Port Of Oakland
Board Of Commissioners Approve Renewable Energy Package
The Port of Oakland’s Board of Commissioners approved
the Renewable Portfolio Standard for the Port of Oakland’s Wholesale
Electric Power Procurement on Tuesday, July 6, 2004. The Board
reaffirmed its commitment to environmental responsibility, part of
the Port’s triple bottom line–economic vitality, social equity, and
environmental responsibility.
California Senate Bill 1078 (SB 1078) became law
January 1, 2003. It provides that each governing body of a local
publicly owned electric utility shall be responsible for
implementing and enforcing a “renewable portfolio standard” to
encourage renewable resources. The state legislature established an
attainment target of 20% renewable energy by the end of 2017.
The Port of Oakland has gone beyond the standard
requirements and currently receives an estimated 28% of its power
from renewable resources. Renewable resources are defined as natural
energy resources that are inexhaustible such as wind, solar,
geothermal, biomass, and hydropower.
“The Port of Oakland understands the importance of
sustainability and wants to promote and encourage the use of
renewable resources. We propose an effort to continue exceeding the
recommended 20% standard by seeking new renewable energy
opportunities that will benefit the environment,” said the new
President of the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners Patricia
Scates.
The Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners adopted
a calendar year renewables portfolio standard for the electric power
the Port purchases at wholesale and adopted a goal of achieving 40%
by the year 2017.
The Port of Oakland is the fourth largest
containerport in the nation. Established in 1927 as an independent
department of the City of Oakland, the Port spans 19 miles of
waterfront, which includes Jack London Square, oversees more than
900 acres of maritime terminal facilities, and owns and operates one
of the fastest-growing airports in the nation, Oakland International
Airport. Web site:
www.portofoakland.com.