Clean Energy Alliance Engages Tripepi Smith for CCA Rollout Communications
In anticipation of their May 2021 residential customer launch, Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) chose Tripepi Smith from a pool of potential vendors who competed for the opportunity to provide marketing and community notification services for the nascent JPA, a partnership between the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach to operate a Community Choice Energy program.
“Adding Tripepi Smith to the Clean Energy Alliance team has ensured that we engage the community in such a way that reduces opt outs and communicates the benefits that CEA brings to the communities,” said Chief Executive Officer Barbara Boswell, with whom Tripepi Smith also has partnered on marketing efforts for the California Choice Energy Authority.
According to the California Community Choice Association, which supports the development and long-term sustainability of locally run community choice aggregators (CCA) electricity providers in California, the average participation rate among its 20 members is 93 percent.
At launch, CEA began serving two pools of customers: prior Solana Energy Alliance (SEA) customers who transitioned to the new CCA and first-time customers from the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach. Opt-out rates were calculated in consideration of these two distinct audiences. Among the first group, prior SEA customers, 95.3% chose to participate; among the second group, new CEA customers, 96.1% chose to participate. Both rates exceed the California industry standard.
“CEA is a powerful new asset for hastening the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach’s move from dirty fossil fuels to clean renewable energy,” said Tripepi Smith Business Analyst Karen Villaseñor. “We are honored to have provided clear, compelling materials that kept prospective customers informed and engaged throughout the rollout process.”
Tripepi Smith’s partnership with the Clean Energy Alliance is a holistic effort that began in September 2020. Director Katherine Griffiths serves as the team lead on the engagement and is responsible for account and project management, research, planning, logistics, coordination and creative direction for writing and design. Art Director Kevin Bostwick leads design and branding. Business Analyst Sara Madsen provides online design, strategy and support as well as graphic design execution. Karen, the team’s primary writer, provides content development support and project management. Leveraging individual areas of expertise, Senior Graphic Designer Kjerstin Wingert has captured original photography for CEA while Business Analyst Skylar Hunter and Junior Business Analyst Jerald La Madrid have collaborated on video projects. Junior Business Analyst Allison Torres facilitates social media, e-newsletters, media relations and Spanish translation.
“Our CEA engagement exemplifies the total package of service that our team of professionals can offer the local government market. From policy experts to designers to videographers to social media mavens; it is one roof with all the talent working away to deliver efficiently for our clients,” observed Tripepi Smith President Ryder Todd Smith. “Tripepi Smith was honored to be selected by CEA as its outreach and communications partner. In part, our selection is rooted in Tripepi Smith’s deep CCA experience and speaks to how we have separated ourselves from others in this niche market. No public affairs firms can claim the level of experience we offer in the CCA market.”
CEA’s progressive perspective on achieving its participating municipalities’ Climate Action Plan goals is rooted in local control. Elected officials from the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach—all directly accountable to the residents who elected them—govern CEA and oversee financial and programmatic decisions. Each member city has equal voting power and an equal voice. Board meetings are open to the public, enabling community engagement, candid dialogue and transparent action.
Tripepi Smith has extended its contract with CEA through the 2021-22 fiscal year to support ongoing web, social media, content development, design and strategic messaging projects.
About Clean Energy Alliance
Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) follows a community choice energy (CCE) model that allows local governments to purchase power to meet their community’s electricity needs, offering an alternative to investor-owned utilities. CEA offers competitive prices and clean energy options while reinvesting revenues into projects and programs that benefit members’ communities.
CEA was established through a multi-agency partnership. This model enables local governments to purchase and manage their community’s energy supply. While CEA is locally operated, they work in partnership with the region’s existing investor-owned utility: CEA procures the electricity while the local IOU continues to deliver energy, maintain the grid, provide billing services and handle all new service requests and emergencies.
About Tripepi Smith
Tripepi Smith is a California-based marketing, technology and public affairs firm that serves for-profit, nonprofit and public agencies. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provides a competitive advantage to agencies seeking to leverage the internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm provides full content creation services, including: ghost writing, collateral development, photography, video production, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns and website design and execution. Tripepi Smith clients include: City of American Canyon, City of Culver City, City of Cupertino, City of Daly City, City of Duarte, City of Grover Beach, City of Santa Paula, City of Indian Wells, City of La Cañada Flintridge, City of Lake Forest, City of Livermore, City of Napa, City of Paramount, City of Martinez, City of Tracy, City of Vallejo, CalChoice Energy Authority, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, Santa Clara County Fire Department, Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Rowland Water District, California Contract Cities Association, California City Management Foundation, Renne Public Law Group, Bob Hall & Associates and Climatec Energy Services.