Manhattan Beach City Facilities Move To 100% Renewable Energy

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The Manhattan Beach City Council voted Tuesday to have all city facilities powered with 100 percent clean, renewable energy through the City’s community choice energy program, Clean Power Alliance.

Manhattan Beach will join other cities in meeting California Senate Bill 100 mandate early — to power 100 percent of the state's electricity consumption with zero-carbon, clean renewable energy electricity by 2045, the City of Manhattan Beach press release said.

"Moving to 100% renewable energy is another significant step the City of Manhattan Beach is taking to combat climate change, and there will be more to come. We all need to do our part, not just by talking about climate change, but by taking action and leading by example," Mayor Steve Napolitano said. "By going to 100 percent, we'll be cutting the City's greenhouse gas emissions by nearly half and we hope to inspire other cities to join us in this effort."

Manhattan Beach's April 2019 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory report showed that almost 44 percent of the City's municipal emissions come from electricity used in City buildings, facilities and streetlights, which accounts for 1,795 metric tons of CO2 emitted annually, the City said. By moving to 100 percent Green Power, the City’s municipal emissions will be reduced by nearly 44 percent, the press release said.

"Over the next two years, the City will be creating Manhattan Beach’s first community-wide Climate Action and Adaptation Plan which will include forecasts of carbon emission scenarios and analyzing the carbon emission reduction and climate adaptation potential of proposed local policies and measures," the City press release said. "By embarking on the development of this plan, Manhattan Beach will be joining a global movement of communities doing their part to address climate change. The next few years are critical to reducing carbon emissions to avoid the worst climate change impacts."

The Clean Power Alliance is a nonprofit, community choice energy program formed through a Joint Powers Authority made up of 31 public agencies across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, who work together to bring affordable, clean energy to their communities, the City said. The Clean Power Alliance buys clean power and sells it to customers, while Southern California Edison delivers, bills, and resolves any electricity service issues. The City joined the Clean Power Alliance in December 2017. More information can be found at www.cleanpoweralliance.org.