How the Contra Costa Climate Scorecard is calculated
The 2025 Contra Costa Climate Scorecard gives each of 20 Contra Costa communities a score from 0 to 100 on four Topics (solar & storage, waste, transportation & EV charging, and green power) and ranks them by the average of those four Topic Scores. It is published by Contra Costa County Climate Leaders using public data.
What do the scores mean?
Each Topic Score runs from 0 to 100, and higher is better. Most measures compare a community with the county's leader on that measure, which scores 100; Waste compares each jurisdiction with fixed benchmarks instead. A score of 100 means leading the county or meeting the benchmark. It is not a grade against a state target or a legal requirement.
How is the overall score calculated?
A community's overall score is the plain average of its Topic Scores for Solar, Waste, Transportation and Green Power, with each Topic counting equally. Buildings is a planned Topic and is not scored yet.
How are communities ranked?
Communities are ranked by their scores as published, to one decimal place. Communities with the same published score share a rank, and the next rank is skipped: two communities tied for 5th are followed by 7th. Waste is ranked by reporting jurisdiction, so cities that report together share one Waste rank.
How is each Topic scored?
How is Solar scored?
Solar uses two measures, both per resident: installed solar capacity and battery storage capacity from utility interconnection records. On each, the community with the most per resident scores 100 and every other community scores in proportion to it. The Solar Topic Score is the average of the two.
| Measure | Measured as | Better when | Worth up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar capacity | per resident | Higher | 100 |
| Storage capacity | per resident | Higher | 100 |
Data: US Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-Year API (2024); US Census Bureau Place-to-County Relationship File; California Distributed Generation Statistics, PG&E Rule 21 (2025).
How is Waste scored?
Waste uses CalRecycle's annual reports: how many waste-reduction programs a jurisdiction runs, scaled so that 52 programs scores 100, and how much it sends to landfill per resident per day, where 2.1 pounds or less scores 100 and higher rates score less (100 × 2.1 ÷ the rate). The Waste Topic Score is the average of the two. Some cities report to CalRecycle together through a joint authority; they share one Waste score and are ranked as one reporting jurisdiction.
| Measure | Measured as | Better when | Worth up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programs implemented | total count | Higher | 100 |
| Per-capita disposal rate | reported per resident per day | Lower | 100 |
Data: CalRecycle Local Government Central Diversion Program (2024).
How is Transportation scored?
Transportation uses two measures: public EV charging ports per 1,000 registered vehicles, and zero-emission vehicles' share of current-model-year registrations. On each, the leading community scores 100 and every other community scores in proportion to it. The Transportation Topic Score is the average of the two.
| Measure | Measured as | Better when | Worth up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| EV charging-port density | per 1,000 registered vehicles | Higher | 100 |
| ZEV share of current-model-year registrations | share of current-model-year registrations | Higher | 100 |
Data: California Energy Commission Vehicle Fuel Type Count by ZIP Code (2025); US Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-Place Relationship File (2020); US Alternative Fuels Data Center (2025).
How is Green Power scored?
Green Power adds up points for participation in MCE Clean Energy, the community choice energy provider that serves much of the county: 20 for MCE membership, 20 if the city's own accounts are enrolled in 100% renewable power, up to 30 for the share of eligible community accounts enrolled, and up to 30 for the Deep Green (100% renewable) opt-up rate compared with the county leader. A community that is not an MCE member scores 0.
| Measure | Measured as | Better when | Worth up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCE community membership | community membership status | Higher | 20 points |
| Municipal 100% renewable enrollment | municipal account enrollment status | Higher | 20 points |
| Community participation enrollment rate | share of eligible community accounts | Higher | 30 points |
| Community Deep Green (100% renewable) opt-up rate | share of community accounts enrolled in 100% renewable Deep Green option | Higher | 30 points |
Data: MCE Clean Energy Annual Impact Report (2025).
How current is the data?
This is the 2025 scorecard. Its sources are each published on their own schedule, so the latest available year differs by Topic (Solar 2025, Waste 2024, Transportation 2025, Green power 2025). The scorecard is recalculated when its source data is refreshed. Where a live source was unavailable, it uses a reviewed saved copy of that source.
What can't the scores tell you?
- They compare communities with each other. A low score can still mean real progress, and a top score doesn't mean the work is done.
- Measures are per resident or per vehicle, so a small community can move a long way with a few large projects.
- Green Power measures participation in MCE only. Communities outside MCE score 0 even if residents buy clean power another way.
- Waste data comes from jurisdiction reports, so cities in a joint waste authority can't be told apart on Waste.
- The scores describe the 2025 data, not anything newer.
Where does the data come from?
- US Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-Year API (2024)
- US Census Bureau Place-to-County Relationship File
- California Distributed Generation Statistics, PG&E Rule 21 (2025)
- CalRecycle Local Government Central Diversion Program (2024)
- California Energy Commission Vehicle Fuel Type Count by ZIP Code (2025)
- US Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-Place Relationship File (2020)
- US Alternative Fuels Data Center (2025)
- MCE Clean Energy Annual Impact Report (2025)
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