News Room

Marin Clean Energy - pro: Program offers key green benefits, North Bay Business Journal, 03/08/10 "Marin Clean Energy is a Community Choice Aggregation program that is designed to serve Marin's priorities. It allows electric consumers to choose non-polluting renewable energy,... " Read More

Mill Valley council responds to clean energy report, The Marin Independent Journal, 02/24/10 "The Mill Valley City Council issued a response Tuesday mostly disagreeing with a grand jury report that recommended pulling the plug on the Marin Clean Energy initiative...." Read More.

TURN: PG&E trying to lock high power rates into constitution, The Manteca Bulletin, 02/25/10 "The California Legislature today is conducting a joint hearing on Proposition 16 - the measure PG&E crafted for the June 8 ballot requiring a super majority of voters to approve any attempts to weaken the for-profit's monopoly on retail power sales...." Read More.

Supervisors challenge civil grand jury on Marin Clean Energy, Marin Independent Journal, 02/23/10 "The Marin Board of Supervisors on Tuesday rejected most of the findings contained in a civil grand jury report that recommended pulling the plug on the Marin Clean Energy Initiative...." Read More.

Editorial: no more silence on PG&E's statewide power grab, San Francisco Bay Guardian, 02/23/10 "Every single elected official, candidate for office, and political group in the state that isn't entirely bought off by PG&E needs to loudly oppose Prop. 16 - now...." Read More.

SSJID ponders opposing PG&E ballot measure, The Manteca Bulletin, 02/21/10 "Language in PG&E's $6.5 million gambit to prevent local jurisdictions from entering the retail power business under a ballot measure the company embraced in 2002 may make it difficult in the future for South San Joaquin Irrigation District to add additional power load should they secure the ability to sell power directly to customers ...." Read More.

PG&E to spend millions to pass Prop. 16, San Francisco Chronicle, 02/20/10 "PG&E Corp. plans to spend $25 million to $35 million on a California ballot initiative that would limit the ability of cities and counties to go into the public power business, the company reported Friday...." Read More.

Speakers to face off on Marin Clean Energy plan, North Bay Business Journal, 02/19/10 "Supporters and opponents of the controversial Marin Energy Authority Community Choice Aggregation, or CCA, proposal will face off at the fourth-annual Impact Marin Conference sponsored by the Business Journal March 11...." Read More.

Utility-backed ballot initiative draws criticism from local leaders, East County Magazine, 02/17/10 "A June ballot initiative seeks to change California's constitution to make it harder for cities and counties to give residents alternatives to buying power from utility companies ...." Read More.

Prop 16 is worst measure on June ballot, Beyond Chron, 02/16/10 "Every election cycle has an awful state ballot proposition, with plenty of corporate funding to fool voters..." Read More.

Public power backers cry foul over utility effort, ABC News, 02/15/10 "Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is funding a June ballot initiative that would amend California's constitution to make it much harder for cities and counties to offer residents another choice for buying their power." Read More.

PG&E "Coalition" anti-Marin Energy Authority flier hits Marin, San Francisco Chronicle, Marin Blog, 02/13/10 "Maven checked her snail mail box yesterday and hubby got a flier from the "Common Sense Coalition" that claims that they are "Taking a Stand for Marin Consumers...." Read More.

Large Marin energy users face choice: PG&E or more renewable energy, Marin Independent Journal, 02/08/10 "Some 9,200 customers of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. have begun receiving notices from the Marin Energy Authority that they must 'opt-out' by contacting PG&E if they choose not to participate in the Marin Clean Energy program ...." Read More.

Marin County to bypass PG&E with power agency, San Francisco Chronicle, 02/06/10 "Public power is coming to Marin County, unless Pacific Gas & Electric Co. can block it in the courts or at the ballot box...." Read More.

Marin may defect from PG&E, San Francisco Business Times, 02/05/10 "PG&E has new competition in Marin County. A Marin County board voted unanimously Thursday to approve a five-year contract with Shell Energy North America to supply electricity to the county, and compete against PG&E ...." Read More.

Why PG&E fears SSJID as well as Marin County, The Manteca Bulletin, 02/05/10 "It is abundantly clear with each passing day that PG&E - a key player in plunging California into a downward spiral and helping set the stage for the recall of Gov. Gray Davis when it successfully greased politicians in Sacramento to deregulate power in the Golden State - never intended to play by the rules it helped create ...." Read More.

Marin Clean Energy another step closer to reality, San Francisco Chronicle Marin Blog, 02/05/10 "The upstart renewable energy organization, Marin Energy Authority, voted unanimously last night to a five-year deal with Shell Oil to provide energy in direct competition with Pacific Gas & Electric ...." Read More.

Marin Energy Authority OKs deal with Shell , Marin Independent Journal, 02/04/10 "The Marin Energy Authority board Thursday night unanimously approved a five-year contract with Shell Energy North America, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, to supply it with the electricity it will need to compete with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. as a retailer of electricity in Marin...." Read More.

Marin County kicks PG&E to the curb, ABC 7, 02/04/10 "Marin County is about to go where no others have gone before. It is changing the way it gets electricity, which means Pacific Gas & Electric is getting kicked to the curb - at least that's the plan...." Read More.

Marin County to provide power, oust PG&E, San Francisco Chronicle, 02/04/10 "Marin County is poised to jump into the public power business, despite fierce opposition from Pacific Gas and Electric Co ...." Read More.

Plan is legal and ethical, Marin Independent Journal, 02/03/10 "The Marin Independent Journal published an excellent article on Jan. 30 concerning Pacific Gas and Electric Company's threat to sue the Marin Municipal Water District ...." Read More.

Supervisors OK loan guarantee for Marin Clean Energy, Marin Independent Journal, 02/02/10 "With the fate of the Marin Clean Energy initiative hanging in the balance, Marin County supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to serve as on e of the co-signers on a loan that will supply the venture with critical start-up capital...." Read More.

PG&E initiative comes under scrutiny, 02/02/10 "Pacific Gas & Electric Company's statewide ballot initiative, which the utility calls The Taxpayer's Right to Vote Act, has attracted criticism in a few editorials since the company sank millions into gathering enough signatures to qualify it for the June 2010 ballot...." Read More.

Marin Energy Authority hashes out details of clean energy plan, Contra Costa Times, 02/01/10 "Marin Energy Authority board members said Monday they plan to set their 'light green' rates - which would provide electricity that is 25 percent from renewable sources - at the same cost that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is charging...." Read More.

PG&E spending millions to block local utilities, Mercury News, 02/01/10 "PG&E is spending millions of dollars on a statewide initiative that would make it tougher for you to get your power from anyone else ..." Read More.

Editorial: PG&E makes a new power grab, The Sacramento Bee, 01/19/10 "Pacific Gas and Electric spent $3.5 million to collect more than a million signatures to qualify what it calls the Taxpayers Right to Vote Act for California's June ballot..." Read More.

The Marin County secession - the seeds of a full-blown renewable power rebellion, Green Chip Stocks, 01/15/10 "Another type of secession is playing out right now, right here, which could become a model for the rest of the country ..." Read More.

County of Marin reaffirms support for Marin Clean Energy, Marin Independent Journal, 01/12/10 "The County of Marin Tuesday became the seventh member of the Marin Energy Authority to reaffirm its commitment to the Marin Clean Energy initiative, which will put the jurisdictions in competition with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. as a retailer of electricity in Marin ..." Read More.

Council to review Marin Energy Authority, Marin Independent Journal, 01/11/10 "The Belvedere City Council meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday to consider a resolution in support of the Marin Energy Authority, and an alternative resolution withdrawing the city from membershiop in the authority..." Read More.

Marin Energy Authority considers discounts in return for loan guarantees, Marin Independent Journal, 01/08/10 "The County of Marin and the Marin Municipal Water District could get access to 100 percent renewable power at discounted prices in return for co-signing a $1.6 million loan enabling the Marin Clean Energy intiative to begin operations..." Read More.

San Anselmo reaffirms vows to Marin Energy Authority, Marin Independent Journal, 01/06/10 "Jeff Kroot emphasized that he is a supporter of sustainability efforts - even saying he owns a hybrid vehicle - but then said he would vote to opt out of San Anselmo's commitment to the upstart Marin Energy Authority..." Read More.

Marin DA seeking answers in grand jury whodunit, Marin Independent Journal, 01/05/10 "The Marin County district attorney is investigating how a copy of a civil grand jury report that slammed the Marin Energy Authority's plan to compete with Pacfic Gas and Electric Co. got into the hands of PG&E and other critics before its official release last month ..." Read More.

San Rafael remains in county energy alliance, Marin Independent Journal, 01/05/10 "The San Rafael City Council signed off Monday night on countywide plans to go into the energy business ..." Read More.

Mill Valley on board with energy initiative, Marin Independent Journal, 01/05/10 "After a marathon public hearing that ended early Tuesday morning, the Mill Valley City Council reaffirmed its desire to remain involved with the Marin Clean Energy initiative ..." Read More.

New group seeks to bring greener power to Marin, The New York Times, 12/20/09 "With holiday lights glowing around Marin County, a debate is heating up from Belvedere to Novato about who should procure the electricity that keeps them lighted..." Read More.

Upfront: Runaway grand jury? Clean energy proponents hear voice of PG&E in scathing grand jury report , The Pacific Sun, 12/18/09 "The title of the recent grand jury report about Marin Clean Energy leaves little doubt as to the intentions of the grand jurors..." Read More.

Upfront: Runaway grand jury? Clean energy proponents hear voice of PG&E in scathing grand jury report, 12/17/09
"The title of the recent grand jury report about Marin Clean Energy leaves little doubt as to the intentions of the grand jurors ..." Read More.

Ballot initiative could pull the plug on alternative energy, 12/08/09
"PG&E is spending millions to get a measure on the ballot next June. It's an intiative that would make it tougher for local power cooperatives to compete with Pacific Gas & Electric ..." Read More.

Why Marin Clean Energy is a good idea , 11/26/09
"Here's a ten-step checklist to keep in mind as Marin County and most of its cities look toward getting a more competitive, cleaner, greener mix of electricity through Marin Clean Energy rather than the current monopoly supplier, PG&E..." Read More.

Marin Energy Authority approves draft contract, Marin Independent Journal, 11/05/09
"Following a key vote Thursday night, the county of Marin and eight Marin municipalities have 90 days to decide whether to go forward with a plan to compete with Pacific Gas & Electric as a retailer of electricity in order to reduce Marin's greenhouse gas emissions..." Read More.

PG&E's spooky stories headed to your mailbox, San Francisco Bay Guardian, 10/30/09
"At a Halloweed-themed press conference on the steps of City Hall this afternoon, Supervisors Bevan Dufty and Ross Mirkarimi warned that PG&E plans to disseminate misleading information about the city's Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program..." Read More.

Upfront: Marin Energy's clean sweep, Pacific Sun , 10/15/09
"The offers are in--can Marin Clean Energy flip the green switch? The news swept over the world of energy conservation like a tidal wave..." Read More.

Talking green but working against it, New Times, 10/14/09
"PG&E opposed a bill the governor recently signed into law that could make home solar power more affordable..." Read More.

Wiser wires , The Economist, 10/8/09
"Information technology can make electricity grids less wasteful and much greener. Businesses have lots of ideas and governments are keen, but obstacles remain ..." Read More.

Marin Energy Authority begins negotiations with energy suppliers, Marin Indenpendent Journal, 9/4/09
"The Marin Energy Authority has narrowed its search for a wholesaler to sell it the electricity it needs to compete with Pacific Gas and Electric Co..." Read More.

PG&E backs measure to tighten grip on cities, San Francisco Chronicle, 8/18/09
"For years, cities dissatisfied with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. have tried to break away from the utility company, either by joining another or going into the power business for themselves...." Read More.

Upfront: clean energy vs. dirty deeds, Pacific Sun, 8/6/09
"While the Marin Energy Authority assesses bids from a dozen companies to provide green energy and compete with Pacific Gas and Electric, the utility company has launched a campaign to kill public power plans across California. ...." Read More.

A dozen companies submit bids to Marin Energy Authority, Contra Costa Times, 7/24/09
"A dozen companies have submitted bids to the Marin Energy Authority to supply electricity and compete with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to boost usage of renewable energy in the county...." Read More.

Marin Energy Authority announces 12 bid submissions from energy service providers, Marin Energy Authority, 7/22/09
"The Marin Energy Authority (MEA) is pleased to announce that twelve bids were submitted by the deadline of July 20th in response to its Request For Proposals released in May...."Read More.

Building the smart grid, Science Technology Quarterly, 6/4/09
"Energy: by promoting the adoption of renewable-energy technology, a smart grid would be good for the environment - and for innovation ..." Read More.

Upfront: Clean energy powers ahead, Pacific Sun, 12/11/08
"The Marin Energy Authority is a done deal. But proponents of forming a county environmental energy agency continue their call for a march toward a clean-energy future in Marin..." Read More

San Rafael OKs 'clean energy' authority, Marin Independent Journal, 12/2/08
"The San Rafael City Council this week endorsed a new joint powers authority that would allow residents and businesses to purdchase "green" electricity from a source other than Pacific Gas and Electric Co... " Read More.

City joins growing 'green' coalition, Marin Independent Journal, 12/2/08
"The Sausalito City Council has joined several other Marin cities and the county of Marin in support of a new joint powers authority that would allow residents and businesses to purchase 'green' electricity..." Read More.

Two towns join 'clean energy' plan, formally establishing joint powers authority, Marin Independent Journal, 11/20/08
"A joint powers authority that will explore projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has been legally established after the final votes Wednesday by two Marin towns to join the county of Marin as members of the authority ... " Read More.

Milestone for Marin Clean Energy; now Novato must decide whether to join, Novato Advance, 11/19/08
"The Marin County Board of Supervisors took a major step forward Tuesday in pursuit of the county's ambitious 'Marin Clean Energy' Community Choice Aggregation plan at a regularly scheduled board meeting at the Mairn County Civic Center ..." Read More.

Marin supervisors move forward with 'clean energy' authority, could compete with PG&E, Marin Independent Journal, 11/18/08
"Despite objections from Pacific Gas and Electric Co., county supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to join with other Marin cities to form a joint powers authority and explore projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions..." Read More.

San Anselmo, Belvedere the latest to sign on with 'clean energy' plan, Marin Independent Journal, 10/28/08
"Marin municipalities appear eager to jump on the "clean energy" bandwagon. By unanimous votes, the town councils of San Anselmo and Belvedere on Monday became the latest to approve ordinances suporting a new joint powers authority that would allow residents and businesses to purchase "green" electricity from a source other than Pacific Gas and Electric Co...." Read More.

PG&E mulling fee for customers who wwitch service, CBS 5, 10/28/08
"A power substation in San Rafael may soon carry all green energy. Marin County is talking about creating its own utility using only power from renewable resources, but on Tuesday PG&E suggested it might have to charge a fee if its customers make the switch...." Read More.

A clean energy uprising in California, The New York Times "Green Inc." Blog, 10/29/09
"Marin Clean Energy seeks to combine the independent structure of the San Joaquin Power Authority with the green options of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District..." Read More.

Marin Clean Energy plan gains supervisors' endorsement, Marin Independent Journal, 10/8/08
"A plan to create a local agency to broker use of "clean energy" in Marin was tentatively endorsed by county officials Tuesday. The Board of Supervisors unanimously supported an initial reading of an ordinance establishing the Marin Clean Energy agency, and scheduled a hearing on adopting the program for Nov. 18..." Read More.

PG&E, proponents of Marin power initiative debate how to help planet - and the price, Marin Independent Journal, 10/25/08
"In the next few weeks, Marin city councils and the county of Marin will vote on whether to join a joint powers authority that would maximize its use of renewable energy sources such as biomass, geothermal, solar, wind and small hydroelectric projects..." Read More.

Will to Power, If our Energy goes clean, will Marin wash its hands of PG&E?, Pacific Sun, 10/9/08
"Marin supervisors are telling cities and towns the county will cover start-up costs for creating a Marin energy authority, the first step in the road toward Marin Clean Energy..." Read More.

A fan of marin's green energy plan, Marin Independent Journal, 9/28/08
"Marin is not alone in debating the pros and cons of community choice aggregation, providing choice and voice to your citizens and businesses through Marin Clean Energy. Other cities and counties across the state are taking similar steps..." Read More.

Green, clean energy machine, Pacific Sun, 9/4/08
"The proposed joint powers authority that would constitute to form a Marin Clean Energy local power agency also could assume a role to help guide the county and Marin cities in efforts to cope with critical environmental issues..." Read More.

Fairfax backs 'green' power, Marin Independent Journal, 8/21/08
"Fairfax has become the first town to support a county plan to purchase electricity from "green" producers and sell it directly to Marin customers, bypassing Pacific Gas and Electric Co...." Read More.

Buying power, Northbay Biz, 8/08
"Marin Clean Energy's plan is to deliver 50 percent renewable energy-without raising rates..." Read More.

The green option: does marin clean energy make sense? Marin Magazine, 6/08
"Much has been written and said lately about Community Choice Aggregation, but I don't think the message is getting across. Let's see if I can explain it...." Read More.

MCE bidding for cities' approval, Novato Advance, 6/16/08
"Marin Clean Energy has upped the stakes in the debate over Marin's energy future. By releasing its final-draft ordinance and joint powers authority agreement..." Read More.

New public agency proposes to manage Marin County power, North Bay Business Journal, 6/9/08
"Businesses are weighing a proposal by Marin County to enter the energy business with promises of clean power at costs below or equal to those of the investor-owned utility Pacific Gas & Electric Co...." Read More.

Marin county on quest for greener power; PG&E balks, California Energy Markets, 6/6/08
"In affluent, eco-conscious Marin County, demand for all things green is high-so much so that when a countywide survey was conducted last year, nearly 60 percent of respondents said they were willing to pay 10 percent or more for power that comes from renewable resouces..." Read More.

Power Grab in Hot Tubistan, SFGate, 5/29/08
"In a move boldly addressing the global energy crisis sidelined in Washington and on the presidential campaign trail, county leaders unveiled a plan to offer Marin some of America's greenest electricity..." Read More.

Green Power Gets Early Nod from Fairfax Council, Marin Independent Journal, 5/22/08
"A proposal to launch a countywide power authority that would allow Marin residents to purchase their power from "greener" energy producers than Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has received a vote of confidence from the Fairfax Town Council..." Read More.

Publisher's Comment: A Ripple Effect, Pacific Sun, 5/2/08
"I had the pleasure last week of speaking at Green Career Day at San Marin High School in Novato. I enjoyed the opportunity to talk to high school students about their futures and to have a discussion that connected career choices with green technology, green living and protecting the health of the planet.." Read More.

County Energized for Choice, Pacific Sun, 5/8/08
"A peer review of the business plan for a renewable-energy power authority in Marin gave the proposal a green light to proceed to the next leg on the road to possible reality. The proposal now is making the rounds of city councils across the county, as backers look for support while critics already are using emotional attacks to flip the switch on the plan..."Read More.

Peter Asmus: Local clean energy is crucial, Marin Independent Journal, 4/21/08
"POLLS consistently show that solar photovoltaics are the most popular energy source among consumers. Still, these semiconductors that generate electricity directly from sunlight produce less than one half of one percent of the world's electricity..." Read More.

Marin, PG&E fight shapes up over green power, Marin Independent Journal, 4/17/08
"With sun-kissed Mount Tamalpais and three parked Priuses as a backdrop, county officials launched a proposal Wednesday to provide Marin homes and businesses with "green" power..." Read More.

Local communities reach for power over energy, SFGate, 4/16/08
"Marin County residents want more solar and wind power. San Francisco officials think they might be able to strike better energy deals. Some cities in the San Joaquin Valley want to build their own power plants..." Read More.

Take that, PG&E!, San Francisco Bay Guardian, 4/16/08
"And congratulations go out to San Joaquin Valley Power Authority, which has reached a settlement agreement with PG&E over how the utility company has been behaving itself with regards to Community Choice Aggregation (CCA.) Best part: PG&E has to pay..." Read More.

Larry Fahn: Marin needs to step up on energy/climate change, Local Clean Energy Alliance, 3/23/08
"It is long past time that we started taking bold steps and making serious progress in preventing global warming from imperiling the planet. Not only must we start the transition to a fossil-free energy future, but we can create jobs, bolster the economy and improve society in the process..." Read More.

What Does CCA Mean for Novatans? Novato Advance, 3/14/07
"If a Marin Power Authority (MPA) bought clean, community choice (CCA) power for our community, Novatans would see little day-to-day difference in rates or delivery. Novatans would continued to be billed by PG&E and receive electricity on PG&E lines..." Read More.

You Can Make a Difference: Cleaner Energy, Novato Advance, 3/14/07
"On March 7 a dynamic group of local representatives and environmental experts convened at Sustainable Novato's "Town Clean Energy Forum" to discuss the opportunities available to us through CCA..." Read More.

Public Power "Lite" Looking Very Green, Renewable Energy World, 2/13/08
A Renewable Portfolio Standard of 15% couldn't survive in the most recent federal energy bill that became law. But 28 states have renewable standards, most of them more stringent than the proposed federal mandate. California's is the most ambitious, requiring 20% by 2010, and the Governor has proposed 33% by 2020..." Read More.