Marin County pioneered the idea in 2010, buying clean energy on behalf of local homes and businesses. And now Sonoma County appears poised to take the same step.
On Thursday, the governing board of Sonoma's new public power agency plans to set rates for its electricity service, which will begin in May. Most customers will save money, compared to what they currently pay Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
Following Marin's lead, Sonoma Clean Power will give customers two choices. The agency's basic service, CleanStart, will save customers 2.3 percent on their electricity bills, compared with PG&E. And its mix of power sources will have 30 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than PG&E's, Syphers said.
A second level of service, called EverGreen, will provide 100 percent renewable power, most of it drawn from the Geysers geothermal field. But it will come at a premium, raising a customer's electricity bill roughly 20 percent.
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