Powering Communities Together
How Sonoma Clean Power and UPower are Transforming Renewable Energy
October 24, 2024

A Mission-Driven Partnership
Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) is redefining what it means to generate and distribute clean energy. As a not-for-profit community choice aggregator (CCA), SCP offers sustainable and affordable energy alternatives to PG&E, prioritizing environmental responsibility and reinvesting profits into the community. Central to SCP’s mission is building local energy solutions that reduce dependence on fossil fuels, enhance grid reliability, and create long-term value for residents.
The partnership between SCP and UPower exemplifies this mission, demonstrating how collaboration can unlock innovative energy solutions that benefit the community, grid, and environment.
SCP’s Approach: Local Energy with a Purpose
SCP’s unique value lies in its dual energy offerings—Clean Start, which is 50% renewable and 90% carbon-free, and Evergreen, the first 100% renewable, 24/7 local energy program in the U.S. Unlike investor-owned utilities, SCP reinvests all profits into community programs and rate stabilization, ensuring affordable energy even during volatile market conditions.
The foundation of these initiatives is local development. SCP collaborates with partners like UPower to create renewable energy projects close to load centers, reducing transmission challenges and building resilience within the grid.
“We want to show that it’s possible to power communities with local clean energy,” said SCP portfolio manager Hannah Rennie. “Our goal is to bring affordable, reliable energy closer to the people who need it, while minimizing environmental impact.”
UPower and SCP’s Milestone: The Malbec Solar Project
One of the key projects under SCP’s Evergreen program is the IP Malbec solar project, developed in partnership with UPower. This 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) began in 2018, and since its launch in 2019, Malbec has produced over 12,000 MWh of clean energy—enough to power more than 500 Evergreen customers annually.
Beyond energy generation, the Malbec project serves as a model for local economic impact. The development employed local workers, generated tax revenue through land leases, and provided financial benefits to participating landowners. “Projects like Malbec allow us to grow our Evergreen portfolio in a sustainable, community-focused way,” noted Rennie. “They’re essential to delivering on our promise of local, renewable energy.”
Building a Win-Win-Win Model: SCP’s Strategy for Success
SCP’s development philosophy is centered on creating a win-win-win scenario—balancing affordable energy, environmental stewardship, and community benefit. This approach extends beyond energy production to programs that directly benefit residents:
Rate Stabilization: SCP uses reserves to avoid passing volatile market costs to customers.
Incentive Programs: SCP offers customers energy savings kits, bill credits, and the GridSavvy program, which rewards reduced energy use during peak events.
Community Benefits: SCP collaborates with developers to integrate community amenities—such as parks or public benches—into their projects, leaving lasting benefits beyond energy generation.
This focus on community impact ensures that renewable energy projects also contribute to local economic development, creating jobs and improving quality of life.
Innovation for the Future: Geothermal and Battery Storage
As part of its long-term strategy, SCP is investing in innovative renewable technologies, including geothermal energy and battery storage. Through its Geozone Initiative, SCP is working with developers to build closed-loop geothermal plants, which reduce emissions and improve water efficiency. These projects are essential for providing renewable energy around the clock, complementing solar power during non-sunlight hours.
SCP is also expanding its focus on solar-plus-storage solutions. Battery storage allows SCP to store energy during the day and discharge it during peak demand periods, ensuring grid stability and affordability for customers.
"Energy storage will play a key role in preparing California’s grid for future electrification,” said Rennie. “We need to shift from relying on distant power sources to locally-generated energy that serves both the grid and the community.”
UPower’s Role in Supporting Local Development
UPower’s collaboration with SCP has set a standard for effective, community-driven energy projects. Rennie highlighted UPower’s willingness to engage in smaller, distributed energy projects—projects that larger developers may overlook in favor of utility-scale operations.
“UPower’s commitment to local development makes a real difference,” said Rennie. “Their ability to understand and work within the unique regulatory landscape of California has been critical to the success of our projects. Having partners willing to work on smaller, impactful projects ensures we can continue to grow the Evergreen program and support our customers.”
Looking Ahead: The Path to Sustainable Energy
SCP is committed to expanding its renewable energy portfolio while deepening its community impact. New initiatives include:
Battery storage and distributed energy projects that improve grid resilience.
Local development partnerships to drive economic growth in Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
Exploration of project ownership to further reduce costs and pass savings to customers.
SCP is also focused on raising industry standards by including community benefits agreements and workforce development goals in contracts. By requiring developers to employ local workers and pay prevailing wages, SCP ensures that the benefits of renewable energy projects extend beyond environmental gains to economic empowerment.
A Model for Collaborative Clean Energy
The partnership between SCP and UPower showcases how local, community-driven energy solutions can deliver clean, affordable power while creating meaningful economic impact. By aligning on shared values—affordability, innovation, and community engagement—SCP and UPower have built a model that can inspire other energy providers to rethink their approach.
“Our work with UPower proves that it’s possible to bring real value to communities through clean energy,” said Rennie. “We’re not just generating power—we’re building a future where local communities thrive.”
As California’s energy landscape evolves, SCP and UPower remain committed to developing scalable, community-focused solutions that meet the challenges of tomorrow. Their success demonstrates that the future of energy lies not just in clean technology, but in collaboration and shared value.