Commercial Energy Founded
Ron Perry and Barbara Ranck-Perry founded CE on May 1, 1997, in Cut Bank, Montana. Montana Power squeezed local producers, including their own Ranck Oil, when energy prices were at historic lows. Ron’s two-year advocacy to the Montana PSC resulted in a Final Order allowing 200 businesses to choose a gas supplier. CE earned 20% of the eligible market before the year ended. Competition wins!
Perfect Energy Storm
Every business has that moment where its systems and resilience are tested to their core. CE had that moment in 2001 when a combination of a cold winter, drought, hot summer, and a poorly designed energy restructuring in California caused prices to escalate exponentially that summer throughout the West. The strong survive!
Exponential Growth
Despite the Perfect Storm, CE’s five-year growth serving Montana customers continued and earned consecutive placements on the Inc. 500 list. Our professional approach and exemplary service fueled that growth. Service wins!
Expansion into California
Leveraging the same principles of service and accountability, CE opened its Oakland office to support California businesses and public institutions in implementing our Active Energy Management concepts. Test the vision!
1,000 New Customers in 1,000 Days
The initial goal was to add one new customer a day, every day, for three years, and we succeeded! We celebrated with some Hall of Famers from the Oakland A’s and hundreds of our customers. Goals work!
Manage the Total Energy Spend
Automating the analysis of hundreds of utility delivery rates led to the deployment of the CE360 Rate Analysis Engine. This platform allows us to assess not only rates, but also technologies to lower your Total Energy Spend. Comprehensive!
Rooftop Solar Deployed
We designed, engineered, and financed our first rooftop solar at the San Mateo Credit Union to learn firsthand some of the perils of this business. It also provided the foundation for our Energy Services efforts, spanning onsite solar, batteries, fueling, and fuel-cell generation. Learn!
Fleet Fuel Development
GILLIG Bus Company built its onsite compressed natural gas fueling facility using CE to manage the project. Delivered through CE’s Energy Services, fleet fueling has now morphed into EV charging as transportation alternatives evolve. Innovate!
CE360 Energy Monitoring
CE launched the first version of its energy monitoring software, CE360 Insite, to tie those solutions together. Through the CE portal, clients can now see daily energy usage and temperatures, giving visibility to how the weather affects your usage. Develop!
Opening the San Diego Office
Success in Northern California with over 2,000 customers made it natural to expand to San Diego and Los Angeles and bring the same local attention and face-to-face accountability to Southern California. Grow!
Expansion of Direct Access
CE lobbied for the passage of SB237 in 2018, which expanded electricity choice by four million MWh, starting in 2020, through an annual lottery process. It quickly filled and we added hundreds of new electricity customers, and now supply almost one million MWh annually. Win the Lottery!
25 Years! A Landmark
Growing substantially and profitably for every year since 1997 is a point of pride almost as notable as the development of a great team and a great set of clients. So we took a moment to thank everyone who helped us on this amazing journey. Gratitude!
Helping California Schools
The almost unprecedented spike in natural gas prices in the winter of 2022-23 was a major crisis for a significant energy provider dedicated to schools. So, CE stepped in quickly to help many of the districts that wanted to lock in their energy budgets without any capital commitments. A Trusted Advisor!
NEM 2.0: Executing Solar Installs
With the deadline for the demise of NEM2.0 and its subsidies for onsite solar, CE’s Energy Services group coached and installed $100 million of solar projects across California. Operational Excellence!
Looking Forward
While industry regulations, energy supply and demand fundamentals, renewable energy requirements, and customer sustainability goals have dramatically evolved since our founding, one thing remains true:
Our focus, our obsession, on win-win relationships with our clients, vendors, and employees WORKS for all of us! Thanks for the opportunity.
