The City of Carlsbad has partnered with the cities of Del Mar and Solana Beach to create a new community choice energy joint powers authority called the Clean Energy Alliance that provides an option for local customers to purchase power from more renewable sources. 

The Clean Energy Alliance has now launched and is providing power to Carlsbad residents and businesses.  Find out more on the CEA website.

The alliance is locally controlled and supported by ratepayers, with no taxpayer subsidies. By law, as a joint powers authority, CEA is a separate legal entity from its member agencies. Its budget is separate from the member cities’ general funds and is funded by program revenues and reserves.

Board meetings

Clean Energy Alliance board meetings are held on a monthly basis, open to the public for comment and watching livestream. Meeting information can be found on the new Clean Energy Alliance website. The board is made up of elected officials from each member agency, including Carlsbad.

Background

State law allows local governments to form Community Choice Energy programs that offer an alternative to investor-owned utilities, such as SDG&E. Under this model, local governments purchase and manage their community's electric power supply, and the existing utility continues to distribute the energy to customers.

Marin County was the first to create a California Community Choice Energy utility in 2008. Today there are 19 Community Choice Energy programs operating throughout California. In San Diego County, Solana Beach began using this model last year, and other cities and the county are exploring it currently.

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More information

Technical studies and reports

• 2026 Impact report
• Aug. 20, 2019: Community Choice Energy Program Governance Analysis Report and Joint Powers Authority Formation
• April 16, 2019: Technical Feasibility Study
• March 28, 2019: Community Choice Energy Technical Feasibility Study
• March 21, 2019: Community Choice Energy Public Presentation
• Feb. 26, 2019: Review of Draft North San Diego County Cities Community Choice Energy Technical Feasibility Study and Resolution Authorizing Participation in an Evaluation of Community Choice Energy Program Governance Options

Clean Energy Alliance news

• Clean Energy Alliance Celebrates Five Years of Local Impact and Increases Renewable Energy Content
• Carlsbad remains leader in clean energy

Contact

Jason Haber
Intergovernmental Affairs Director
760-434-2958
jason.haber@carlsbadca.gov.