Public Administration of Energy Efficiency Funds

Each year, millions of dollars are collected in the Bay Area on PG&E bills as the Public Goods Charge. A portion of those funds are for energy efficiency. It appears that on the order of $10 million is collected in Oakland, Berkeley, and Emeryville.   Last year, the CPUC approved PG&E’s proposal that they continue administrating the energy efficiency funds for 2010-2012 despite their poor performance.  Because PG&E’s profit growth is dependent on building infrastructure, it is imprudent to believe that they will do what it takes to curb electricity consumption growth. The Alliance is working with TURN and Women’s Energy Matters on a regional campaign to get the CPUC or the Legislature to mandate public administration of energy efficiency funds.  Public administration could be done by a new nonprofit, a corporation contracted with a JPA, county-based Community Action Partnerships which are already doing weatherization, or the cities themselves.  We see this as component of a comprehensive energy efficiency campaign that will lead to a reduction in overall energy consumption.