Central Coast Community Energy

What Central Coast Community Energy does

Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) is a Joint Powers Authority formed in 2017 under California Community Choice Aggregation law, originally launched as Monterey Bay Community Power in 2018 and rebranded in 2022. As California's first operating CCA, 3CE procures electricity generation on behalf of auto-enrolled residential, commercial, agricultural, and member-agency customers across 35 cities and counties in Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, and Santa Barbara counties, serving 1.1 million customers — approximately 95% of households and businesses in the territory. The agency replaces the generation portion of PG&E and SCE bills with locally set rates while the IOUs continue to handle transmission, distribution, and billing. Revenue is non-profit and retained locally to fund clean-energy programs.

The core product is a two-tier electricity service — 3Cchoice (default clean energy from eligible renewables) and 3Cprime (100% renewable premium for an additional $0.008/kWh) — backed by a portfolio of long-term power purchase agreements that since 2018 have totaled $4.6 billion in renewable and storage contracts spanning solar (Victory Pass, Rabbitbrush, Slate, Yellow Pine), wind (Mountain View), geothermal (Casa Diablo-IV), and long-duration storage (Willow Rock compressed air). Around the procurement core, 3CE operates a layered stack of electrification rebate programs targeted at residential heat pumps, batteries, and new construction; commercial EV chargers and fleet electrification; agricultural equipment replacement; and electric buses. A Hourly Flex Pricing Pilot co-delivered with PG&E introduces dynamic, market-based pricing supported by a large roster of third-party demand-response and EV-charging automation providers.

The business model operates through three go-to-market channels working in parallel: auto-enrollment of all customers in the service territory (default with opt-out, subject to a one-year reversion waiting period), direct utility partnerships with PG&E and SCE for billing and delivery, and institutional joint procurement through the California Community Choice Aggregators coalition. Forward, 3CE is investing in a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) platform due to pilot in May 2026 to support Virtual Power Plant and distributed energy resource orchestration across batteries, EV chargers, heat pump water heaters, and smart thermostats, alongside new technical-assistance and home energy assessment offerings. Operational scale remains lean at approximately 40-50 staff, with offices in Monterey, Soquel, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara; the corporate structure is a public agency rather than an investable enterprise, with no funding rounds, M&A, or equity instruments disclosed.

Name

Central Coast Community Energy

Legal name

Central Coast Community Energy

Website

https://3cenergy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Central Coast Community Energy is a California Joint Powers Authority and Community Choice Aggregator that procures renewable electricity generation for 1.1 million auto-enrolled residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal customers across 35 cities and counties on the Central Coast, delivered via PG&E and SCE billing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Choice Aggregation / Retail Electricity Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Wind Electric Power Generation (221115), Utilities (22)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

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), Retail & Community PPAs (Community Solar/Shared Renewables) (EUAGADAC)

Keywords

• Community Choice Aggregation
• Renewable Electricity Services
• Clean Energy Procurement
• Power Purchase Agreements
• Energy Rebate Programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Monterey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electric Generation Service Charges: 3CE generates revenue by providing electricity generation services to customers in place of investor-owned utilities (PG&E and SCE). Revenue is generated through generation charges on customer electricity bills, which replace the utility's generation charges. The agency sets rates locally through a transparent process and operates as a non-profit public agency where revenue stays local and is reinvested in community programs and clean energy initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Central Coast Community Energy is a Community Choice Aggregator that procures clean and renewable electricity (solar, wind, geothermal, and energy storage) and supplies it to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers in place of investor-owned utility generation service. Customers are auto-enrolled in 3Cchoice (default eligible-renewables service) and may opt up to 3Cprime (100% renewable) at a premium, with rebates and electrification incentive programs layered on top. Revenue is earned through generation charges that appear on the customer's PG&E or SCE bill.

Product overview

Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) is a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) offering electricity service as a single integrated platform with multiple service tiers and add-on programs. The core offering consists of 3Cchoice (default clean energy) and 3Cprime (100% renewable premium option), supplemented by time-based pricing like the Hourly Flex Pricing Pilot. 3CE provides specialized rebate programs for electrification across five customer segments: residential (Electrify Your Home, Residential Battery Rebate, New Construction Electrification), commercial (Electrify Your Ride, EV charger rebates), agricultural (Ag Electrification, Electric Bus), buses (Electric Bus Program), and member agencies (Plan Your Fleet, Electrify Your Fleet, Charge Your Fleet, Reach Code Program). The company also offers solar interconnection programs (Net Energy Metering 1.0/2.0 and Solar Billing Plan) and financial assistance programs. All programs are integrated with investor-owned utilities PG&E and SCE for billing and delivery services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3Cchoice Default electricity generation service for 3CE customers, providing electricity generated from eligible renewable resources and including access to 3CE Energy Program rebates and incentives. Replaces PG&E or SCE generation charges on the customer's bill.
• 3Cprime Premium electricity service option from 3CE supporting 100% renewable energy sourced from wind and solar, available for an additional $0.008 per kilowatt hour (approximately $4–5 more per month for a typical residential customer). Provides customers with a higher tier of renewable content than the default 3Cchoice service.
• Hourly Flex Pricing Pilot Pilot electricity-pricing product from 3CE and PG&E that offers residential, commercial, and agricultural customers dynamic hourly electricity prices reflecting market conditions, with price forecasts published seven days in advance and supporting automation partners for EV charging and energy management.
• Electrify Your Ride Program One-stop-shop rebate program from 3CE covering post-purchase rebates for electric vehicles, EV chargers (Level 2 and DC Fast Charge), and EV-readiness electrical upgrades for both residential and commercial customers in the service territory.
• Electrify Your Home Program Residential building electrification rebate program providing cash incentives for qualifying heat pump and electric building appliance projects including heat pump space conditioning, heat pump water heaters, and other all-electric upgrades.
• Residential Battery Rebate Program Residential rebate program from 3CE that helps both solar and non-solar customers install battery storage to store power generated during the day for evening use, manage energy consumption, save money, and provide backup during outages.
• New Construction Electrification Program Rebate program from 3CE providing per-unit incentives (paid downstream) to housing developers and homeowners for building all-electric homes, including electric water heating, space heating, and cooking appliances.
• Ag Electrification Program Agricultural electrification rebate program from 3CE that funds the replacement of fossil-fuel powered agricultural equipment with all-electric equivalents, including irrigation pumps, farm tools, utility vehicles, and other on-farm equipment.
• Electric Bus Program Transportation rebate program from 3CE that provides incentives for the purchase or lease of all-electric buses by schools, public transit agencies, and agricultural-worker transport businesses to reduce GHG emissions; has funded 7 electric buses for local schools to date.
• Plan Your Fleet Program Member-agency support program from 3CE that helps cities and counties plan their fleet-wide transition to zero-emission vehicles and the installation of associated charging infrastructure.
• Electrify Your Fleet Program Member-agency rebate program from 3CE providing direct rebates to cities and counties for the completed purchase or lease of eligible light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty battery electric vehicles.
• Charge Your Fleet Program Member-agency rebate program from 3CE that provides direct rebates to cities and counties for purchase, construction, and installation of EV service equipment, covering labor, materials, and work required for charger installation.
• Reach Code Program Program from 3CE providing forward-thinking building and transportation electrification reach codes designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the Central Coast service area.
• Net Energy Metering (NEM) 1.0 and 2.0 Tariffs Billing tariffs from 3CE for customers with solar or other on-site energy generation systems, providing an annual true-up in December, retail credits for excess generation, and Net Surplus Compensation payments for exported energy.
• Solar Billing Plan Billing tariff from 3CE for customers with solar, wind, or other on-site generation systems that succeeded the NEM 2.0 tariff, using 3CE generation rates for consumption and Energy Export Credit hourly rates for exports; also known as the Net Billing Tariff. Commercial customer enrollment in the plan began in 2026.
• Financial Assistance Programs Bundle of customer financial-assistance offerings from 3CE covering CARE, FERA, Match My Payment, Medical Baseline, AMP, LIHEAP, PIPP, and county financial resources to help customers reduce energy costs.
• DERMS Platform (Distributed Energy Resource Management System) Pilot Distributed Energy Resource Management System platform from 3CE that will serve as the core platform for the agency's Virtual Power Plant and Distributed Energy Resource pilot programs, enabling integration, aggregation, management, and active control of battery storage systems, EV charging infrastructure, heat pump water heaters, and smart thermostats.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.1 million+ customers served, representing 95% of households and businesses in the Central Coast region
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• City of GoletaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2026Goleta launched Heat Pump Permit Fee Waiver Program eliminating ~$300 permit fees for residents replacing gas appliances with electric heat pumps. 3CE referenced as offering up to $2,000 for HVAC systems through this partnership.
• 3C-REN (Tri-County Regional Energy Network)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2026Regional energy network partner offering complementary incentives for HVAC and water heater projects (up to $750) alongside 3CE rebates.
• Ormat TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 20263CE has a power purchase agreement with Ormat Technologies for 15MW of geothermal capacity from the Casa Diablo-IV plant in Mammoth Lakes, CA. The agreement was amended in 2026 to extend contracts by five years to 2037 with a 27% price increase, part of Ormat's blend-and-extend strategy.
• Silicon Valley Clean EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Joint power purchase agreement partner for 15MW of geothermal capacity from Casa Diablo-IV plant. Both CCAs share the 15MW capacity allocation under amended power purchase agreements.
• California Community Choice AggregatorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2026Joint group of California CCAs securing long-duration energy storage resources through CPUC Mid-Term Reliability procurement directives. 3CE part of group contracting with Hydrostor for Willow Rock project.
• PG&EcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 February 2026PG&E handles transmission, distribution, and billing services for 3CE customers in northern service area. Partnership includes Hourly Flex Pricing pilot where PG&E and 3CE jointly offer dynamic pricing to customers.
• Southern California Edison (SCE)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 February 2026SCE handles transmission, distribution, and billing services for 3CE customers in southern service area.
• California Energy CommissioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 February 2026State agency partner providing funding for EV charging infrastructure (CALeVIP) and regulatory oversight of energy projects. Approved Hydrostor Willow Rock project permits.
• Clearway Energy GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2026Developer of Victory Pass Solar+Storage facility (200MW generation + 200MWh storage in Riverside County). 3CE receives 100MW generation and 100MWh storage under 15-year agreement plus additional 75MW/156MWh under 20-year contract.
• AES CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2026Developer of Mountain View Wind repowering project replacing 100+ old turbines with 16 new Vestas turbines. 3CE receives 33.3MW annually under 20-year contract.
• HydrostorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 20263CE contracted for 200MW of capacity from Hydrostor's Willow Rock long-duration compressed air energy storage project in Kern County ($1.5 billion, 500MW/4GWh facility). Negotiations underway for additional 50-100MW. Project received California Energy Commission approval to begin construction.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Pioneer Community Energy: Northern California JPA CCA serving Placer and El Dorado counties with similar default and 100% renewable service tiers. Directly comparable business model to 3CE at slightly smaller scale.
• Ava Community Energy: Alameda County CCA rebranded from East Bay Community Energy, serving ~1.7M customers across Alameda and surrounding cities. Operates the same JPA CCA structure with default and premium clean energy options and an active DER/VPP program.
• Peninsula Clean Energy: JPA CCA serving San Mateo County and the City of Los Altos Hills. Closely comparable model with opt-in/opt-out structure, renewable tiers, and active electrification programs to 3CE's offerings.
• Clean Energy Alliance: JPA CCA formed by Solana Beach, Del Mar, and other San Diego-area cities. Same California JPA CCA framework with comparable auto-enrollment, renewable procurement, and customer programs.
• CleanPowerSF: San Francisco's municipal CCA program offering Green (default) and SuperGreen (100% renewable) tiers. Comparable urban service-territory CCA with similar regulatory structure under California law.
• MCE (Marin Clean Energy): California's first CCA, serving Marin, Napa, Contra Costa, and Solano counties. Closely comparable JPA CCA model with auto-enrollment, multiple service tiers (Deep Green 100% renewable), extensive rebates, and PPAs with renewable developers.
• Silicon Valley Clean Energy: California Joint Powers Authority CCA serving Santa Clara County and parts of San Mateo County. Most directly comparable to 3CE — already a co-PPA partner on Casa Diablo-IV — offering similar opt-out model, renewable default service, premium 100% renewable tier, and rebate programs.
• Sonoma Clean Power: JPA CCA serving Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Directly analogous model of auto-enrollment, multi-tier clean service (EverGreen, Renewable 100), and member-agency governance relevant to a peer set for 3CE.
• Valley Clean Energy: Yolo County-area JPA CCA. Operates the same auto-enrollment JPA model with comparable default and premium renewable service tiers, though at smaller scale than 3CE.
• San Diego Community Power: San Diego-area JPA CCA offering similar default clean energy and premium renewable tiers, with comparable rebate and electrification programs. Comparable scale and customer-acquisition model via auto-enrollment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/3CEnergy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTMD2MsHuESKFF915DL2jXw
• Facebookfacebook.com/3CEnergy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3cenergy
• Instagraminstagram.com/centralcoastcommunityenergy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Central Coast Community Energy