Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) Rate Selection Guide
Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) is a not-for-profit Community Choice Aggregator supplying clean electricity to 13 Santa Clara County communities. Customers are auto-enrolled in SVCE generation (GreenStart) with PG&E continuing to deliver power, read meters, and bill. SVCE pioneered data access via its Green-Button-certified Data Hive platform (UtilityAPI), and PG&E's Share My Data covers interval data.
Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GreenStart | Default generation | ~1% below comparable PG&E generation (2026) | All customers wanting cleaner power at a slight discount |
| GreenPrime | 100% renewable | GreenStart + $0.0074/kWh premium (2026) | Customers/ESG programs wanting 100% renewable |
| PG&E delivery (B-1/B-10/B-19/B-20) | Delivery + fees | Set by PG&E; ~two-thirds of the total bill | Applies to all SVCE customers regardless of product |
Market Overview
Community Choice Aggregation: SVCE is the default generation provider for its 13 member communities; PG&E handles transmission, distribution, metering, and billing. Customers choose between SVCE GreenStart (default, ~50% renewable), SVCE GreenPrime (100% renewable, small premium), or opting out to PG&E generation.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
Default CCA generation provider for the 13 member communities; GreenStart (~50% renewable) is the auto-enrolled product, with GreenPrime (100% renewable) available for a small per-kWh premium. PG&E remains the delivery/billing utility.
Current Rate Schedules
SVCE sets only the generation portion of the bill (about one-third of a typical total); PG&E sets transmission, distribution, and other fees. For 2026, the SVCE Board cut generation rates ~40%, lowering total bills ~6% on average, and set SVCE generation at roughly a 1% discount to comparable PG&E generation. The default product is GreenStart (~50% renewable); GreenPrime (100% renewable) carries a $0.0074/kWh premium in 2026. SVCE publishes commercial rate comparisons (Small, Medium, Large, Industrial) against PG&E; exact $/kWh values vary by PG&E rate schedule (e.g., B-1, B-10, B-19, B-20) and are listed on SVCE's commercial rates page.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GreenStart - Small Commercial (PG&E B-1 class) | commercial | Small commercial accounts on PG&E's B-1 (small general service) class. | SVCE generation charge replaces PG&E generation on a per-kWh basis; PG&E delivery + fees still apply. Default 50% renewable. | SVCE generation set ~1% below comparable PG&E generation (2026); see commercial-rates page for the exact $/kWh by class.+ Demand charges (if any) are set by the underlying PG&E delivery schedule. |
| GreenStart - Medium Commercial (PG&E B-10 class) | commercial | Medium commercial accounts on PG&E's B-10 class. | Per-kWh generation plus PG&E delivery and demand components; default 50% renewable. | ~1% discount to PG&E generation (2026); exact $/kWh on commercial-rates page.+ Per underlying PG&E B-10 delivery schedule. |
| GreenStart - Large Commercial (PG&E B-19 class) | commercial | Large commercial / demand-metered accounts on PG&E's B-19 class. | Time-of-use generation per kWh plus PG&E delivery and demand charges; default 50% renewable. | ~1% discount to PG&E generation (2026); TOU periods per PG&E B-19.+ Per underlying PG&E B-19 delivery schedule. |
| GreenStart - Industrial (PG&E B-20 class) | industrial | Industrial / transmission-level accounts on PG&E's B-20 class. | TOU generation per kWh plus PG&E delivery and demand charges; default 50% renewable. | ~1% discount to PG&E generation (2026); see commercial-rates page.+ Per underlying PG&E B-20 delivery schedule. |
| GreenPrime (100% renewable upgrade) | commercial | Any SVCE account electing the 100% renewable product. | Adds a per-kWh premium on top of the applicable GreenStart generation rate. | Premium $0.0074/kWh in 2026 (down from $0.017/kWh in 2025).+ No separate demand charge for the GreenPrime premium. |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small / medium commercial
Offices, retail, and small facilities on PG&E B-1/B-10 classes.
Default GreenStart gives ~1% generation savings vs PG&E with 50% renewable; GreenPrime adds only $0.0074/kWh for 100% renewable.
- Confirm the underlying PG&E delivery class is optimal
- Use Data Hive to benchmark usage before solar/efficiency projects
Large commercial (demand-metered)
Large facilities on PG&E B-19 with TOU and demand charges.
Generation savings are modest; the real levers are PG&E TOU load-shifting and demand management.
- Shift load off PG&E peak periods
- Manage coincident demand peaks
- Pull 15-min interval data via Data Hive to model storage
Industrial / transmission-level
Industrial loads on PG&E B-20.
Optimize against PG&E B-20 demand/TOU structure; SVCE generation is a clean, slightly discounted overlay.
- Evaluate on-site generation/storage
- Consider Direct Access eligibility
- Use Share My Data or Data Hive API for automated interval feeds
ESG / 100% renewable
Organizations with renewable/carbon commitments.
GreenPrime delivers 100% renewable electricity for a small 2026 premium of $0.0074/kWh.
- Document the GreenPrime premium for ESG reporting
- Pair with on-site solar where feasible
Historical Rate Trends
SVCE generation rates are set annually by its Board through a revenue-requirement process and have historically run a 1-6% discount to PG&E generation. For 2026, the Board cut generation rates ~40% (energy market prices fell and some state wildfire fees sunset), lowering average total bills ~6%, and continued a $12/month CARE/FERA bill credit.
January 1, 2026
SVCE cut electric generation rates ~40% and set generation at ~1% discount to comparable PG&E rates; average total bills down ~6%.
-6% (total bill)January 1, 2026
GreenPrime 100% renewable premium reduced from $0.017/kWh to $0.0074/kWh.
-56% (premium)March 1, 2026
PG&E begins the fixed Base Service Charge ($24/mo standard; $6 CARE; $12 FERA) on the delivery portion, offset by lower volumetric charges.
n/aOverall trend: Generation rates decreasing into 2026; total bills down ~6% on average. PG&E delivery-side charges (PCIA, Base Service Charge) are rising.
Next expected change: Annual SVCE generation rate reset each January; PG&E Base Service Charge implementation began March 2026.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because SVCE only controls generation, commercial cost optimization focuses on the PG&E delivery side (TOU and demand management) plus choosing the right SVCE product for ESG goals.
Time-of-Use Load Shifting
For: Commercial/industrial TOU accounts
Shift load out of PG&E's peak TOU windows (B-19/B-20) to cut both generation and delivery energy charges.
Demand (kW) Management
For: Demand-metered B-19/B-20 accounts
Reduce coincident peak demand to lower PG&E demand charges, which are unaffected by generation provider.
Product Selection (GreenStart vs GreenPrime)
For: All accounts / ESG-driven customers
Use default GreenStart for a slight discount, or GreenPrime for 100% renewable claims; the 2026 premium is only $0.0074/kWh.
Interval Data Analytics via Data Hive
For: All commercial customers
Pull free 15-min interval data through Data Hive/UtilityAPI to right-size solar+storage and target peak intervals.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
SVCE customers are auto-enrolled in SVCE generation but may choose among SVCE GreenStart (default), SVCE GreenPrime (100% renewable), or opting out to PG&E generation. This CCA choice is the practical 'shopping' decision; broad retail-supplier competition does not exist in PG&E territory beyond limited Direct Access for large C&I.
How to Compare Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) Suppliers
- 01Review SVCE vs. PG&E generation rate comparisons for your commercial size class at svcleanenergy.org/commercial-rates.
- 02Stay on default GreenStart for a small discount vs. PG&E generation, or upgrade to GreenPrime for 100% renewable.
- 03To leave SVCE, opt out to PG&E generation via SVCE/PG&E customer service.
- 04Large C&I customers may evaluate PG&E Direct Access (DASR) availability separately.
Contract Terms for Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) Supply Agreements
- No fixed-term contract for standard GreenStart/GreenPrime service - customers can change products or opt out.
- GreenPrime premium is per-kWh (set annually): $0.0074/kWh in 2026 (down from $0.017/kWh in 2025).
- Opt-out timing rules and possible transitional charges apply when leaving the CCA.
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) Rates
- Leaving SVCE may make you subject to PG&E's PCIA and transitional bundled-service rules.
- Compare total bill impact, not just generation - PG&E delivery charges and the new Base Service Charge apply regardless of generation provider.
- Confirm whether your account qualifies for Direct Access before assuming broad supplier choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who actually bills me, SVCE or PG&E?▾
PG&E. As a Community Choice Aggregator, SVCE supplies the electricity (generation) while PG&E delivers it, reads the meter, and issues a single combined bill. SVCE's generation charge appears as a line item; PG&E's delivery, transmission, and fees make up the rest (roughly two-thirds of the total).
How does a third party access SVCE interval data?▾
The simplest path is SVCE's Data Hive (powered by UtilityAPI), a free, Green-Button-Connect-certified platform. Register as a third party, send the customer an authorization link, and after consent pull bills and 15/30/60-minute interval data via the UtilityAPI in JSON or Green Button XML. PG&E's Share My Data (OAuth 2.0) is an alternative.
What is the difference between GreenStart and GreenPrime for a business?▾
GreenStart is the default product, about 50% renewable, priced roughly 1% below comparable PG&E generation for 2026. GreenPrime is 100% renewable for an added per-kWh premium of $0.0074/kWh in 2026 (down from $0.017 in 2025) - useful for ESG and carbon-reduction reporting.
Why did my 2026 SVCE bill change, and what is the Base Service Charge?▾
SVCE cut generation rates about 40% for 2026, lowering average total bills ~6%. Separately, starting March 2026 PG&E introduced a fixed monthly Base Service Charge on the delivery portion ($24 standard, $12 FERA, $6 CARE), offset by lower volumetric delivery charges. The Base Service Charge applies only to the PG&E portion, not SVCE generation.
Can a business opt out of SVCE back to PG&E generation?▾
Yes. SVCE enrollment is automatic but not mandatory - customers can opt out to PG&E generation at any time, though opt-out timing rules and PG&E PCIA/transitional charges may apply. Most commercial customers stay on SVCE for the discount and cleaner power.
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