% or more carbon-free energy at the same standard rates that Southern California Edison offers, and 100% Green offers 100% carbon-free energy for about $5 more per month. Industrial customers will see an increase of about 9%, and agricultural customers will see an increase of about 6%, Santa Barbara Clean Energy is expected to generate about $10 million in revenue for fiscal year 2022, and $24 million in fiscal year 2023, the majority of revenue is to offset power supply costs.
Time to leave the 19th century behind, and dump fossil fuels.
No matter your ideology, lifecycle analysis shows that wind and solar are cheapest and best, at least until fusion finally comes along.
https://www.nrel.gov/analysis/life-cycle-assessment.html
https://www.pnas.org/content/112/20/6277
https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/10/the-decreasing-cost-of-renewables-unlikely-to-plateau-anytime-soon/
https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/839371
Evaluations of some of the lies that are being spread about green energy:
https://skepticalscience.com/renewable-energy-baseload-power.htm
https://skepticalscience.com/renewable-energy-investment-kills-jobs.htm
https://skepticalscience.com/renewable-energy-is-too-expensive.htm
https://skepticalscience.com/lives-clean-energy-save-by-state.html
Vanadium is yummy stuff. A byproduct from Uranium mines and Fossil fuel production. Going green from the very beginning!!
This seems like a money grab by the City and County of Santa Barbara.
Instead of making money off of green energy the city and county should be working their way out of business by using the profits to provide discounted solar (and even free) for homes and businesses.
97% of vanadium today comes from only three countries: China, Russia and South Africa – all rather unsavory business partners to become dependent upon for our own “green” energy needs. Colorado and Utah have vanadium deposits but to date, there have not been viable mining operations in the US to compete with China, Russia and South Africa- who have far fewer health and safety regulations. Will mining US vanadium make economic sense or do we now become increasingly energy dependent on untrustworthy partners. Caution, rather than calculated ideological media hype is in order. Lots of questions still need answers – not just trite responses we have learned not to trust – such as “creating good union jobs” used to dress up more Solyndras.
Begin by educating yourself. Here’s access to the actual documents that should put to rest the misrepresentations (being kind here) in this discussion. Browse the websites and learn.
There are two clean energy providers. Santa Barbara Clean Energy (City of Santa Barbara customers) SBCE and Central Coast Community Energy, 3CE. The County chose to join an already-in-play 5 county green energy provider. The City chose to form its own “company”. I really don’t understand how or why that came about. I will try to learn. The only “profit” the city makes on this deal is the employment of a dozen people and, in fact, will be operating the “company” at a deficit for five years. No one ever said the transition was going to be cheap or that the program is designed to save consumers money. It’s designed to maybe save the planet from the Climate Crisis. How much is that worth to you? Or your kids?
It all documented, exactly how this will work, what it will cost to operate, the real cost to the consumers, and what benefits can be expected. I’ll admit that the rollout of the two projects, especially the city provider, was a communications giant fail on so many levels. I’m sure they’re aware and the city people are really trying. I believe the County, through 3CE has it together. It’s all going to be okay. We have to hope. I sure don’t trust SCE or PG&E. Writing their initials used too much energy.
SBCE: https://www.sbcleanenergy.com/facts-background-plans, scroll to near the bottom and choose “implementation plans”.
3CE: https://3cenergy.org/background-documents/
Ginger, I have educated myself since I happen to be at a BOS meeting when consultants were giving supervisors a rundown on CCA. I was surprised that they voted in favor. I expected to be notified 4 times in the several months prior to enrollment( as the consultant recommended) That never happened. I received 1 flimsy junk mail flyer prior to automatic enrollment. Since receiving it I have watched every publicly available meeting of the policy board, the operations board, the community programs committee etc… I have attended the webinars. The lack of transparency until after enrollment is the problem. The lure of lower prices , greener energy and local control is a farce. Prices will rise after the introductory rate. It has been stated publicly and voted on by the board. There is no local control with three representatives out of the many on these boards.
No one likes SCE. Their equipment has caused billions in damage and lost lives. The reliability is terrible but 3CE does nothing to fix that and has no real future plans to do so. Greener energy can be achieved through legislation, which was already happening at the state level. There are programs available for clean energy projects, rebates and utility bill assistance. SCE currently procures greener energy than the conglomerate now known as 3CE. We are all getting the same power through the same lines regardless of who is generating it. The difference is we will be subsidizing things such as all electric low income housing developments which means we will also be subsidizing the high electric bills and appliances for that housing. 3CE has chosen to help convert school buses to electric. Seems like the lowest priority to convert buses that only run for a few hours a day,. 3CE doesn’t encourage rooftop solar on homes or any other program that would help homeowners become energy independent because that would cut into their “ in front of the meter” revenue.
So in light of all these factors I made an educated decision and opted out. But you’re right, more people should be educated. They should have been informed prior to enrollment and given a choice. 3CE has made it clear they wouldn’t have needed participation without automatic enrollment and introductory rates. They need the community buy for their agenda.
Again, there was never “the lure of lower prices” and greener energy is surely baked into the program. Read what 3CE is doing throughout their service area. They are procuring AND developing greener electricity, exactly as mandated. Also, keep in mind that the now higher prices are primarily as a result of *SCE raising their distribution charges*, added to the clearly disclosed 3CE/SBCE mandated charge.
CCA (Community Choice [Energy] Aggregation is the name for all of the hundreds of programs through the USA serving millions of customers These programs, 3CE and SBCE here, exist as an alternative to for-profit, investor-owned utilities. It was never sold as cost-saving, just Planet Saving and the right thing to do. If you think the State Public Utilities Commission or SCE/PG&E gives a damn about that, you are very wrong. Do you really want the State or the electric companies to run the grid or people who actually care and have a vested interest in making this work?
There are still subsidies and discounts for lower/fixed income customers. Additionally, there are now more incentives for solar, batteries, EVs, even e-bikes. Plus the energy credit for excess solar production going back to the grid has nearly doubled over SCE’s rip-off program.
I have totally acknowledged that their roll-out and communications were an epic failure. SCE was and remains a big part of that problem. But that does not discount that the programs are a net major plus for almost all customers. Check back in two years. We’ll see, won’t we?
$24, that’s how much my bill went up this month due to Santa Barbara Clean Energy. I don’t use much energy, I’m still in Tier 1 pricing. All the brochures said it would be around $5 but $24 is too much, especially after Edison raised their rates. I opted out.
I am in the process of opting out, but they make it very difficult to do so. They are building up a slush fund to use on feel good green energy projects. Just look where Germany is going and that’s where California is headed: prices will go up and reliability will go down when you need electric power the most. “Flex Alerts” is a Newspeak term for insufficiently available alternative energy generation.