The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners has extended its contract with East Bay Municipal Utility District to buy renewable energy, a move that gives the port access to renewable electricity for 2.5 more years for tenants and customers within the port, the Oakland seaport said Oct. 21.
The port has been buying energy for the last decade under a power purchase agreement.
“This helps us to exceed regulatory requirements for renewable sources of electricity for our current and future needs,” Port Utilities Administration Manager Jared Carpenter said. “This is good for our community and continues our valuable partnership with EBMUD.”
The renewable electricity will come from the utility district’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Power Generation Station, the port said.
“EBMUD’s wastewater treatment plant at the base of the Bay Bridge is more than a treatment plant – it’s a green factory, where organic wastes, such as food scraps, are converted to renewable energy,” Doug Linney, president of the utility district’s Board of Directors, explained. “EBMUD is pleased that its surplus renewable electricity will continue to be used locally to benefit the greater Oakland community.”
About 70.4% of the port’s total power supply came from renewable resources in 2020, 20.3% of which originated from the utility district, the port said.
