Ava Community Energy CEO Nick Chaset is a critical thought leader and energy policy veteran who has been instrumental in California’s place as a global model for renewable energy. His expert team at Ava focuses on community collaboration and innovative programs to help residents, businesses and municipalities thrive, including: providing solar and battery backup installations for critical municipal facilities, a try-before-you-buy induction cooktop lending program and an Arrearage Management Plan (AMP) to help low-income ratepayers catch up on their energy bills.

Today, Ava serves more than 1.7 million residential, business and municipal customers across Alameda County and fourteen incorporated cities. Its team runs a $770 million-per-year operation, with 95% of its annual budget spent on power procurement.Ava’s North Star is to provide 100% carbon-free electricity for its customers by 2030 – 15 years ahead of California’s target date. With more than 75% of its regular power mix already coming from carbon-free resources and 28% of its customers on their Renewable 100 power mix today, they are quickly closing in on this target.

In our first media push in September 2021, we secured numerous online and broadcast media, including NBC Bay Area, to attend the ribbon-cutting of Ava’s Scott Haggerty Wind Energy Center at Altamont Pass, one of the nation’s earliest sites of modern wind power.

Since 2021, Ava has been featured in more than 1,000 top-tier, trade and local publications, including Fortune, The Hill, The Washington Post, Canary, Forbes and Fast Company.

Additionally, we have expanded the organization’s mindshare as a thought leader on electrification and beyond, securing speaking opportunities at notable industry conferences, from MOVE American 2022 to Intersolar 2023, and more.

Creating a blueprint for more equitable, inclusive energy, Ava has been recognized as an industry leader and winner by the likes of the EPA’s Green Power Leadership Award, Environment + Energy (E+E) Leader’s 2023 Top Project of the Year Award and the Cleanie Awards.