REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on the Adoption of a Resolution Amending Silicon Valley Power's Rules and Regulations to Require New or Modified Self-Generation Facilities to Utilize Renewable Generation and Fuel Sources
Report
BACKGROUND
Over the last few years, the City and State have developed significant goals related to environmental sustainability and climate change. Climate change is a significant global issue and California has taken a nationwide leadership role in leading change. As the timeframe for significant change narrows before irreparable damage is done, California has recently passed SB100 which envisions a California with GHG free energy supply by 2045. The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activities is from electricity, heat, and transportation.
The City of Santa Clara, with ownership of Silicon Valley Power (the only full service, vertically integrated publicly owned power utility in the valley owning generation, transmission and distribution assets), has the opportunity and responsibility to lead in this area and advance our local climate action plan goals. As described later in this report, the City has taken ownership of the future and has made a commitment to renewable and GHG free energy. In fact, the proposed action is aligned to other California cities like the cities of Pasadena and Burbank which have each adopted similar requirements which are already in place -- which is indicative of cities trying to advance our mutual goal of advancing renewable energy policy.
The CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, expressed it best in his San Jose Mercury News Editorial in enthusiastic support of SB100 - "committing to 100 clean energy future is unleashing a surge of innovation and investment, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, improving our health, taking an important step toward meeting the carbon emissions reductions needed to meet our commitment to fighting climate change." and "Californians ...
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