Skip to main content

Power For the People

In this episode – Power For the People . . .

People often ask me, "You work for a solar company; don’t you have solar on your home?”

Nope!

“With an astonished look, they exclaim, “Why not?”

Here’s the short answer: "I monitor our yearly electricity consumption, which totals approximately 2,500 kWh.”

For comparison, a Walmart Supercenter could use about 10,000 kWh daily on average.

Okay, I get it. Most people might not be familiar with this terminology; they only care about how much they're billed monthly.

Welcome back to On the Fly! Today, our virtual assistant, Professor Watts, will join us to discuss a program called Community Choice Aggregation, or CCA, that helps Californians choose a cleaner energy future with better rates.

San Diego County is known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant community. Now, the cities of Solana Beach, Del Mar, Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, and Vista are leading the way in sustainability thanks to their participation in a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program.

This is very recent. On May 1, 2021, The Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) began offering energy services, providing residents with cleaner energy, competitive rates, local programs, and local control. In July 2022, CEA expanded into the cities of Oceanside and Vista.

What exactly is CCA?

Professor Watts: Community Choice Aggregation allows communities to join forces and buy electricity. This gives residents more control over their energy source and potentially lower rates. Traditionally, your electricity comes from a big utility company; in San Diego County, it’s San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), but with CCA, communities have more autonomy.

That's an interesting explanation, Professor Watts! But how can CCA specifically benefit Vista residents?

Professor Watts: Here’s how it works:

Clean Energy Alliance purchases electricity directly from energy suppliers for residents and local businesses. San Diego Gas & Electric manages billing, transmission, and distribution, ensuring customers receive energy at competitive prices.

"OK, but what are the financial advantages for residents?"

Patrick: Here’s a direct example from our most recent SDG&E bill. Our utility rate for electricity is about $0.41 per kWh, while our CCA rate varies between $0.05 and $0.13 per kWh, depending on time-of-day usage.

How is this possible?

Residents benefit from lower rates with the CCA provider because they buy electricity in bulk as a community. Additionally, some CCA plans offer more renewable energy, which might cost a bit more but allows residents to support clean energy sources directly.

That’s a win-win in my book! Investment-wise, owning a rooftop solar system does not provide a better electricity rate. Rooftop solar benefits its owner during peak production hours, typically 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The highest rates charged by the utility are from 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. When you're not using the power generated by your solar system at home, it is sent to the grid for the utility to sell to others on demand. Since you're connected to the grid, you will be billed by the utility at a higher rate. Check your utility bill for the On-Peak rate to see the difference.

How can local residents discover more and potentially switch to a CCA provider?

Click the link to view the Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) provider. The provider offers detailed information on plans, pricing, and a straightforward enrollment process.

Thanks, Professor Watts, for that breakdown! Residents of San Diego County, if you're interested in cleaner, potentially cheaper electricity, explore the options offered by the Clean Energy Alliance.

Remember, with CCA, you can choose a greener future for your city!

Power for the People!

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. I'll see you in the next episode.

Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks Patrick - a good simple explanation - keep up the good work. 0
May 18, 2024 at 12:25 PM
Post a Comment

Most Popular of All Time

The Compass of Cuba: Mom

🎄  Preview of this week's  On the Fly  blog: A Holiday Tribute to Mom. As the holidays hustle with pixels and beeps, the world scrolls along in a smartphone-y sleep. I log off for a moment—just one little minute— To breathe in the past and to sit myself in it. My mind doesn’t wander to faraway places, Or trips full of tickets and new airport faces. Instead, it drifts backward, as memories do, to Cuba, Illinois, where the best moments grew. To a home full of warmth, in the wintry Midwest, Where my mother—dear “Marcie”—put love to the test. With a smile that could melt the most frigid of dawns, and hugs that hung on you like shivering fawns. She came from La Rochelle in France, brave and bright, Across oceans and war shadows, into new light. A town full of strangers soon felt like her own, And her courage built up the foundation of home. “Oh yes, we know Marcie!” the locals would say— “It's Doc Ball’s French lady! She brightens the day!” She cleaned, and she cooked, and sh...
1 comment
Read more

Feeling Human Again

In this episode, The Unexpected Thankfulness of Feeling Human Again I’ll be honest with you: My triumphant return from France was not the glamorous homecoming I had imagined. No graceful glide back into routine. No cinematic jet-setter moment where I lift my suitcase off the carousel and wink at life like we’re old pals. Instead? I came home and immediately launched into a two-week performance piece titled The Great American Couch Collapse. My days blurred together in a haze of soup, hot tea, tissues, and desperate negotiations with the universe for just one nostril—one!—to function properly. The living room sofa became my emotional support furniture. And any creative idea that dared tiptoe into my congested brain was gently shown the exit with a firm but courteous, “Not today, friend. Try again later.” When life hits the pause button like that—when you’re exhausted, sick, and mentally unplugged—how do you find your spark again? Somehow, today, I felt it. A tiny shift. A clearing of th...
1 comment
Read more

A Holiday Reflection–Mother's Love

In this episode,  How a Mother’s Love Built My Memories– A Holiday Reflection As this holiday season approaches and the world buzzes with shopping, planning, and busy schedules, I find myself embracing something wonderfully simple: taking a moment to pause. Not to check off a list or recharge devices, but to breathe deeply, remember fondly, and honor the person and place that have shaped my sense of home long before I had the words for it. This year, after regaining my strength from a lingering post-travel fog, my mind didn’t wander to exotic destinations or future adventures. It drifted backward—across oceans and time—to Cuba, Illinois, in the early 1960s, and to the woman whose love built the foundation of my world: Mauricette Elaine (Bontemps) Ball. My Mom . We came to Cuba after leaving La Rochelle, France, in 1959—a transition so dramatic I only appreciate its enormity now. My mother, barely in her mid-twenties, stepped off that plane and into the Midwest with a courage that s...
1 comment
Read more

Patience: the Only First-Class Ticket

In this episode, Patience: the Only First-Class Ticket They say travel broadens the mind. After eight days sailing the Rhône with 140 fellow luxury vacationers, I can confirm it also tests patience , calf strength, buffet strategy, and one's tolerance for people furious that France insists on being French. Don't get me wrong—I adored this trip. The river shimmered like liquid optimism. The villages looked hand-painted. The pastries could negotiate world peace. But somewhere between Ship Horn Hello and Bon Voyage, we'd inadvertently boarded a floating behavioral research study disguised as a holiday. Our ship was less a cruise and more a ferry for the Sailors of Status. Some passengers approached relaxation like yogis. Others treated leisure like a final exam with extra credit. I came to believe certain luxury watches emit ultrasonic signals that only their owners can detect. A frequency calibrated to trigger rapid movement toward any line forming for any reason. I saw more ...
1 comment
Read more