Fresno
City Scorecard Rank
47
Fresno, CA
27.00Scored out of 100Updated 10/2020
Community-Wide Initiatives
Score: 0 out of 15 points
Community-Wide Summary List All
The City of Fresno adopted the Fresno Green Plan in 2016.
Last updated: September 2021
Community-Wide Climate Mitigation and Energy GoalsList All
Climate Mitigation Goal
The Fresno Green plan includes a goal to reduce GHG emissions by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
Energy Reduction Goal
We did not find information regarding a community-wide energy reduction goal for the city, though the Fresno Green plan calls for a 10% reduction in peak load.
Renewable Energy Goal
We did not find information regarding a community-wide renewable energy goal for the city.
Last updated: September 2021
Equity-Driven Approaches to Clean Energy Planning, Implementation, and EvaluationList All
Equity-Driven Community Engagement
We were unable to determine whether relevant decision-makers have taken a unique and expanded approach in conducting engagement for multiple clean energy initiatives with marginalized groups compared to engagement with other city constituencies.
Equity-Driven Decision-Making
We were unable to determine if the city has created a formal role for marginalized community residents or local organizations representing those communities to participate in decision-making that affects the creation or implementation of a local energy, sustainability, or climate action plan.
Equity Accountability Measures
We were unable to determine whether the city has adopted specific goals, metrics, or protocols to track how multiple energy, sustainability, or climate action initiatives are affecting local marginalized groups.
Last updated: September 2021
Clean Distributed Energy ResourcesList All
We could not verify if the city has adopted a formal policy, rule, or agreement that supports the creation of clean distributed energy systems.
Last updated: September 2021
Mitigation of Heat Islands List All
UHI Mitigation Goal
We could not verify if the city has adopted a quantifiable urban heat island mitigation goal.
UHI Policies and Program
We were unable to determine if the city has adopted specific policies or programs that incorporate requirements or incentives to mitigate the urban heat island effect.
Last updated: September 2021
Buildings Policies
Score: 12 out of 30 points
Buildings Summary List All
The City of Fresno enforces the state energy code and solar- and EV-readiness requirements. The city also complies with AB802, California’s mandatory benchmarking requirement for commercial and multifamily buildings. We could not find information on whether the city has adopted mandatory energy-saving actions.
Last updated: July 2021
Building Energy CodesList All
Overview
California requires all buildings to meet statewide codes but grants local jurisdictions the authority to adopt more stringent codes. To learn more about building energy codes in California, please visit the State Policy Database.
Commercial
Fresno requires CalGreen for commercial buildings. The code uses a commercial zEPI score of 49.1.
Residential
Fresno requires CalGreen for residential buildings. The code uses a residential zEPI score of 58.1.
Solar-readiness policies
California state code will require solar system installation on all new residential construction beginning in 2020.
EV-charging readiness and infrastructure policies
California’s Green Building Requirements require residential and nonresidential building owners to incorporate EV-charging infrastructure into the property.
Low-energy use requirements
We could not find information on whether the city sets low-energy use requirements for municipal or certain private buildings.
Last updated: July 2021
Building Energy Code Compliance and EnforcementList All
Fresno requires plan reviews, site inspections, and performance testing. We could not find information on the number of full-time employees the city staffs to enforce the energy code. We could not find information regarding upfront support for code compliance.
Last updated: July 2021
Policies Targeting Existing BuildingsList All
Commercial and multifamily benchmarking
Fresno complies with the State of California’s Assembly Bill (AB) 802. Per AB 802, owners of commercial and multifamily buildings greater than 50,000 square feet must benchmark energy usage.
Incentives
Fresno EOC Weatherization Program installs energy conservation measures and provides energy education for limited-income families.
The city offers property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financing for residential energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Last updated: July 2021
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Workforce DevelopmentList All
We could not verify if the city has programs committed to developing a dedicated energy efficiency and/or renewable energy workforce.
Last updated: July 2021
Transportation
Score: 4 out of 30 points
Sustainable Transportation Planning List All
Sustainable Transportation Plan
No data or the city is not pursuing.
VMT/GHG Target and Stringency
The City of Fresno does not yet have a codified VMT reduction target.
Progress Achieved Toward VMT/GHG Targets
The City of Fresno is not yet tracking community GHG or VMT levels
Last Updated: November 2021
Location Efficiency List All
Location Efficient Zoning
Design guidelines within Fresno's Tower District encourage mixed-use and compact land development.
Residential Parking Requirements
The City's parking requirements do not meet the minimum scoring threshold for City Scorecard.
Location Efficiency Incentives and Disclosures
No data or the city is not pursuing.
Last Updated: November 2021
Mode Shift List All
Mode Shift Target
No codified mode share target exists in the cities most recent active transportation plan (Fresno ATP 2017), although diversifying mode share is discussed and acknowledged as an important component moving forward.
Progress Toward Mode Shift Target
No progress has been achieved, as there are no targets in place.
Complete Streets
No Policy Found
Last Updated: November 2021
Public Transit List All
Transportation Funding
The transportation entities that serve the City of Fresno have received $21,034,738.20 on average annually between 2015 and 2019. That equates to roughly $39.68 per capita between 2015 and 2019 within the Authority's service area.
Access to Transit Services
The Transit Connectivity Index measures transit service levels. It is based on the number of bus routes and train stations within walking distance for households scaled by frequency of service. The City of Fresno Transit Connectivity Index value is 5, scoring 0.5 points in the City Scorecard.
Last Updated: November 2021
Efficient VehiclesList All
Vehicle Purchase Incentives
At this time, Fresno does not offer incentives for citizens to purchase hybrid, plug-in, or EV vehicles.
Incentives for EV Charging Stations
No data or the city is not pursuing.
EV Infrastructure
The City has 321 charging ports available for public use, equivalent to 60.4 ports per 100,000 people.
Electric School Bus Goal
Fresno does not have an electric school bus goal.
EV Transit Bus Goal
Fresno does not have an EV transit bus goal.
Last Updated: November 2021
Clean, Efficient Transportation for Low-Income CommunitiesList All
Affordable New TOD Housing Policy
The Transit-Oriented Infrastructure for In-Fill Development (TOD) program was created in the 2006 Measure C Extension Plan. The goals of the Measure C TOD allocation are to support community-based transit projects that:
- Are developed through an inclusive planning process with broad private-public partnerships and outreach;
- Improve the range of transportation choices by supporting transit facilities and improving links between facilities and activity nodes; and
- Support well-designed, high-density housing and mixed uses near transit.
Connecting Existing Affordable Housing Stock to Efficient Transportation Options
Fresno does not currently provide rebates or incentives to low-income residents for efficient transportation options.
Last Updated: November 2021
Energy & Water Utilities
Score: 9.5 out of 15 points
Energy & Water Utilities Summary List All
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), an investor-owned utility (IOU), is the primary electric and natural gas utility for the City of Fresno. The State of California requires spending and savings targets for its IOUs through an EERS and requires local government-utility partnerships through mandate by the California PUC. The municipally-run utilities are not required to meet the state EERS targets and report through the California Energy Commission. In 2021, California regulators updated state energy efficiency policies to focus on reducing carbon emissions. The state’s new rule rules value efficiency as a grid and decarbonization resource, encourage utilities to offer more programs that primarily serve communities of color and low-income residents, and encourage workforce development programs. To learn more about the state requirements for electric and gas efficiency, please visit the California page of the State Database.
The City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities is the municipal utility that provides the City of Fresno with drinking water services, wastewater treatment, and stormwater management.
Last Updated: July 2021
Electricity and Natural Gas Efficiency SavingsList All
In 2019, PG&E reported 1,253,154 MWh of net electric savings at the meter, which represents 1.60% of its retail sales across the utility’s entire service jurisdiction, not only Fresno. In 2019, PG&E spent $219,637,147 on energy efficiency programs, which represents 1.72% of its electric retail revenue.
In 2019, PG&E reported 27.64 MMtherms of net natural gas savings at the meter, which represents 1.40% of its retail sales across the utility’s service territory. In 2019, PG&E spent $69,359,099 on energy efficiency, which equates to $16.19 per residential customer. These savings and spending figures cover PG&E’s entire service jurisdiction, not just the City of Fresno.
PG&E offers electric and natural gas efficiency incentives and technical assistance to residential and commercial/industrial customers.
PG&E partners with two local governments in Fresno – the City of Fresno and Fresno Economic Development Corporation. The partnerships collectively make up the Fresno Energy Watch program. The City of Fresno focuses on energy efficiency retrofits for their local public buildings in the city. The Fresno EDC is focused on serving the local public and small and medium business (SMB) customers in greater Fresno County by helping them learn about and take advantage of utility programs.
Last Updated: July 2021
Low-Income & Multifamily EE Programs List All
Low-Income Programs
PG&E offers the Energy Savings Assistance Program (ESA) to qualified low-income residential customers. The program provides in-home energy education, and direct installation of weatherization and hot water measures, lighting efficiency upgrades, HVAC tune-ups, smart power strips, and refrigerator recycling/replacement at no charge in order to reduce energy consumption in low-income households. The program provides health and safety measures such as the repair and replacement of water heaters and furnaces and minor home repairs. This program is implemented statewide by investor-owned utilities under the direction of the California Public Utilities Commission. It leverages the federal Weatherization Assistance Program, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and Low-Income Weatherization Program offerings.
The ESA Program’s objective is to assist income-qualified customers to reduce their energy consumption and costs while increasing their health, comfort, and safety. PG&E has also administered the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program to qualifying customers since 1989. The CARE program provides a monthly discount on energy bills for qualifying single-family residential households, tenants of sub-metered residential facilities, non-profit group living facilities, agricultural employee housing facilities, and migrant farmworker housing centers throughout PG&E’s service area.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CAPUC) strongly encourages utilities to leverage funds for low-income energy efficiency and weatherization. PG&E’s ESA Program leverages water agency, Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and Low Income Weatherization Program (LIWP) funding through individually negotiated agreements with the other agencies.
In 2019, PG&E achieved energy savings of 68,951 MWh and 0.47 MMtherms, while spending $96,478,592 and $50,711,276 on its electric and natural gas low-income programs, respectively. PG&E served 17,169 electric and 7,877 natural gas customers with its low-income program in 2019.
Multifamily Programs
PG&E offers the California New Homes Multifamily Program and Multifamily Cooling Optimizer Program. California New Homes Multifamily Program provides support and incentives for multifamily new construction projects to encourage builders to exceed California’s Title 24 energy efficiency standards. The Multifamily Cooling Optimizer Program is a direct install program focused on HVAC measures in tenant spaces.
In 2019, PG&E achieved 3,578 MWh and 0.11 MMtherms in energy savings, while spending $6,333,030 across its electric and natural gas efficiency programs. PG&E served 3,322 electric housing units in 26 multifamily properties and 3,594 natural gas housing units in 27 multifamily properties.
Last Updated: July 2021
Provision of Energy Data by UtilitiesList All
PG&E's Building Benchmarking Portal provides aggregate whole-building energy usage data in their ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to building owners.
PG&E provides non-confidential, aggregated energy usage data to the public through its Energy Data Request Program. Energy data is publicly released on a monthly basis at the ZIP code level, with significant redaction or further aggregation as needed to comply with California energy data privacy regulations.
The City of Fresno does not advocate for better access to utility data for ratepayers or the establishment of data-sharing agreements between the city and its utilities.
Last Updated: July 2021
Decarbonization and Climate Change Mitigation Efforts of Energy UtilitiesList All
Utility Climate Mitigation Goal
In 2018, the State of California set an ambitious goal of relying on entirely zero-emission energy sources for its electricity by 2045. To achieve this goal, PG&E will need to reduce emissions by 3.7% annually from 2018 levels.
City-Led Efforts to Decarbonize the Electric Grid
The City of Fresno is considering allowing Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) options for its residents. The Council has to first complete a technical study to determine the costs and benefits of a CCA.
Last Updated: July 2021
Efficiency Efforts in Water ServicesList All
Citywide Water Efficiency and Goals
The energy and water utilities do not currently offer joint energy and water efficiency programs. However, PG&E does offer rebates for high-efficiency commercial dishwashers.
Regarding water savings, the City of Fresno actively supports the challenge for all Californians to achieve a 20% per capita reduction in urban water demand by 2020, and conservation measures are in place to achieve this goal. We could not determine if the city is on track to meet this goal.
Water Plant Efficiency and Self-Generation
The water utility has not set specific energy efficiency targets or strategies. The city’s water system does not yet self-generate its own energy.
Last Updated: July 2021
Local Government Score:
1.5 out of 10 points
Local Government Climate and Energy Goals List All
Climate Mitigation Goal
Fresno’s Green Plan includes a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 and includes several municipal-focused actions. ACEEE was unable to project if the city will achieve its near-term GHG emissions reduction goal for municipal operations because insufficient GHG emissions data were available for our analysis.
Energy Reduction Goal
We were unable to find information regarding a municipal energy reduction goal.
Renewable Energy Goal
Fresno’s Green Plan includes a goal for 50% of municipal electricity use to come from renewable energy resources by 2025.
Last updated: June 2021
Procurement and Construction Policies List All
Fleet policies and composition
We were unable to find information on Fresno’s fleet procurement policies or fuel-efficiency requirements. We were unable to find data regarding fleet composition.
Public lighting
Fresno has a lighting ordinance requiring efficient outdoor lighting. We were unable to confirm if Fresno has an outdoor lighting upgrade program.
Onsite and offsite renewable systems
Fresno has installed solar panels on municipal buildings with a capacity of 22.2 MW.
Inclusive procurement
We were unable to verify if the city has inclusive procurement and contracting processes.
Last updated: June 2021
Asset Management List All
Building Benchmarking
We were unable to find information regarding Fresno's benchmarking practices.
Comprehensive Retrofit Strategy
We were unable to information regarding a comprehensive retrofit strategy in Fresno.
Last update: June 2021