CCMIN 10052021 - Laserfiche WebLink

Ayes: Councilmembers Arkin, Balch, Narum, Testa, Mayor Brown Noes: None Absent: None Mayor Brown recessed the meeting at 9:15 p.m. The meeting resumed at 9:22 p.m. 17. Consider adoption of a resolution expressing the City of Pleasanton's support for expanding statewide access to rooftop solar through a successor Net Energy Metering 3.0 program Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins provided an overview of the State's Net Energy Metering (NEM) 3.0 Program and the City Council is asked to approve a resolution to express support for expanding access to rooftop solar energy. The resolution mirrors one passed last week by East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) and staff recommends adopting the resolution. Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins reported the current NEM was adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 2016, providing customers who install small solar, wind, biogas, and fuel cell generation the ability to participate in the program and receive rate credits for energy exported to the grid. She stated broad access to rooftop solar energy is consistent with the City's goals and its Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2.0. She reported the CPUC provides oversight of the program and is currently in the rulemaking process considering an updated NEM 3.0. Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins stated the proposed resolution would call for the State to expand access to rooftop solar to all households, expand access to other clean technologies pairing with solar, ensure solar installations continue to grow to help meet the City and State's climate goals, exclude provisions setting high monthly fixed fees, and exclude reducing or eliminating credits for sharing electricity with the power grid. Councilmember Narum reported the cities of Livermore and Dublin will be following Pleasanton's lead in passing a resolution mirroring EBCE's. She advised other EBCE member cities either have done something like this or will be doing so. It took the EBCE Board of Directors an hour to approve the resolution. She clarified this resolution is the EBCE version with a notation at the top stating, as an EBCE member, Pleasanton is in complete support. In response to Mayor Brown, Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins stated this program incentivizes having solar energy and reduces electric bills for a homeowner through credits for creating an excess of energy. Councilmember Narum clarified investor-owned utilities have proposed to the CPUC raising the current monthly fixed charge from $10 to $70. She advised that NEM 2.0 is not sustainable and this proposed charge increase is fueling what EBCE wants for NEM 3.0. Mayor Brown opened the public hearing. Igor Tregub reported, in addition to EBCE, Marin County Energy (MCE) also passed a similar letter last week. He reported the City of Oakland passed a version of the resolution earlier today. He advised the cities of Berkeley and Richmond, among others Statewide, have also passed a resolution expressing support for a NEM 3.0 program. He asked the City Council to replace the phrase "high fees" stating it is inequitable to have punitive fees on solar users. In response to Mayor Brown, Mr. Tregub clarified his requested revision to Section 2(iv) is removing the word "high" and his requested revision is because "moderate-income or below" is inclusive. He advised some extremely low-income residents have solar panels and solar energy storage. Mayor Brown closed the public hearing. City Council Minutes Page 14 of 18 December 7, 2021