California utility companies are required to provide Power Content Labels to their customers letting them know the mix of power sources in the electricity that they use. Here in Alameda we have our own city owned utility, Alameda Power and Telecom, that provides a relatively clean mix of power. Other parts of California, including our immediate neighbours here in the SF bay area, don’t do so well.

The table below shows the projected 2008 mixes for PG&E and Alameda, alongside the 2007 mix for the whole state. As you can see, Alameda Power & Telecom is doing a pretty good job of using renewables (79% total when you include the large hydroelectric mix), whereas PG&E, one of the largest electricity utilities in the state, is still reliant on natural gas and nuclear power.

It would be nice to see solar playing a larger part in that mix too. Perhaps over the next few years, as some of the larger solar power station projects come on line, that number will increase for both companies.

Energy Resources	Alameda P&T	PG & E	2007 CA Average
Eligible Renewable	55%	14%	10%
- Biomass & waste	8%	4%	< 1%
- Geothermal	38%	4%	2%
- Small hydroelectric	4%	14%	6%
- Solar	< 1%	< 1%	0%
- Wind	6%	2%	2%
Coal	10%	2%	32%
Large Hydroelectric	24%	17%	24%
Natural Gas	10%	44%	31%
Nuclear	1%	22%	3%
Other	< 1%	1%	0%
TOTAL	100%	100%	100%

How does your local utility do when it comes to the use of renewable energy sources?

Tags: coal, nuclear, power mix, renewable, solar, wind

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