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Transitioning Alameda to Clean Transportation 

By Nicolas Procos

General Manager, Alameda Municipal Power

This year, as we head into Public Power Week, a nationwide celebration of the benefits of public power, I want to take a moment to highlight Alameda Municipal Power’s commitment to not only providing clean, reliable, low-cost energy to all Alamedans, but also to emphasize our commitment to address greenhouse gas emission on the streets of Alameda. 

As a community-owned, non-profit electric utility, the residents of Alameda have had a voice in how their utility is run for the past 135 years. For many years, residents of Alameda have stressed the need to become greener and more environmentally conscious. AMP heard that call and began providing 100% clean energy to all customers in Alameda in 2020, significantly reducing the overall greenhouse gas emissions throughout the city.

In addition to our 100% clean energy mix and extensive energy efficiency and electrification programs, AMP offers rates 30% lower than PG&E, saving Alamedans over $35 million every year and contributing over $5 million to the city for community resources.  Alameda Municipal Power offers generous rebate programs geared toward helping customers who are ready to transition to cleaner transportation.  AMP’s programs include rebates for purchasing electric vehicles and bikes to installing level 2 EV charging systems. In 2022, AMP listened to customers’ needs and increased our rebates for customers who purchased qualifying used electric vehicles from $1,000 to $2,000 and from $1,500 to $3,000 for income-eligible customers. This summer also saw AMP’s first ever e-bike rebate program to encourage clean fuel vehicles as an alternative to driving.

It's no secret that charging electric vehicles can be a challenge, and AMP showed up to make that transition easier for all Alamedans as well. We have offered rebates on Level 2 charging solutions for residential and commercial customers for several years now, and in 2022, added a new rebate for multi-family building EV charging solutions worth up to $48,000 per site. AMP’s residential EV charger rebate is by far the most popular rebate offered and with additional outreach and education about this program over the past year, applications have almost doubled over the last two years. 

In addition to providing financial resources to assist customers who are ready to make cleaner choices surrounding transportation, we heard from the community and offered hands-on opportunities to learn more, including two EV webinars and an EV Expo to be held on Saturday, October 1. The EV Expo is a great way to see and learn about various electric vehicles and talk to owners and experts about their transition to clean transportation. 

AMP is also doing its part to reduce carbon emissions internally. Earlier this year the Public Utilities Board approved the purchase of six all-electric trucks to replace gas-powered trucks that were at the end of their lifespan. Over the next ten years, these trucks will save 18,000 gallons of gas and 160 metric tons of carbon dioxide. AMP led the way in electrifying transportation since 2001 by replacing our passenger vehicles with all-electric and hybrid vehicles and I am proud to continue the trend of reducing our carbon footprint with these new additions.