For Rural, By Rural

Creating a Strategic Plan for the Northern Rural Energy Network (NREN)

NREN Governing Partners participating in the strategic planning retreat.

In the northern California coastal region and the Sierras, 16.2 percent of customers use propane, wood, or both as their primary heating source. Northern California residents live in some of the most rural areas of the state, and as a result have limited energy infrastructure, with heavy reliance on propane and other nonregulated fuels, frequent power outages, and intense weather events, including heavy rain and snowstorms, wildfires, and extreme cold and heat. 

The Northern Rural Energy Network (NREN) provides crucial energy efficiency program services to residents in 17 northern California counties, covering more than 33,000 square miles and 1.6 million customers. With just 55 people per square mile, the area experiences high energy burden and a lack of resources for clean energy options.

NREN is a Regional Energy Network (REN) serving rural customers in the North Coast, Lake County, and Sierra Nevada regions of California. Established in 2025, NREN is designed to effectively serve hard-to-reach rural populations in the region. NREN provides a range of energy efficiency programs to the region, funded by California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulated ratepayer funding. NREN is a partnership of four organizations: Lake Area Planning Council (Lake APC), Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG), Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA), and the Sierra Business Council (SBC).

After its recent formation, NREN was ready to get to work helping communities in northern California become more energy efficient. However, it was hampered by an inefficient leadership structure and operations, resulting in communication issues, excess meetings, and conflicting priorities. Through a six-month planning and engagement process, BluePoint Planning led the NREN Governing Board and staff in developing an actionable three-year Strategic Plan and refined governance and decision-making structure to guide organizational growth and program effectiveness.

2026-2029 NREN Strategic Plan

These plans will guide the launch and implementation of its programs, identify clear priorities and actions, and align activities with its Energy Efficiency Business Plan and CPUC funding. To kick off the process, BluePoint facilitated an intensive, two-day, in-person executive strategic planning retreat for NREN leadership to identify strategic planning priorities and goals and solidify the governance and decision-making structure. During the plan development process, BluePoint conducted stakeholder interviews, a staff SWOT exercise, a governance analysis, and facilitated a series of working sessions with leadership.

The governance plan, created in close collaboration with staff, lays out roles, responsibilities, and processes to ensure effective and efficient decision-making and program implementation across the portfolio. The strategic plan process engaged the NREN Governing Board, staff, and partners to develop guiding goals and strategies to inform priorities, key activities, and the development and operation of the REN. In alignment with the Strategic Plan, BluePoint worked with the project team to create an actionable Implementation Plan that identifies timelines for each action and details the roles and responsibilities of staff members in completing these actions.

NREN’s new 2026-2029 Strategic Plan and governance and decision-making structure establish and emphasize the rural identity of NREN, and will help it and its partner organizations that make up the REN operate and collaborate more efficiently and effectively.