Dive Brief:

• Sonoma Clean Power has signed a 3-year power supply deal with Constellation Energy in preparation for the community aggregator's May launch.
• The contract will include 33% renewable generation, not counting large hydro, and will be 70% carbon-free.
• The Sonoma Clean Power board is set to vote November 21 on a smaller 10-year contract with a Calpine subsidiary for power from a geothermal project.

Dive Insight:

Sonoma Clean Power is set to become California's second community choice aggregator after MCE Clean Energy, based in Marin County. The non-profit intends to sell power that is no more expensive than power offered by the county's incumbent utility, Pacific Gas & Electric.

PG&E's power supply includes about 19% renewable resources and the utility is on pace to meet California's renewable portfolio standard, which climbs to 33% by 2020. However, business and homeowners in Sonoma, Marin, and possibly soon Napa counties now have options if they want their electricity to have even higher levels of renewable energy. San Francisco is considering joining the Marin County aggregator.

MCE Clean Energy has about 90,000 customers. Sonoma Clean Power has lined up about 20,000, mostly commercial customers, for its launch next year. It expects to add up to 120,000 residential customers by 2017. PG&E has opposed community choice aggregation.