3FOOD

Third Industrial Revolution Consulting Group
community’s level of energy efficiency, and catalyze electricity grid modernization efforts. 254
These investments in a cleaner and more efficient mix of energy resources, in turn, tend to
stimulate more immediate job creation while also reducing the cost of energy services for all
customers. For example, current aggregation contracts in the Midwestern part of the United
States are yielding up to 25 percent rate savings while rate savings on the East coast are
averaging savings of 10 to 14 percent (as of September 2013). 255
Figure 6. Comparing the Community Choice Aggregation Authority Model with Private and Public Utilities 256
Source: http://www.leanenergyus.org/what-is-cca/
As explained by LEAN Energy US, an energy aggregation authority can be done on an opt-in or
opt-out basis (depending how the CCA or public authority is constituted). But, as they note:
“the most common and successful programs are opt-out. This means that consumers are
254 Gordon, M. (2014). CCA and Microdgrids: Community Driven, Private Enterprise Models for Smart Grid
Innovation.
255 The data are from footnote 3 in the explanation offered at: http://www.leanenergyus.org/what-is-cca/.
256 While this example draws on the business model of the electric utility, it could also be extended to include the
development, bulk purchase and distribution of transportation fuels, industrial chemicals, water resources, and
more.
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