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Janis C Pepper
Affiliate, Precourt Institute Affiliates
Visiting Scholar, Precourt Institute for Energy
Jan Pepper has more than 30 years of experience in the energy and utility industry, with a legacy of industry-leading innovations. Most recently, from 2016 to 2023, she was the founding Chief Executive Officer of Peninsula Clean Energy, the community choice energy program serving the unincorporated county and all 20 cities in San Mateo County, as well as the City of Los Banos. Under Jan’s leadership, Peninsula Clean Energy has one of the cleanest electricity portfolios in the industry, delivering 100% clean electricity, and at a lower cost than the incumbent utility. During Jan’s tenure, she advanced the forward-looking goal of delivering 100% renewable energy on a 24/7 basis at no additional cost.
Over the course of her career, Jan has founded four energy-related start-ups. She is a pioneer and innovator in industry. At APX, she developed and implemented the first use of renewable energy credits, which now serve as the standard currency for trading and tracking renewable power. At Clean Power Markets, her company designed and implemented the successful Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program for the State of New Jersey.
In 2017, the U.S. EPA and the Center for Resource Solutions honored her as the Green Power Leader of the Year. Jan served eight years on the Los Altos City Council and was Mayor in 2015 and 2020. She served on the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District from 2013 to February 2017. Jan is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Precourt Institute for Energy in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and co-teaches a course on energy during the fall quarter. She has a BS in civil engineering and an MBA, both from Stanford University. She is the recipient of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Distinguished Alumni Award for 2025.
Over the course of her career, Jan has founded four energy-related start-ups. She is a pioneer and innovator in industry. At APX, she developed and implemented the first use of renewable energy credits, which now serve as the standard currency for trading and tracking renewable power. At Clean Power Markets, her company designed and implemented the successful Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program for the State of New Jersey.
In 2017, the U.S. EPA and the Center for Resource Solutions honored her as the Green Power Leader of the Year. Jan served eight years on the Los Altos City Council and was Mayor in 2015 and 2020. She served on the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District from 2013 to February 2017. Jan is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Precourt Institute for Energy in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and co-teaches a course on energy during the fall quarter. She has a BS in civil engineering and an MBA, both from Stanford University. She is the recipient of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Distinguished Alumni Award for 2025.