The Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) officially launched services in the Cities of San Marcos and Escondido on April 1, 2023. CEA is a public, not-for-profit entity that presents an alternative power purchasing option to San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE), and brings residents clean energy at competitive rates.

Escondido and San Marcos are CEA’s first members to be enrolled after the founding members of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach.

In November 2019, the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach formed CEA. This inter-city collaboration was fueled by the effort to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction goals in each city. Forming the Clean Energy Alliance allowed more local control, as CEA purchases energy directly from suppliers, and can therefore procure an energy package with higher renewable content than SDG&E provides.

“We’re incredibly proud of the work that we do to offer cleaner energy options for our communities across North San Diego County,” said Board Chair Dave Druker. “CEA has done the work to connect with and inform Escondido and San Marcos residents on how CEA can create a more sustainable energy future.”

Across its member cities, CEA is responsible for purchasing power from energy providers. However, SDG&E is still responsible for delivering CEA’s energy to homes and businesses and will continue to handle billing processes. Therefore, customers from Escondido and San Marcos will continue to receive one bill from SDG&E for all energy services, including CEA’s charges for power generation.

Customers also have several options when it comes to their energy rates. Escondido and San Marcos residents were automatically enrolled in Clean Impact Plus, which provides 50% renewable and 75% carbon-free energy. They are also able to opt up to Green Impact (100% renewable energy), opt down to Clean Impact (50% renewable energy), or opt out to remain with SDG&E.

Customers who are currently enrolled in SDG&E’s discount programs such as CARE/FERA and Medical Baseline will continue to receive the discounts and benefits of these programs through CEA. CEA also offers Personal Impact, a net energy metering option, for customers with rooftop solar. Personal Impact is designed to mirror SDG&E’s net energy metering program while offering customers a higher net surplus compensation rate than SDG&E on excess energy produced by a customer’s solar energy system.

The Cities of Oceanside and Vista have joined the Clean Energy Alliance and service in those cities will begin in April 2024.

To learn more about CEA, visit TheCleanEnergyAlliance.org.