Ava Community Energy

What Ava Community Energy does

Ava Community Energy is a not-for-profit community choice aggregation (CCA) program serving as the default electricity provider for more than 1.7 million residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across 16 cities and unincorporated areas in Alameda County and San Joaquin County, California. Founded in 2018 as East Bay Community Energy and rebranded to Ava Community Energy in 2026, the organization operates as a joint powers public agency governed by elected officials from member jurisdictions, with Howard Chang serving as CEO. Ava is one of 25 community choice aggregators in California enabled by state statute to procure electricity generation on behalf of local communities while continuing to leverage PG&E's transmission, distribution, and billing infrastructure.

The organization's core technology is a CCA platform that purchases clean energy from renewable sources (solar, wind, battery storage) and delivers it to customers at rates competitive with or below PG&E. Notable infrastructure includes a first-of-kind 8-hour duration lithium-ion battery storage facility (Tumbleweed, 69MW/552MWh expanding to 125MW/1,000MWh) in Kern County and long-term PPAs for utility-scale solar and storage. Ava's product portfolio spans Bright Choice and Renewable 100 service plans, the SmartHome Battery virtual power plant program with FranklinWH hardware integration, the Ava Charge EV fast charging network, and a suite of residential electrification programs including e-bike rebates, induction cooking support, and heat pump water heater incentives.

Ava's revenue model is subscription/recurring electricity generation charges billed through PG&E, with a not-for-profit structure that returns excess revenue to customers as annual bill credits ($22 million distributed in FY 2024/25, over $167 million cumulatively since 2018). Customer acquisition is driven by the default-enrollment model supplemented by community-led engagement through public meetings, local events, digital marketing, and a multi-brand ecosystem (Ava Charge, Ava Bike Electric, Ava SmartHome Charging). The organization has achieved Great Place to Work certification and is pursuing 100% carbon-free energy for all customers by 2030.

Name

Ava Community Energy

Legal name

Ava Community Energy

Website

https://avaenergy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ava Community Energy is a not-for-profit California community choice aggregator serving over 1.7 million residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across Alameda and San Joaquin counties with clean electricity and bill credit programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Electricity Services (Community Choice Aggregation)

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) / Municipal Aggregation Retail Supply (EUAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aggregation Services (Load Aggregation, Community Choice, Buyer Pools) (EUAGAEAC), Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) & Local Retail Supply Programs (EUAMAJAI)

Keywords

• Community choice aggregation
• Retail electricity supply
• Clean energy procurement
• Residential electrification programs
• Virtual power plant

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Electricity Generation Service: Ava Community Energy generates revenue by purchasing electricity (from renewable sources including solar, wind, and battery storage) and selling it to customers in Alameda County and San Joaquin County at rates competitive with or lower than PG&E. As a not-for-profit public agency, any excess revenue after operational costs is returned to customers through bill credits, reinvested in community programs, or used to fund long-term renewable energy projects.
2. Default Enrollment Electricity Supply: Ava serves as the default electricity provider for customers in its service territory. Customers are automatically enrolled but may opt out. Revenue is recurring based on electricity consumption, billed through the customer's PG&E bill (PG&E handles transmission, distribution, and billing infrastructure while Ava covers electricity generation).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ava Community Energy is a California community choice aggregation (CCA) program that procures clean electricity (solar, wind, battery storage) and supplies it as the default electricity provider to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers in Alameda County and San Joaquin County. It bundles electricity service plans (Bright Choice, Renewable 100) with customer programs such as SmartHome Battery virtual power plant, Ava Charge EV fast charging, Ava Bike Electric e-bike rebates, induction cooking and heat pump water heater incentives, plus annual bill credits that return excess not-for-profit revenue to customers.

Product overview

Ava Community Energy is a not-for-profit public agency and one of California's 25 community choice aggregation programs, providing a platform-plus-programs architecture offering multiple clean energy products and services. The core offering includes electricity service plans (Bright Choice and Renewable 100) that deliver carbon-free energy at rates lower than PG&E. Supporting programs include residential electrification modules: SmartHome Battery (home battery storage with VPP integration), Ava Charge (EV fast charging network), Ava Bike Electric (e-bike rebates), Induction Cooking, and Heat Pump Water Heaters. Additional modules serve commercial customers and municipalities, including Commercial Transportation, Critical Municipal Facilities, and Resilience Hubs. Community investment programs include grants and sponsorships. The company returns excess revenue to customers through annual bill credits and serves Alameda County, San Joaquin County, and 16 cities with plans to reach 100% carbon-free energy by 2030.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ava Charge: Public fast charging network for electric vehicles, with stations in Northern California including Oakland.
• Ava SmartHome Battery
• Ava Bike Electric
• Ava SmartHome Charging

Products and services

• Bright Choice Default electricity service plan providing carbon-free generation at rates lower than PG&E to residential customers across Ava's service territory.
• Renewable 100 100% renewable energy service plan for customers seeking zero-carbon electricity; Fremont commercial customers transitioned to this plan in August 2026.
• Commercial and Agricultural Service Plans Default and renewable commercial and agricultural electricity service plans for business and farming customers in Alameda and San Joaquin Counties.
• SmartHome Battery Program Residential solar and storage incentive program that connects home battery systems to Ava's virtual power plant; offers upfront rebates (up to $6,000 for income-qualified, up to $1,080 market-rate) plus ongoing monthly capacity payments in exchange for sharing 40-80% of battery capacity with the grid during peak demand.
• Ava Charge EV Fast Charging Network Public EV fast charging station network providing direct EV charging access, with the first station in downtown Oakland and a roadmap of up to 15 stations by 2030 targeting underserved communities including renters and multi-family housing residents.
• Ava Bike Electric E-Bike Rebate Program E-bike rebate program offering $1,000-$1,500 rebates on standard and adaptive e-bikes for low-income residents; rebates must be redeemed at participating local bike shops to support small businesses.
• Induction Cooking Program Programs and resources to help residents switch to electric induction cooktops, providing precise temperature control, fast response, and safer kitchen operation with no open flames.
• Heat Pump Water Heater Incentives Incentives and programs to help residents switch to efficient heat pump water heaters as part of home electrification efforts.
• Ava SmartHome Charging Residential smart EV charging program offering smart charging solutions and incentives for electric vehicle owners charging at home.
• Residential Solar Panels & Storage Programs Programs helping residents install residential solar panels and battery storage systems, including rebates and incentives for eligible participants.
• Annual Bill Credits Program Annual bill credit distribution returning excess revenue to customers; $22 million distributed in FY 2024/25 ($11M CARE/FERA, $4M residential, $7M non-residential), with over $167 million returned since 2018.
• CARE/FERA Rate Programs California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs providing enhanced $100 bill credits plus ongoing monthly savings for income-qualified customers, with an additional 20% off under the Ava Auto-Enrolled Solar Discount.
• Critical Municipal Facilities Program Program supporting municipal facilities with energy efficiency and resilience solutions as part of Ava's community/municipal programs.
• Resilience Hubs Initiative Technical assistance program helping community-serving facilities explore resilience-focused solar and battery storage solutions, plus funding opportunities for qualifying resilience hub projects.
• Community Investment Grants Multi-year grants to local organizations aligned with strategic priorities of community energy resilience, workforce development, and climate education.
• Ava Auto-Enrolled Solar Discount Program providing improved renewable energy access for CARE and FERA customers, delivering clean renewable energy plus an additional 20% savings on electricity bills on top of CARE/FERA rate discounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $167 million in cumulative customer savings (bill credits + lower rates) since 2018
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• REV RenewablescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026REV Renewables (parent company: LS Power) developed the Tumbleweed Energy Storage facility in Kern County, California — the first 8-hour duration lithium-ion battery energy storage system in the U.S. (69MW/552MWh, expanding to 125MW/1,000MWh). The project was developed in partnership with California community choice aggregators including Ava, contracted through CC Power Joint Powers Agency to satisfy 55% of the Mid-Term Reliability requirement for eight-hour minimum storage procurement.
• Longroad EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Longroad Energy's Sun Pond solar and storage project (111 MWdc solar / 85 MWac / 340 MWh storage) in Maricopa County, Arizona delivers renewable energy to Ava Community Energy customers and San José Clean Energy under long-term power purchase agreements. The project is part of Longroad's Sun Streams Complex, a four-project development totaling nearly 1.6 GW of solar and storage capacity.
• FranklinWH Energy StoragecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026FranklinWH Energy Storage's home battery system was approved for Ava's SmartHome Battery virtual power plant program. FranklinWH serves as an approved hardware provider, enabling homeowners in Alameda and San Joaquin counties to participate in Ava's VPP by installing FranklinWH batteries. The program offers income-qualified participants up to $6,000 in upfront rebates and ongoing monthly payments of $3/kWh of enrolled battery capacity over five years.
• Environment California (and 49 environmental and industry organizations)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 March 2026Environment California submitted a letter on behalf of 49 environmental and industry organizations urging California's legislature to restore funding for the Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) program. Ava participates in the DSGS program, which grew to over 1,000 MW of dispatchable capacity, making it one of the world's largest virtual power plant networks. The advocacy partnership aims to preserve reliability and low costs for California ratepayers.
• Oakland City Center West GarageminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 November 2025Ava's first EV fast charging station (Ava Charge) is located at the Oakland City Center West Garage in downtown Oakland. The garage location provides access to EV charging for urban residents, including underserved communities, renters, and multi-family housing residents.
• Bike East BayminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 February 2025Ava partners with Bike East Bay for community e-bike events including test rides and education. Bike East Bay co-hosts events with Ava to promote the Ava Bike Electric rebate program and expand cycling adoption in the East Bay area.
• LS PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLS Power is the parent company of REV Renewables. LS Power developed the Tumbleweed Energy Storage project in collaboration with California CCAs including Ava. The $20 billion+ project portfolio (including SunZia wind and transmission) demonstrates LS Power's role as a major energy infrastructure developer partnering with community choice aggregators.
• California Community Power (CC Power Joint Powers Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia Community Power (CC Power Joint Powers Agency) is a joint powers agency of multiple California community choice aggregators including Ava. Through this partnership, Ava participates in aggregated procurement of energy storage and other clean energy resources. The CC Power agreement with REV Renewables for the Tumbleweed project satisfies 55% of the Mid-Term Reliability requirement for eight-hour minimum storage procurement for member CCAs.
• Alameda County Transportation CommissionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAva partnered with the Alameda County Transportation Commission to launch a $10 million e-bike rebate fund in California's East Bay area, offering $1,000-$1,500 rebates for standard and adaptive e-bikes to low-income residents. The partnership facilitated 2,746 new e-bike purchases in the first six months, with local bike shops reporting increased sales.
• Local bike shops (participating local businesses)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Ava Bike Electric program requires rebates to be redeemed exclusively at participating local bike shops, supporting small businesses and keeping rebate dollars circulating in the local economy. Bike shop owners describe the initiative as positive for combating climate change and improving public health.
• CALCCA (California Community Choice Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAva is a member of CALCCA, the association advancing local energy choice in California. Ava is one of California's 25 community choice aggregation programs. CALCCA membership enables Ava to participate in statewide policy advocacy, collective procurement, and knowledge sharing among CCAs.
• PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric)coreTechnology or IntegrationPG&E handles electricity transmission, distribution, and billing infrastructure for Ava customers. Ava provides the electricity generation (clean energy) component while PG&E delivers it through its grid and includes Ava's charges on the customer's PG&E bill. This integration is fundamental to the CCA model, where the incumbent utility continues to manage the grid and billing.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• San Jose Clean Energy: Municipal CCA serving San Jose, the largest city in Silicon Valley. Co-off-taker with Ava of Longroad Energy's Sun Pond solar+storage project, evidencing parallel procurement strategies and CCA operating models.
• Sonoma Clean Power: California CCA serving Sonoma and Mendocino counties with default enrollment and clean energy supply. Operates the same JPA-style governance model and participates in shared procurement through California Community Power.
• Peninsula Clean Energy: San Mateo County CCA providing default-enrollment clean energy supply with comparable rate-savings messaging and customer programs. Operates under the same California CCA regulatory framework as Ava.
• CleanPowerSF: San Francisco's municipal CCA, operating as a department of the SF Public Utilities Commission. Directly comparable Bay Area CCA with overlapping service territory and identical default-enrollment structure.
• Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE): CCA serving Santa Clara County with similar default-enrollment structure, clean energy procurement, and electrification programs. Ava co-hosts educational webinars with SVCE, indicating peer-level operational similarity.
• MCE Clean Energy: California community choice aggregator serving Marin, Napa, Contra Costa, and Solano counties. Directly comparable CCA model with default enrollment, similar not-for-profit governance, and overlapping partnerships including co-hosted webinars with Ava.
• Central Coast Community Energy (3CE): California CCA serving Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties. Operates the same default-enrollment CCA model with comparable clean energy procurement and customer programs.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): Incumbent investor-owned utility whose distribution and billing infrastructure Ava relies on; also Ava's primary competitor for retail customers. Provides critical utility infrastructure integration while competing in generation supply.
• Southern California Edison (SCE): Major California investor-owned utility serving Southern California. Comparable to PG&E as an incumbent utility whose distribution infrastructure CCAs rely on for delivery and billing, and a competitor for retail supply in regions Ava may one day consider.

Others

• California Community Power (CC Power): Joint Powers Agency of multiple California CCAs including Ava, enabling aggregated procurement of large-scale energy resources. Ava participates in CC Power agreements such as the Tumbleweed storage project, making it both a peer and a key infrastructure partner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@poweredwithava
• Facebookfacebook.com/PoweredbyEBCE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/poweredwithava
• Instagraminstagram.com/poweredwithava

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ava Community Energy