This study examines patterns of adoption and outcomes associated with Community Choice Aggregations (CCAs) in the San Francisco Bay Area and focuses on how customer participation and electricity rates are correlated to race and income. CCAs are often promoted as tools for advancing clean energy access, yet limited research has examined whether participation and rate outcomes vary across socioeconomic contexts. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combines bivariate correlation and regression analysis with qualitative insights from interviews with six industry professionals representing CCAs, the local investor-owned utility (PG&E), and a regional trade association (CalCCA). The results suggest that CCAs generally provided higher renewable energy content at lower electricity rates than the investor-owned utility, particularly at the baseline 50% renewable energy tier. At the 100% renewable energy tier, total electricity rates were typically modestly higher. Customer participation rates were positively associated with both racial diversity and median household income, although interview participants emphasized that variation in customer awareness, trust, and understanding of CCAs also shapes decisions to opt-out from CCA enrollment. Overall, the findings show no evidence to suggest that automatic CCA enrollment at the 50% renewable energy tier systematically disadvantaged historically marginalized groups based on race or income. Instead, the results suggest broadly equitable access to more renewable electricity across the region and highlight the importance of public education, community engagement, and institutional trust in sustaining participation and supporting an inclusive clean energy transition.
Sara Lopez (Tue,) studied this question.