fbpx
image of solar panels glistening in the sun

Community Programs

Silicon Valley Clean Energy has made major achievements in reducing our community-wide emissions by providing clean electricity to nearly 97% of homes and businesses. Now, we are working to reduce emissions from buildings and transportation and accelerating innovation to find new ways to fight climate change and increase the use of renewable, carbon-free energy.

Through extensive community input, the Decarbonization Strategy and Programs Roadmap was developed and approved to reduce energy-related emissions from natural gas usage in homes and buildings, and cut emissions from power supply and transportation, all while enhancing energy efficiency and the grid’s ability to use more renewable energy. Programs also target local innovation and customer engagement to further reduce carbon emissions within our community.

These initiatives are built upon electrification, switching energy sources such as natural gas to clean electricity, and decarbonization, eliminating carbon emissions from our ways of life.

By 2030, Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s programs aim to cut energy-related emissions in half from the 2015 baseline. That would prevent 2 million metric tons of CO2e from being emitted into the environment each year. These efforts help create a more comfortable, efficient, and healthy future for community.

cover of the decarbonization roadmap

 Sign up to stay current with all of SVCE’s programs. Make sure to indicate “Programs” when entering information.

Live safer, cleaner and more comfortable with All-Electric Living. Learn more about how to switch to all-electric to save money and reduce local air pollution.

Program Descriptions

Programs

Transportation

Silicon Valley Clean Energy is working to electrify transportation on all fronts because nearly 40% of Santa Clara County’s emissions come from transportation. Unlike conventional vehicles, which run on gasoline or diesel, electric vehicles are powered by electricity and produce no emissions. Silicon Valley Clean Energy plans on increasing adoption of electric vehicles and alternative modes of transportation to accelerate and transform how people get from place to place.

Programs

Priority Zone DC Fast Charging (DCFC) Incentives:

SVCE is offering additional incentives of $10,000 per charger for DCFC deployed near-certain clusters of mult-unit dwelling developments as a way to provide more access to charging for residents. The competitive application window closes on September 30, 2020 and DCFC developers, installers and site hosts are encouraged to review the program webpage and apply !

SVTEC:

Silicon Valley Transportation Electrification Clearinghouse (SVTEC) is a collaboration of public, private, and nonprofit leaders working to accelerate EV adoption across Silicon Valley. Visit the SVTEC webpage if your agency or company is interested in joining and to learn more about available resources and upcoming meetings.

FutureFit Assist – EV Charging:

Silicon Valley Clean Energy is providing free technical assistance to our customers who own or manage small/medium commercial and multifamily properties. Now open and available for a limited time. Learn more and apply here .

Regional Recognition:

The regional recognition program recognizes the achievements of local businesses, governments, and nonprofits across the region who have invested in innovative solutions to EV charging. Learn more and apply here.

Buildings and Homes Programs

Silicon Valley Clean Energy is ensuring that buildings and homes within our community are FutureFit for efficiency, comfort, and safety. The following programs intend to accelerate high-efficiency, all-electric new construction and retrofits.

Building Electrification Technical Assistance:

To support the development of all-electric buildings and electric vehicle readiness, Silicon Valley Clean Energy is working with TRC to provide extensive, free, technical assistance to architects, builders, developers, design engineers, contractors, and energy consultants on all-electric building technologies and electric vehicle infrastructure. Learn more and find out where to apply here .

FutureFit Your Home:

Water heaters are something many residents may not think of too often – that is until their water heater stops working. Most water heaters run on natural gas, which produces carbon emissions. With the FutureFit Program, Silicon Valley Clean Energy helps residents replace their natural gas water heaters with an efficient, electric, heat pump water heater at a cost comparable to replacement with a traditional, natural gas water heater. Learn more and apply for a rebate here .

Reach Code Development:

By working with local governments, building officials, and stakeholders from the building community, we are developing reach codes that help encourage the construction of buildings and homes that are powered solely with clean electricity. Visit our Reach Code webpage to learn more about this program.

Streamlining Community-Wide Electrification:

To further support member agencies, this program will assess current permitting processes for electric technologies and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and inform streamlining efforts across jurisdictions. Through a review of permit data, and interviews with member agency staff and industry stakeholders, the study will produce a Baseline Assessment benchmarking current electrification and electric vehicle permitting processes at each municipality. This will also inform a Best Practices Guide that will highlight model permitting processes and serve as an educational tool.

FutureFit_Home

Innovation

Change requires innovation. Innovation is incorporated within each of Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s programs to accelerate emissions reductions. SVCE is also focused on cultivating innovative ideas outside of our designated programs to embrace new ideas and technologies. Our community is centered in the nation’s innovation capitol, Silicon Valley, leveraging this community will help accelerate our decarbonization mission.

Silicon Valley Clean Energy is working with local partners, such as research institutions and startup incubators who are deeply embedded in the innovation ecosystem of Silicon Valley. Through research, investing, and mentorship, these organizations help foster novel program ideas for carbon reduction, such as startups working on new solutions for transportation electrification, energy management and financing that will help our communities meet their sustainability goals.

Visit the Innovation Webpage for information regarding the Innovation Onramp program. 

person pointing to work on whiteboard from innovation hackathon

Customer Resilience Programs

We have created some online resources to help you learn about your opportunities to become energy resilient by installing solar and storage. Our Battery Storage Assistant can also help you find a battery that is right for you and get quotes from local installers!

Learn more about Lights On Silicon Valley to find out how you can reduce the cost of a solar + home battery backup system from Sunrun by enrolling in the program.

If you are interested hearing about other upcoming programs, sign-up on the interest list on the Resilience webpage to receive updates and information.

Community Resilience Program

In collaboration with our member agencies and local stakeholders, the program will assess, identify, prioritize and implement resilient energy strategies across our territory. Applications are currently open for the competitive solicitation process for planning support and for grand funding for member agencies.

Grid Integration and Energy Efficiency

Silicon Valley Clean Energy is maximizing clean electricity utilization on the grid and with our power supply.  Our relationship with the grid has changed as distributed generation, such as solar, has grown and as technologies that manage energy use have evolved. We will leverage these resources to take advantage of using power when it’s the cheapest and cleanest.

Virtual Power Plant Options Analysis

Silicon Valley Clean Energy partnered with Gridworks to assess five different virtual power plant options: Real Time Pricing, Peak Day Pricing, Demand Response Auction Mechanism, Load Shift Resource and Distribution Services Model. Operations were evaluated against SVCE’s criteria, including customer and community value, emissions reductions, scalability and transferability, equity in service, core role for SVCE, and viability and outlined in the paper titled “Silicon Valley Clean Energy Virtual Power Plant Options Analysis.”

Silicon Valley Clean Energy Virtual Power Plant Options Analysis Report Cover

Power Supply

By providing clean electricity, Silicon Valley Clean Energy contributed to a 21% reduction of community-wide carbon emissions from 2015 baseline levels.

When powered with clean electricity, switching from natural gas usage in buildings to electric appliances, and swapping gasoline powered cars for electric vehicles, reduces the emissions associated with keeping your water hot and from driving a car. Silicon Valley Clean Energy is focused on providing sustainable, affordable, and carbon-free power to ensure that our buildings and cars are powered by clean electricity.

In addition, we are continuing to build new renewable energy projects and develop programs that help our customers with smarter energy use. Silicon Valley Clean Energy also aims to provide clean power offerings that go beyond traditional power sources at competitive rates for large corporate customers.

GreenStart Graphic

Education and Outreach

Education and outreach play a key role with each of Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s programs. Connecting customers to their electricity usage and providing the tools necessary to empower all of us to reduce emissions benefits everyone.

Community Engagement Grants: Silicon Valley Clean Energy awarded $75,000 in grant funding to six local nonprofits to reach underrepresented members of our community. The non-profit grantees (Acterra, El Concilio, Interfaith Power and Light, Sound of Hope, Sunnyvale Community Services, Vietnamese Voluntary Foundation) will help reach a broader audience and create an understanding of SVCE’s mission, programs, energy bills and benefits for the community.

Silicon Valley Clean Energy Staff talking to mother holding baby about Silicon Valley Clean Energy