Ava Community Energy Rate Selection Guide
Ava Community Energy (formerly East Bay Community Energy) is a Community Choice Aggregator serving Alameda County and parts of San Joaquin County. Ava supplies the electricity generation while PG&E continues to provide delivery, metering, billing, and all data-access systems. C&I energy data is therefore accessed entirely through PG&E's Share My Data (Green Button Connect) and Green Button Download platforms.
Ava Community Energy Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Choice (default) | commercial | ~0.5% below PG&E generation | Cost-conscious C&I customers wanting savings vs. PG&E |
| Renewable 100 | commercial | ~1.75 cents/kWh above PG&E generation | Businesses needing 100% clean energy / REC claims (Renewable 100 for LEED) |
| B-19 / B-20 | industrial | TOU generation + PG&E demand charges | Large demand-metered facilities and transmission-level loads |
Market Overview
Ava Community Energy is the CCA generation provider in its territory; PG&E remains the regulated delivery utility and meter/data custodian. Customers are auto-enrolled in their city's default Ava plan and may opt up to Renewable 100 or opt out to PG&E generation at any time.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Ava Community Energy Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
Default CCA generation provider for Alameda County and parts of San Joaquin County. Bright Choice is the default plan in most cities and is priced below PG&E generation; Renewable 100 offers 100% clean energy at a premium. Uses PG&E's commercial rate schedule structure (B-1, B-6, B-10, B-19, B-20).
Current Rate Schedules
Ava sets only the generation (supply) portion of the bill; PG&E delivery charges are unchanged. Ava uses PG&E's commercial rate schedule structure so each Ava schedule maps directly to its PG&E equivalent (B-1, B-6, B-10, B-19, B-20). Verified comparative figures from Ava: Bright Choice generation is approximately 0.5% cheaper than PG&E generation, while Renewable 100 costs roughly 1.75 cents/kWh more than PG&E. Ava lowered Bright Choice generation rates ~20% in January 2026. Exact per-kWh generation rates by schedule are published in Ava's January 2026 rate sheets by vintage; specific dollar figures are not reproduced here because they vary by vintage and rate schedule.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-1 (Small Commercial) | commercial | Small commercial customers (mirrors PG&E B-1). | Ava generation rate applied to the PG&E B-1 schedule; Bright Choice ~0.5% below PG&E generation. Delivery billed by PG&E. | — |
| B-6 (Medium Commercial) | commercial | Medium commercial customers (mirrors PG&E B-6). | Generation supplied by Ava on the PG&E B-6 structure; time-of-use energy charges plus PG&E delivery. | — |
| B-10 (Medium/Large Commercial TOU) | commercial | Medium-to-large commercial with demand (mirrors PG&E B-10S). | Time-of-use generation rate on the PG&E B-10 structure with demand charges billed by PG&E. | — |
| B-19 (Large Commercial / Demand-Metered) | commercial | Large commercial, secondary/primary/transmission voltage (mirrors PG&E B-19S/B-19SV/B-19PV). | TOU generation rate plus demand charges on the PG&E B-19 structure; PG&E bills delivery and demand. | — |
| B-20 (Industrial / Transmission) | industrial | Largest industrial / transmission-level customers (mirrors PG&E B-20P/B-20S). | TOU generation rate on the PG&E B-20 structure; transmission-level delivery and demand billed by PG&E. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small/medium commercial wanting lowest cost
Stay on Bright Choice to keep generation below PG&E; manage PG&E delivery TOU.
Bright Choice generation is ~0.5% under PG&E with no opt-out fee window risk for most cities.
- Pull 15-minute interval data via PG&E Green Button to size savings
- Confirm your default plan by city before assuming enrollment
Large demand-metered facility
Use B-19/B-20 with Bright Choice generation and actively manage PG&E demand charges.
Demand and TOU charges dominate large-customer bills; interval data via Share My Data enables peak-shaving while Bright Choice trims generation.
- Authorize an analytics vendor through Share My Data for automated interval data
- Target demand reductions during PG&E peak windows
Sustainability / REC requirements
Opt up to Renewable 100 (or Renewable 100 for LEED) for 100% clean energy and REC retirement by Ava.
Renewable 100 supplies 100% clean energy and supports LEED/ESG claims at roughly 1.75 cents/kWh above PG&E generation.
- Use Renewable 100 for LEED to have Ava retire RECs on your behalf
- Quantify premium against ESG reporting value
Multi-site portfolio
Assign Bright Choice or Renewable 100 per account to match each site's cost and sustainability profile.
Ava allows individual opt-up/opt-out per account, enabling portfolio-level optimization.
- Centralize all accounts in the change-your-plan tool
- Aggregate interval data across sites via a single Share My Data vendor integration
Historical Rate Trends
Ava's board sets generation rates annually. The most recent verified change is a roughly 20% reduction in Bright Choice generation rates effective January 2026, leaving Bright Choice generation about 0.5% below PG&E.
January 1, 2026
Ava lowered Bright Choice generation rates by approximately 20%, keeping Bright Choice ~0.5% below PG&E generation.
-20%Overall trend: Bright Choice generation rates decreased into 2026; Ava reports current generation rates are 2-3 cents/kWh cheaper than the prior year.
Next expected change: Next annual board-approved generation rate update expected for January 2027.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For C&I customers in Ava territory, optimization combines plan selection (Bright Choice vs. Renewable 100), PG&E delivery rate/TOU management, and per-account plan choices across a portfolio.
Stay on Bright Choice for savings
For: All C&I customers
Bright Choice generation is priced below PG&E; remaining enrolled captures the generation discount with no action required.
Per-account plan selection
For: Multi-site C&I portfolios
Choose Bright Choice or Renewable 100 individually per service account to balance cost and sustainability goals across a portfolio.
Manage PG&E TOU delivery
For: Demand-metered B-19/B-20 customers
Generation savings stack with PG&E delivery TOU management; shift demand off peak using interval data from Share My Data.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Ava Community Energy interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Within Ava's territory, generation is provided by Ava on an opt-out basis (you are auto-enrolled). Customers may opt up to Renewable 100 for 100% clean energy at a premium, or opt out entirely to return to PG&E generation. PG&E delivery service and billing are unchanged regardless of choice. Bundled Direct Access remains a separate, capacity-limited option for large C&I customers.
How to Compare Ava Community Energy Suppliers
- 01Confirm your default plan by city at the Ava compare-plans page
- 02To opt up to Renewable 100 or opt out to PG&E, visit https://avaenergy.org/your-energy-options/change-your-plan or call 1-833-699-2668
- 03Multi-account owners can opt up or opt out each account individually
- 04Compare Bright Choice, Renewable 100, and PG&E generation on the commercial comparison page
Contract Terms for Ava Community Energy Supply Agreements
- No fixed-term contract; opt out at any time
- No opt-out fee through April 2026 for Stockton and Lathrop customers
- Generation rates set annually by Ava's board
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Ava Community Energy Rates
- Existing Direct Access customers are not auto-enrolled and may face DA termination provisions
- Renewable 100 costs roughly 1.75 cents/kWh more than PG&E generation
- Opting out does not change PG&E delivery charges or the single consolidated bill
Frequently Asked Questions
How do C&I customers access interval data for Ava accounts?▾
Through PG&E. Ava maintains no metering systems; use PG&E Green Button Download for self-service 15-minute interval exports, or authorize a vendor via PG&E Share My Data (Connect My Data) for automated ESPI API access (up to 4 years history, ~2 business day latency).
Does switching to Ava change my data access or billing?▾
No. PG&E still owns the meter, issues a single consolidated bill, and runs all data systems. Ava generation charges simply appear as a separate line item, and all Green Button / Share My Data / EDI access is unchanged.
Which rate schedule applies to my business?▾
Ava mirrors PG&E's commercial schedules (B-1, B-6, B-10, B-19, B-20), so your Ava schedule matches your existing PG&E schedule. Ava sets only the generation rate; PG&E continues to bill delivery and demand charges.
Can a multi-site business choose different plans per location?▾
Yes. Owners of multiple accounts can opt up to Renewable 100 or opt out to PG&E on an individual per-account basis through Ava's change-your-plan tool.
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