BlocPower and East Bay Community Energy to Spur Community Health and Climate Justice Through Transformative Home Electrification Program

EBCE is providing $1.4M in financing and incentives to low- and moderate-income single-family homes bridging the gap for equitable access to clean energy.

OAKLAND, Calif., April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), the clean power community choice aggregation agency, has partnered with BlocPower, the Brooklyn-based climate technology company rapidly greening American cities, to elevate ratepayers' roles in combating the climate crisis from their own homes. Following an initial pilot upgrading and electrifying 12 Oakland homes, the two companies will electrify 60 additional homes throughout EBCE's service territory. EBCE is providing $1M in project financing and $400,000 in incentives to fund this first-of-its-kind project for low- to moderate-income (LMI) single-family households.

This partnership couples BlocPower's unique, full-service approach to electrifying buildings with financing from EBCE's Local Development program to help homeowners in frontline communities access healthy and resilient home retrofits. Together, with their local community partners, the two companies will install affordable and clean heating, cooling, and hot water systems, and electric appliances. They will deliver weatherization and remediation and upgrade infrastructure—all to help reduce indoor air pollution, improve health outcomes, and increase home values and resiliency during extreme weather events. BlocPower and EBCE work with independent community partners, including Revalue.io and an ecosystem of local minority and women-owned businesses, to provide quality installation and safeguard customer interests.

"From coast to coast, BlocPower is making it easier to achieve greener cities, healthier homes, and a greater quality of life for the communities that need it most," said Grace Park-Bradbury, general manager of BlocPower in the West. "Upgrading homes in the East Bay to modern and all-electric is the best way for homeowners to affordably protect the health of our families and our planet."

This first-of-its-kind partnership with any Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program—the companies predict saving their customers an average of nearly $1,000 in annual energy bills, an estimated 40 percent savings.

"Though we face a long road ahead, we're taking the next step forward in reaching climate equity nationwide by putting the power into homeowners' hands," said Nick Chaset, CEO of East Bay Community Energy. "By carving new, holistic ways to invest in our communities, we're mapping a blueprint to create healthier, cleaner cities across the country."

This partnership marks EBCE's latest initiative in its broader mission to invest in local communities and bring all its customers 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030—15 years ahead of California's target 2045 date. Since 2014, BlocPower has completed energy projects in more than 1,200 buildings in 26 American cities. Last year, BlocPower announced the first large-scale, city-wide electrification initiative in the U.S. with Ithaca, New York—a major step forward in the city's plan to become carbon-neutral by 2030. In 2022, BlocPower ranked #4 on Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list and was recognized among TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies.

About EBCE
EBCE is a not-for-profit public agency that operates a Community Choice Energy program for Alameda County and fourteen incorporated cities, serving more than 1.7 million residential and commercial customers. EBCE initiated service in June 2018 and expanded to Tracy in neighboring San Joaquin County in 2021. As one of 19 community choice aggregation (CCA) programs operating in California, EBCE is part of the movement to expedite the climate action goals of their communities and those of California. EBCE is committed to providing clean power at competitive rates while reinvesting in its local communities. For more information about East Bay Community Energy, visit ebce.org.

About BlocPower
BlocPower is a Brooklyn-based climate technology company that is making American cities smarter, greener, and healthier. Since its founding in 2014, the company has retrofitted more than 1,200 buildings in disadvantaged communities in New York City, with projects underway in 25+ cities, including Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Oakland and more. BlocPower uses proprietary software for analysis, leasing, project management, and monitoring of clean energy projects that save customers between 20-70 percent on annual energy costs. For more information about BlocPower, visit https://blocpower.io.

Media Contacts
Mission Control for EBCE
[email protected]

BlocPower
[email protected] 

SOURCE East Bay Community Energy