Climate change can affect every aspect of EBMUD’s work, from the resilience of our water supply to the health of the lands we manage.
We begin our second century of service with comprehensive strategies to guide us and help us tackle emerging challenges. That includes an aggressive goal to be carbon neutral by 2030.
As EBMUD invests in a sustainable future, we are more than tripling our solar energy production capacity with three new photovoltaic installations. The largest, below Briones Reservoir in Orinda, will generate approximately 10 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean, renewable electricity a year – offsetting nearly 11 percent of EBMUD’s total electric load. The project also will provide $24 million in energy cost savings over the 25-year contract term.
Separately, a pilot project underway in Piedmont is generating renewable electricity from drinking water moving through our distribution pipelines. A microturbine system captures excess water pressure and will generate an estimated 130,000 kWh annually. If successful, the project will remain in place to generate clean power for years to come.
Innovative projects like these support EBMUD’s mission to deliver safe and affordable drinking water while protecting the environment and natural resources with which we are entrusted. We believe investing in a sustainable future is the right thing to do for our customers and our planet, for this generation and the next.
Hydrogen Fuel Station Open in Oakland
EBMUD property leased to FirstElement Fuel Inc. will soon be home to a hydrogen fueling station to support zero-emission drayage trucks at the Port of Oakland. This project will improve local air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and represent North America’s largest commercial deployment of Class 8 fuel cell electric trucks.