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Public Sector Climate Task Force

What are we doing?

Formed in 2007, the Joint Venture Public Sector Climate Task Force includes representatives from every city, town and county in Silicon Valley, plus several special districts and other public agencies. The group also includes advisory members from local organizations working on sustainability and energy conservation and several affiliate members from for-profit companies in relevant sectors.

Charter Statement:

To develop effective collaborative solutions for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from public agency operations and to provide a neutral forum for city and county government agencies and special districts to learn from each other and from others about climate protection programs.

Goals

The goals of the Public Sector Climate Task Force are to:

  • Accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by public agencies
  • Use demand aggregation to conserve scarce public resources
  • Encourage and support the growth of the clean technology industry
  • Provide leadership for the region and the world

Why are we doing it?

There are many tools and technologies for reducing emissions, but they tend to be expensive: solar panels and zero-emission cars, trucks and buses - and the equipment to charge them - all require substantial capital investment. Because local government faces serious fiscal constraints, resources are not available for everyone to mount projects of this nature. For that reason, Joint Venture is working with Silicon Valley's local governments to develop collective approaches that pool demand, concentrate labor, and save money.

We have completed two phases of a collaborative renewable energy procurement project for local public agencies, partnering with the County of Santa Clara on Phase One (the Silicon Valley Collaborative Renewable Energy Procurement, SV-REP), and with the County of Alameda and the Contra Costa Economic Partnership on Phase Two (the Regional Renewable Energy Procurement, R-REP).

  • SV-REP installed more than 11 MW of power at peak capacity on city halls, fire stations, libraries, and other public facilities.
  • R-REP, encompassing public agencies across four counties with more than 50 installation sites, is the largest multi-agency collaborative procurement of renewable energy in the country.

The collective approach also creates a more stable demand and stimulates local markets, becoming a powerful tool for local economic development.

Who's involved?

The Task Force includes representatives from every city, town and county in Silicon Valley, plus several special districts and other public agencies. The group also includes members from local organizations and companies in related sectors. It is chaired by Kim Springer of the City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG) in San Mateo County.

What are the latest developments?

  • We hold biannual meetings of sustainability staff members in over 40 cities, counties, and other public agencies to share best practices related to sustainability

What are the next steps?

  • Our current focus is on emissions related to the transportation sector, including reducing employee commute

Where do I find out more?

To learn more about the Public Sector Climate Task Force, please contact:

Kara Gross
Director, Public Sector Climate Initiatives

(408) 204-1464

Joint Venture's Response to Climate Change

Joint Venture is actively involved in Silicon Valley's regional response to climate change. We are engaged with dozens of regional and local public and private agencies, municipalities, businesses and other stakeholders in programs and activities designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainable energy and improve the quality of life for all.