(BCN)– The Port of Oakland will continue to purchase renewable energy from the East Bay Municipal Utility District, the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners decided last week. For the past 10 years, the Port has been purchasing energy that comes from the utility district’s wastewater treatment plant power generation station. This latest decision ensures that the Port will keep using this energy for the next 2.5 years.

Jared Carpenter, Port of Oakland utilities administration manager, said that this agreement will help the Port exceed regulatory requirements for renewable sources of energy in the future. “This is good for our community and continues our valuable partnership with EBMUD,” Carpenter said in a statement.

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In 2020, the Port’s total power supply mix included 70.4% from renewable resources, of which 20.3% came from EBMUD, 12.8% came from large hydroelectric generators for a total of 83.2% energy delivered from non-carbon emitting resources.

“EBMUD’s wastewater treatment plant at the base of the Bay Bridge is more than a treatment plant – it’s a green factory, where organic wastes, such as food scraps, are converted to renewable energy,” stated Doug Linney, president of EBMUD’s Board of Directors.

“EBMUD is pleased that its surplus renewable electricity will continue to be used locally to benefit the greater Oakland community.”