Valley Clean Energy (VCE) Rate Selection Guide
Valley Clean Energy (VCE) is a not-for-profit Community Choice Aggregator supplying electric generation to Davis, Woodland, Winters, and unincorporated Yolo County, California. As a CCA, VCE sets generation rates and procures clean power while PG&E continues to own the meters, issue the consolidated bill, and operate all data-access systems — so customer and third-party energy data flows through PG&E's Share My Data / Green Button platform, not through VCE directly.
Valley Clean Energy (VCE) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 | Small Commercial | Gen-only Summer $0.09728 / Winter $0.05904 per kWh | Small businesses with low, non-demand loads |
| A-6 | Small Commercial TOU | Gen-only Peak Summer $0.34272 / Off-Peak Summer $0.05230 per kWh | Small businesses able to shift load off-peak |
| A-10 | Medium Commercial | Gen-only Summer $0.07787/kWh + $4.58/kW demand | Medium businesses with moderate demand |
| E-19 | Large Commercial/Industrial | Gen-only Peak Summer $0.10267/kWh + $12.06/kW peak demand | Large facilities 500 kW–1 MW with TOU flexibility |
| E-20 | Transmission/Primary | Gen-only Peak Summer $0.10381/kWh + $13.07/kW peak demand | Largest industrial loads >1 MW |
Market Overview
Yolo County is served under California's Community Choice Aggregation model. VCE is the default generation supplier (Standard Green, 42% renewable / 75% carbon-free); customers may opt up to UltraGreen (100% renewable, +1.5¢/kWh) or opt out to PG&E bundled generation. PG&E provides transmission, distribution, metering, and billing for all customers regardless of generation choice.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Valley Clean Energy (VCE) Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
Automatically enrolled product: 42% renewable, 75% carbon-free, priced about 2.5% below PG&E generation rates.
100% renewable, 100% carbon-free premium product for an additional 1.5 cents per kWh over Standard Green.
Customers may opt out of VCE and return to PG&E bundled generation at PG&E's standard generation rates.
Current Rate Schedules
VCE generation rates are set about 2.5% below PG&E's current generation rates and apply on top of PG&E delivery, PCIA, and franchise-fee surcharges. The figures below are VCE generation-only rates verified from VCE's published Commercial Rate Comparison (PCIA 2017 vintage, current as of January 2026). UltraGreen adds 1.5¢/kWh. Delivery charges are billed separately by PG&E.
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 / A-1-A (Small Commercial) | commercial | Small commercial, non-demand. Mapped to PG&E Schedule A-1. | Generation energy (VCE gen-only): Summer $0.09728/kWh, Winter $0.05904/kWh. ~2.5% below PG&E generation. PG&E surcharges +$0.02528/kWh added. | — |
| A-6 (Small Commercial TOU) | commercial | Small commercial time-of-use. Mapped to PG&E Schedule A-6. | Generation energy (VCE gen-only): Peak Summer $0.34272/kWh, Part-Peak Summer $0.10913/kWh, Off-Peak Summer $0.05230/kWh, Part-Peak Winter $0.07712/kWh, Off-Peak Winter $0.06007/kWh. ~2.5% below PG&E. | — |
| A-10 (Medium Commercial, Demand) | commercial | Medium commercial with demand charges. Mapped to PG&E Schedule A-10 (secondary voltage). | Generation energy (VCE gen-only, A-10-S): Summer $0.07787/kWh, Winter $0.05507/kWh; Max Demand Summer $4.58/kW. TOU variant (A-10-S TOU): Peak Summer $0.12850/kWh, Part-Peak $0.07920/kWh, Off-Peak $0.05324/kWh. ~2.5% below PG&E. | — |
| E-19 (Large Commercial TOU, Demand) | industrial | Large commercial/industrial, 500 kW–1 MW, TOU with demand. Mapped to PG&E Schedule E-19 (secondary). | Generation energy (VCE gen-only, E-19-S): Peak Summer $0.10267/kWh, Part-Peak Summer $0.06167/kWh, Off-Peak Summer $0.03532/kWh; Max Peak Demand Summer $12.06/kW, Max Part-Peak Demand $2.93/kW. ~2.5% below PG&E. | — |
| E-20 (Transmission/Primary, Demand) | industrial | Largest C&I customers, >1 MW. Mapped to PG&E Schedule E-20. | Generation energy (VCE gen-only, E-20-S secondary): Peak Summer $0.10381/kWh, Part-Peak Summer $0.06445/kWh, Off-Peak Summer $0.03744/kWh; Max Peak Demand Summer $13.07/kW. ~2.5% below PG&E. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small business / office
Small commercial accounts on A-1 take VCE Standard Green generation about 2.5% below PG&E with no action required.
Low, non-demand loads see the generation discount automatically; A-6 only helps if load is shiftable off-peak.
- Download Green Button data to confirm A-1 vs A-6 fit
- Stay on Standard Green unless ESG goals justify UltraGreen
Medium facility with demand
Medium C&I accounts on A-10 should focus on demand-charge management; the $4.58/kW summer demand charge outweighs the generation discount.
Demand charges dominate the bill at this size; controlling peak kW yields more than the 2.5% generation savings.
- Use interval data to find peak-demand drivers
- Stagger equipment starts to shave peaks
Large industrial (>500 kW)
Large E-19/E-20 accounts should optimize both peak demand and summer peak energy; engage a consultant via PG&E Share My Data for ongoing interval analytics.
Peak demand charges of $12–13/kW and high summer peak generation rates create the largest savings opportunities through load shaping.
- Authorize a consultant through PG&E Share My Data
- Target summer peak-demand reduction with storage or controls
ESG / sustainability-driven org
Organizations with Scope 2 or 100%-renewable commitments can opt up to UltraGreen for an extra 1.5¢/kWh.
UltraGreen delivers 100% renewable, carbon-free supply that can support clean-energy claims without separate REC procurement.
- Compare UltraGreen premium against standalone REC costs
- Document the renewable content for ESG reporting
Historical Rate Trends
VCE sets a fixed percentage discount to PG&E generation rates and updates as PG&E rates change. As of January 2026, the published commercial discount is approximately 2.5% and VCE applies the 2017 PCIA vintage.
January 1, 2026
VCE commercial generation rates re-aligned to PG&E January 2026 generation rates, maintaining ~2.5% discount (PCIA 2017 vintage).
varies by scheduleOverall trend: VCE generation rates move in step with PG&E generation rate changes while preserving the ~2.5% discount.
Next expected change: Tied to PG&E's next general rate change; VCE re-publishes its comparison after each PG&E update.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For C&I accounts, the biggest savings come from managing PG&E demand charges and shifting load to off-peak TOU periods — both of which dwarf the ~2.5% generation discount. Interval data from PG&E Green Button is the key input for any optimization analysis.
Off-peak load shifting
For: Commercial & industrial TOU accounts
Move discretionary load (HVAC pre-cooling, pumping, charging) out of summer peak windows under A-6/E-19/E-20 TOU schedules where peak generation rates run several times off-peak.
Demand-charge management
For: Demand-metered C&I accounts
Flatten peak kW with staggered equipment starts, storage, or controls to reduce A-10/E-19/E-20 demand charges ($4.58–$13.07/kW).
Verify correct schedule via interval data
For: All C&I accounts
Use PG&E Green Button 15-minute data to confirm the account is on the lowest-cost eligible PG&E/VCE schedule.
Evaluate UltraGreen vs sustainability goals
For: ESG-focused C&I customers
Weigh the +1.5¢/kWh UltraGreen premium against Scope 2 / RECs reporting value for ESG-driven organizations.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Valley Clean Energy (VCE) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Yolo County is not a fully deregulated retail market. Customer 'choice' is limited to the CCA structure: VCE Standard Green (default), UltraGreen (opt-up), or PG&E bundled generation (opt-out). There is no competitive retail supplier marketplace.
How to Compare Valley Clean Energy (VCE) Suppliers
- 01Default: stay on VCE Standard Green (auto-enrolled)
- 02Opt up to UltraGreen for 100% renewable at +1.5¢/kWh
- 03Opt out to PG&E bundled generation via VCE/PG&E
Contract Terms for Valley Clean Energy (VCE) Supply Agreements
- No fixed-term contracts; month-to-month generation service
- Opt-out available at any time without penalty
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Valley Clean Energy (VCE) Rates
- Opting out to PG&E forfeits the ~2.5% VCE generation discount
- PCIA and franchise fees apply regardless of generation choice
- Delivery, metering, and billing always remain with PG&E
Frequently Asked Questions
As a C&I customer, how do I give my energy consultant access to our VCE/PG&E interval data?▾
Authorize them through PG&E's Share My Data program at pge.com. The vendor registers with PG&E once, sends you an OAuth authorization link, and after you approve the scope (15-minute interval, billing, account info) they receive data automatically via PG&E's ESPI API. You can revoke access anytime in your PG&E account.
Does choosing VCE over PG&E change how we access our meter data?▾
No. PG&E still owns the meters and operates all data systems. Whether you take VCE Standard Green, UltraGreen, or PG&E bundled service, your interval and billing data come from the same PG&E SmartMeter infrastructure via Green Button / Share My Data.
How much can a commercial account save by staying on VCE generation?▾
VCE prices its generation rates roughly 2.5% below PG&E's current generation rates across commercial schedules (e.g., A-1, A-6, A-10, E-19, E-20). Savings are modest and apply to the generation portion of the bill only; delivery, PCIA, and franchise fees are identical to PG&E.
What rate schedule does my business take under VCE?▾
VCE maps directly to your existing PG&E commercial schedule — A-1 (small commercial), A-6 (TOU small commercial), A-10 (medium with demand), and E-19/E-20 (large TOU with demand). To change schedules, contact PG&E; you keep VCE generation at the lower rate.
Can we get automated rate data for load-shifting automation?▾
Yes. As a large CCA, VCE publishes its time-varying rates to the California Energy Commission's MIDAS API, a free public endpoint returning TOU rates, GHG signals, and Flex Alert events in JSON/XML for device and demand-response automation.
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