Press
There’s a lot going on in California’s utility industry these days. Here are some of the recent happenings you might find interesting.
Valley Clean Energy Achieves $35 Million in Power Cost Savings Over the Next 10 Years
VCE joins other Community Choice Aggregators in issuing over $18 Billion in Clean Energy Bonds through the California Community Choice
New VCE Discounts Will Save Yolo County Customers $6.25M on Electricity in 2025
The California Energy Commission just approved a $2.5M program to help California farmers install charging stations for tractors and other on-farm vehicles. Initially launching in Yolo County, the program will allow the tractors to charge bidirectionally and sell electricity back to the grid through Valley Clean Energy.
New Hourly Flex Pricing pilot program can help VCE customers control energy costs
The California Energy Commission just approved a $2.5M program to help California farmers install charging stations for tractors and other on-farm vehicles. Initially launching in Yolo County, the program will allow the tractors to charge bidirectionally and sell electricity back to the grid through Valley Clean Energy.
VCE’s Free Energy Advisor Service Makes it Easier to Go Electric
The California Energy Commission just approved a $2.5M program to help California farmers install charging stations for tractors and other on-farm vehicles. Initially launching in Yolo County, the program will allow the tractors to charge bidirectionally and sell electricity back to the grid through Valley Clean Energy.
New, Innovative Program will Help Yolo County Farmers Install Charging Infrastructure for Electric Tractors
The California Energy Commission just approved a $2.5M program to help California farmers install charging stations for tractors and other on-farm vehicles. Initially launching in Yolo County, the program will allow the tractors to charge bidirectionally and sell electricity back to the grid through Valley Clean Energy.
Valley Clean Energy Announces new rate discounts for customers
February 26, 2024
In 2024, over 125,000 Valley Clean Energy (VCE) customers in Woodland, Winters, Davis, and unincorporated Yolo County will receive $1.6 million in rate relief.
Valley Clean Energy and The City of Winters Celebrate New EV Charger Installation on December 12th
November 27, 2023
‘Electrify Yolo’ marks additional progress with EV charging installations completed in Davis, Winters, Woodland, and Yolo County.
Community Members Unite to Take Action on California Clean Air Day
October 4, 2023
While California Clean Air Day is just five years old, its purpose should be as well-known as its 53-year-old ubiquitous counterpart, Earth Day.
Valley Clean Energy’s Board commits to goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2030 as it celebrates 5 years of service.
September 20, 2023
VCE makes a tremendous impact for climate and customers in Yolo County during its first five years of operations.
Congressman Thompson will be joining Valley Clean Energy at Saturday’s Customer Appreciation Event.
June 8, 2023
VCE is celebrating five years of electric generation service with a free community event in Davis, CA.
Valley Clean Energy Receives Award for AgFIT Pilot Program
May 30, 2023
VCE wins statewide Community Impact Award from the California Community Choice Association for innovative agricultural pilot program.
California Community Power Initiates Request for Information Regarding Developing Wind Energy off California Coast
April 28, 2023
CC Power’s nine members will gain information and may explore offshore wind procurement following the RFI. Valley Clean Energy (VCE) is a member of CC Power.
Valley Clean Energy Appoints Executive Officer
September 6, 2022
The Valley Clean Energy Board of Directors is very pleased to announce the appointment of Mitch Sears as VCE’s full-time Executive Officer.
Yolo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this week to upgrade to Valley Clean Energy’s 100% renewable UltraGreen service.
July 26, 2022
Yolo County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this week to upgrade to Valley Clean Energy’s 100% renewable, 100% carbon-free UltraGreen service.
Seven California Community Power Members Contract for 69 Megawatts of Long Duration Energy Storage
January 26, 2022
VCE has joined with other CCA agencies to contract for long-duration energy storage.
Valley Clean Energy launches an innovative program for agricultural customers to reduce grid stress and save farmers money.
VCE introduces Agricultural Flexible Irrigation Technology (AgFIT) Program to reduce grid stress and save farmers money.
VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY HIRES NEW PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ANALYST
DAVIS, Calif. (December 8th, 2021) —Valley Clean Energy announces the hiring of Sierra Huffman as its new Program and Community Engagement Analyst.
Valley Clean Energy Begins Receiving Electricity From Large Central Valley Solar Project
VCE is now receiving power from a new solar park located in Kings County, CA, through a 15-year contract to purchase 50 megawatts (MW) of renewable power with Aquamarine Westside, LLC’s 250MW Solar project.
VCE Celebrates Putah Creek Solar Farm Groundbreaking
WINTERS, Calif. (August 12, 2021) — With the public unveiling of a 3 megawatt solar+storage farm west of Winters, Valley Clean Energy (VCE) took another step toward its goal of providing more local renewable power generation for its customers.
California Community Power Appoints Tim Haines as Interim General Manager
Industry veteran brings over 30 years of experience to oversee continued development of new joint powers agency and long-duration storage procurement.
Sunnyvale, Calif. – Tim Haines has been appointed as the Interim General Manager of California Community Power. In addition to directing the agency’s operations, he will oversee the procurement of cost-effective clean energy and reliability resources, with an emphasis on long duration storage.
VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY JOINS CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY POWER
Valley Clean Energy is pleased to announce that it has joined nine other Community Choice Aggregation programs (CCAs) across California in a new Joint Powers Authority (JPA), California Community Power. Membership in this new JPA enables CCAs to achieve their ambitious climate and resilience goals in a cost-effective manner by combining their purchasing power.
VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY MAKES MAJOR SOLAR+STORAGE POWER DEAL
With its recent approval of a new power purchase agreement, the Valley Clean Energy (VCE) Board of Directors took another big step toward the agency’s goal of providing cost-effective renewable energy—and resilience—to its customers.
FINANCE EXPERT JOINS VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY STAFF
Valley Clean Energy announces the hiring of Edward Burnham as Director of Finance and Internal Operations. He will be responsible for oversight of finance and accounting tasks as well as VCE’s treasury, enterprise risk, information technology and audits.
NEW BOARD LEADERSHIP AT VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY
DAVIS, Calif. (December 29, 2020) — As the calendar turns from 2020 to 2021, Valley Clean Energy announces new leaders at the helm of the not-for-profit local electricity provider.
Dan Carson, a Davis City Councilmember, was voted in as chair to the VCE Board in 2021, and Winters City Councilmember Jesse Loren was voted in as Vice Chair. Both votes were unanimous. The VCE Board is comprised of two representatives from each of the communities it serves — the cities of Woodland, Davis and Winters and unincorporated Yolo County. Loren’s appointment couldn’t be more timely, as the community of Winters is currently enrolling customers in VCE service.
ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES EXPANDS ENERGY STORAGE FOOTPRINT IN CALIFORNIA
Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ORA) announced that it has signed two Resource Adequacy Agreements, each for 50% of its 5 MW / 20 MWh Tierra Buena battery energy storage project currently under development in Sutter County, northern California. Two Community Choice Aggregators (“CCAs”), Redwood Coast Energy Authority (“RCEA”) and Valley Clean Energy (“VCE”), each signed an agreement for 2.5 MW of resource adequacy from Ormat’s Tierra Buena energy storage project. Under the 10-year agreements, the project is expected to begin commercial operation no later than June 2022.
Valley Clean Energy Completes Repayment to SMUD
In October, VCE made its final installment payment to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), for their assistance with operating services during VCE’s launch in 2018.
Valley Clean Energy Calls For Support For Local Wildfire Victims – UPDATE
Supporting wildfire victims in Winters. Please join us! – UPDATE
Flattening the Curve
Your electrical load curve, that is…
Why electricity prices shift, and why it matters to informed customers like you.
Valley Clean Energy Issues Warning About Utility Bill Scam
Valley Clean Energy, Yolo County’s public not-for-profit local electricity provider, would like to reassure its customers that it never asks for a customer’s banking information over the telephone.
Valley Clean Energy Donates Face Masks To Rise, Inc.
VCE purchased 500 high-quality, washable and U.S.-made face masks and donated them to RISE Inc., a nonprofit organization that serves the Latinx community and has organized the delivery of social services to western Yolo County for more than 30 years.
Summer is Here and Electricity Usage is Up!
Fortunately, with Valley Clean Energy (VCE), local electricity customers are not paying any more to run their air conditioners than they would have paid under PG&E. At the same time, they are reaping the environmental benefits of a greener energy portfolio.
VCE Makes Key New Hire
Valley Clean Energy is pleased to announce the hiring of Rebecca Boyles as its new Director of Customer Care and Marketing. In this position she is responsible for all customer touch points including outreach, marketing, programs, key accounts and customer policy development.
You may now qualify for discounted utility rates
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on everyone in our communities. If your income has suffered in the past months, we’re urging you to check on your eligibility for a utility rate discount during these trying times.
Do you qualify for a FERA discount?
Yolo County, CA, April 21, 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on everyone in our communities. Some are able to shelter in place, work from home, and continue to get a paycheck. Others are working in the community and providing services to others—sometimes at personal risk. Some have been laid off from their jobs and are having trouble paying their bills for rent, food and utilities.
Welcome Solar NEM Customers!
VCE will begin enrolling legacy solar customers—those who installed solar prior to VCE’s launch in June 2018—in January 2020. Customers will be enrolled during their current true-up month and will be paid more for excess energy generation than they were by PG&E.
VCE Plans Workshop on Integrated Resource Plan
Valley Clean Energy will host a public workshop in early December to discuss and seek input to their Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The workshop is open to all VCE customers and interested parties, and will offer information and answer questions, while gathering input.
Valley Clean Energy Board answers Governor’s call, authorizes offer to purchase PG&E assets
Yolo County, CA – The board of Yolo County’s clean power agency has submitted a $300 million bid to purchase Pacific Gas & Electric’s lines and poles and other electricity distribution assets within Yolo County. The purchase would enable the creation of a locally owned and operated public utility that the Board has concluded would result in a more successful, efficient and safe electricity system.
City of Winters to join VCE family
The city of Winters is the fourth local jurisdiction to join Valley Clean Energy, Yolo County’s not-for-profit public clean power electricity agency. The cities of Woodland and Davis as well as the unincorporated area of Yolo County are already members, having launched the agency in June 2018.
VCE Pays Back Start-up Loans Far Ahead of Schedule
Valley Clean Energy’s board of directors has announced that the local community choice energy agency is repaying its start-up loans early, years ahead of schedule.
VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY TOPS RENEWABLE GOALS – DELIVERS CLEANER ENERGY AT NO EXTRA COST TO CUSTOMERS
Valley Clean Energy, Yolo County’s public power supplier, reports that even cleaner and greener energy has been delivered to its electricity customers than was projected at last year’s launch.
VCE is Studying the Purchase of PG&E Assets
VCE’s Board is studying the potential acquisition of PG&E distribution facilities in Yolo County as a way to provide safer, cleaner, more reliable, and affordable electricity service to its customers.
VCE Announces New Customer Dividend Program
VCE’s Board of Directors has voted unanimously to adopt a Customer Dividend Program beginning in the Fall of 2020, which will reward all VCE customers for the program’s success by sharing revenues. The dividends will be offered as bill credits once VCE meets its financial goals and obligations: once per year (on October bills) for residential customers, and twice per year (on October and April bills) for commercial customers.
VCE hosting workshop on Residential Time of Use rates
VCE is considering whether or not Residential Time of Use rates proposed by PG&E would be advantageous to VCE customers. Please attend our upcoming public workshop to learn more, and to offer your input.
Welcome Solar NEM Customers!
VCE will begin enrolling legacy solar customers—those who installed solar prior to VCE’s launch in June 2018—in January 2020. Customers will be enrolled during their current true-up month and will be paid more for excess energy generation than they were by PG&E.
VCE Plans Workshop on Integrated Resource Plan
Valley Clean Energy will host a public workshop in early December to discuss and seek input to their Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The workshop is open to all VCE customers and interested parties, and will offer information and answer questions, while gathering input.
Valley Clean Energy Board answers Governor’s call, authorizes offer to purchase PG&E assets
Yolo County, CA – The board of Yolo County’s clean power agency has submitted a $300 million bid to purchase Pacific Gas & Electric’s lines and poles and other electricity distribution assets within Yolo County. The purchase would enable the creation of a locally owned and operated public utility that the Board has concluded would result in a more successful, efficient and safe electricity system.
City of Winters to join VCE family
The city of Winters is the fourth local jurisdiction to join Valley Clean Energy, Yolo County’s not-for-profit public clean power electricity agency. The cities of Woodland and Davis as well as the unincorporated area of Yolo County are already members, having launched the agency in June 2018.
VCE Pays Back Start-up Loans Far Ahead of Schedule
Valley Clean Energy’s board of directors has announced that the local community choice energy agency is repaying its start-up loans early, years ahead of schedule.
VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY TOPS RENEWABLE GOALS – DELIVERS CLEANER ENERGY AT NO EXTRA COST TO CUSTOMERS
Valley Clean Energy, Yolo County’s public power supplier, reports that even cleaner and greener energy has been delivered to its electricity customers than was projected at last year’s launch.
VCE is Studying the Purchase of PG&E Assets
VCE’s Board is studying the potential acquisition of PG&E distribution facilities in Yolo County as a way to provide safer, cleaner, more reliable, and affordable electricity service to its customers.
VCE Announces New Customer Dividend Program
VCE’s Board of Directors has voted unanimously to adopt a Customer Dividend Program beginning in the Fall of 2020, which will reward all VCE customers for the program’s success by sharing revenues. The dividends will be offered as bill credits once VCE meets its financial goals and obligations: once per year (on October bills) for residential customers, and twice per year (on October and April bills) for commercial customers.
VCE hosting workshop on Residential Time of Use rates
VCE is considering whether or not Residential Time of Use rates proposed by PG&E would be advantageous to VCE customers. Please attend our upcoming public workshop to learn more, and to offer your input.