In Marin / CONVERSATION
Whether you’re seeking a pediatrician in San
Rafael, breast surgeon in Greenbrae, psychiatrist
in Corte Madera, urgent care in Terra Linda
or award-winning joint replacement at Novato
Community Hospital, Sutter Health’s medical
network covers Marin County. Expert care, right
in your back yard – it’s another way we plus you.
ONE YOU, 9 LOCATIONS
CARING FOR MARIN
sutterhealth.org/marin
Novato Community Hospital
Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation
sutterpacific.org/bariatrics
Thursday, October 10 | Marin
FREE WEIGHT LOSS SEMINAR
are incorporated into the existing PG&E
bill. Our program was created in part to help
achieve California greenhouse gas reduction
goals established in the state Global Warming
Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32). Since our launch,
we’ve exceeded state targets for the Renewable
Portfolio Standard, so much so that the state
had to modify its reporting template. And
because MCE is a public utility — while PG&E
is investor owned and must pay shareholder
profits — our rates are competitive, if not lower.
Whom do you buy electricity from? And how
much do you buy? On average, MCE buys
180 megawatts of electricity, and that figure
varies according to the season — in wintertime it tends to increase slightly. Much of the
electrical power under contract comes from
renewable energy sources in Northern and
Central California. For example, EDF Energy
is building a 30-megawatt solar facility in
Central California for our customers. They’ll
also build a one-megawatt solar carport shade
structure for us in Marin County. Another
example is G2 Energy, a supplier with two
landfill waste methane recovery projects, one
in Solano County and one in Placer County.
Our first energy supplier, Shell Energy North
America, is providing a diminishing supply
of power as its contract winds down over the
next four years. As of now, we have 17 different
contracts for power supply, and many of our
California-based contracts are for a term of
between 20 and 25 years. Last fall, a project
was built for MCE at the San Rafael Airport;
it’s the county’s largest solar installation to
date. Twenty jobs were created in placing
solar panels on 48 hangar roofs. That project
is producing almost one megawatt, or enough
to power 1,000 homes on a sunny day. Also,
we’re using power from over 2,000 Marin
residents who have solar panels on their roofs;
We’re using power from
over 2,000 Marin residents
who have solar panels on their
roofs; some homeowners are
receiving an annual check for
the power they provide.
