The City of Alameda has seen an upsurge in businesses doing their part for the environment. From small companies solving big problems to large corporations contributing power back to the electrical grid, Alameda is home to a growing cluster of forward-thinking, technologically advanced companies, at the forefront of environmental design and sustainability.

AMP, short for Alameda Municipal Power, offers businesses reliable energy at rates twenty percent lower than other East Bay electricity providers. AMP has launched a program that makes it easy for City businesses to make environmentally sound decisions. By enrolling in AMP’s Alameda Green initiative, a business can automatically purchase its energy exclusively from wind and solar sources. Twenty percent of the energy comes from solar plants in California and eighty percent comes from wind in nearby western states. The power facilities must meet strict consumer protection guidelines and have been constructed in the last fifteen years. Alameda Green is a simple way to reduce environmental impacts and gain positive recognition. Even buying a modest amount of renewable power makes businesses eligible for national recognition from the EPA’s Green Power Partnership.

Brix Beverage is a rapidly expanding beverage distributor that recently relocated to Alameda Point from San Leandro. Built on an environmentally focused business model, everything from the beverage containers, to the reverse-osmosis and UV water-cleaning systems, to the biodiesel fuel used to operate the equipment, is designed to be environmentally responsible. Later this year Brix plans to launch its new line of bottled water beverages, BXZero. Made completely out of biodegradable materials BXZero has zero sugar and zero impact on the environment. By moving in to a 55,000 square feet former airplane hangar on Monarch Street, Brix will be the latest addition to the specialty beverage manufacturing cluster at Alameda Point.

In 2012, VF Outdoor relocated from San Leandro to brand new, built-to-suit, corporate headquarters in Alameda’s Harbor Bay Business Park. VF is the parent company of upscale lifestyle brands North Face, JanSport, and lucy, and employs over 500 people at the new campus. Developed by Alameda-based srmErnst the campus incorporates significant green and sustainable elements into its cutting edge design. Parking is provided under decidedly low-tech-looking carports, however, these carports come equipped with solar panels that, combined with energy-generating wind turbines, power the entire operation and actually put power back onto the grid. The entire facility is LEED Gold Certified, with a design that maximizes the use of natural light, and a state-of-the-art HVAC system which circulates fresh air without using refrigerants. Electric vehicle charging stations and easy access to the nearby ferry service encourage auto-alternative modes of transportation, with thirty percent of employees traveling by ferry to work. Willing to go to great lengths to create one-of-a-kind solutions, Alameda and VF Outdoor are a great match, growing the local economy and improving the environment.

Natel Energy is a clean-tech business located in a 65,000 square foot space at Alameda Point. Natel's technology creates efficient and cost-effective hydropower without disturbing natural eco-systems. The sixteen person company offers hydropower solutions working with dams as low as three feet, or on miles of irrigation canals. With Natel’s technology, thousands of very low drops can easily be developed to produce clean power with minimal environmental disruption. Over the past year Natel has completed projects across the western United States, and was recently awarded a grant by the US Trade Development Agency to develop two pilot projects in Chile. Natel was one of the first companies in Alameda’s bustling green technology cluster.