Clean, Efficient Energy
OUR VISION
CEC is rapidly moving the South Central Coast region to all-electric homes, businesses, and vehicles that can be powered with 100% renewable energy. By powering our vehicles and buildings with clean electricity, we can get fossil fuels out of our region for good, while developing innovative, equitable, and replicable programs to help other areas of California and the nation reach bolder goals. The quicker we collectively get there, the greater chance we have of avoiding climate disasters.
In 2022, CEC:
Partnered with the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing program to provide financial incentives to property managers, delivering long-term direct financial benefits to low-income residents, catalyzing the market for solar on multifamily housing, and creating local jobs through solar workforce training partnerships.
Building on the thousands of individuals we’ve helped with EV education through webinars and events, expanded one-on-one support in Spanish and English to 65 low- to moderate-income drivers on how to utilize incentives and other benefits—making the switch to an electric vehicle easier.
Worked with the Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN) and the Association for Energy Affordability to expand outreach for energy efficiency and building electrification improvements at multifamily residential housing, resulting in home energy upgrades for 1,600 tenants at 937 units across 22 properties
in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties.
Completed three Solarize Nonprofit projects (11 to date), including Clinicas Fillmore and Planned Parenthood Ventura, whose buildings now have solar panels paired with battery storage, stabilizing the facility’s energy costs and enabling them to provide critical affordable healthcare to underserved residents during grid outages.
WHAT’S AHEAD
Expand efforts to help Central Coast residents move away from gasoline and natural gas, including through our new Electrify Your Life service that provides one-on-one support to affordably transition to high efficiency electric appliances and clean vehicles.
Expand access to bilingual EV purchase guidance, with priority to low- to moderate-income drivers with longer commutes so we can achieve the highest emissions reductions and deliver greater financial benefits to the households that need relief from high gas and housing costs.
Provide technical assistance to small businesses, community kitchens, and food banks so they can access incentives for new, energy-efficient refrigeration units that will expand access to healthy, culturally-appropriate foods in underserved communities.
Help other nonprofits access Inflation Reduction Act benefits to acquire the greatest financial benefits from the photovoltaic systems they install with CEC’s Solarize Nonprofit program.
“The Central Coast and California can help lead the world to Carbon Zero, with 100% clean, renewable energy sources.”
Michael Chiacos, Director of Climate Policy
OUR IMPACT
Host Electric Vehicle (EV) education events and attend community gatherings where we provide support to individuals on EV options, including financial incentives, charging, range, and how to pair home solar with an EV for maximum savings.
Partner with the Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN) to raise awareness about and advance energy-saving support to underserved populations, who disproportionately experience energy cost burdens.
