Efficiency Services and Loan Programs - developing and operating state and federally-funded technical and financial assistance programs that improve the efficient use of energy in buildings and processes.

The majority of these programs are for public agencies:

• The Bright Schools Program helps public K-12 school districts and non-profit schools reduce energy costs in their facilities.
• The Energy Partnership Program targets cities, counties, special districts, public or non-profit colleges, hospitals and public care facilities.

Both programs help customers identify ways to save energy costs and to encourage the most efficient use of energy in their facilities. The office also offers the Energy Efficiency Financing Program that provides qualifying agencies with low interest loans to fund energy saving improvements to buildings, facilities and processes.

Process Energy - includes almost all:

• Industrial facilities
• Water and wastewater treatment and pumping operations
• Agricultural operations/food processing

Process energy is a continuous series of actions that bring about a particular result, product, or condition that contributes to economic growth. Most California industries use energy to transform raw materials into commercial products. Process energy powers motors, engines, boilers, pumps, dryers, compressors, refrigeration systems, and other devices used to produce food, manufacture durable goods, and harvest and recycle natural resources. The Process Energy Unit services the agricultural, industrial, and water and wastewater treatment communities in promoting energy efficiency. This is accomplished through partnerships with organizations in the public and private sectors. The partnerships are supported by demonstrations of energy efficient applications in the field, and transfer of technical information throughout the industrial, water, and agricultural sectors of California.

Desired Majors: Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Engineering Geology, Power Systems Engineering, and related majors.

Energy Efficiency Research Office

Manages two programs which include Buildings Efficiency Program and Industrial /Agricultural/ Water (IAW) program. The Buildings Program area focuses on lowering building energy use in both new and existing buildings in residential and commercial applications. The research supported by the Buildings Program area specifically targets the development or improvement of energy efficient technologies, strategies, tools, and building performance evaluation methods. The program seeks to improve the energy efficiency of industrial processes, agricultural operations, and water and wastewater treatment plants. Besides improving energy efficiency, the program also strives to research, develop, and demonstrate technologies that help these sectors deal with power quality and power supply reliability issues.

Energy Generation Office

Manages two programs which include Renewables Program and Environmentally Preferred Advanced Generation (EPAG) Program. The renewable program is focused on four objectives: (1) Making improvements at existing renewable energy facilities (2) Expanding renewable distributed generation technologies (3) Developing renewable energy technologies, products, and services that provide more affordable electricity, improved reliability, and a selection of choices (4) Conducting longer term research on advanced renewable technologies. The Environmentally Preferred Advanced Generation (EPAG) unit of the PIER Program has the objective of facilitating widespread use of non-renewable distributed generation (DG) and improving California's air quality by developing reliable, cost effective, emission-reduction technologies for reciprocating engines, small turbines and microturbines, fuel cells, and hybrid fuel cell-microturbine technologies.

Energy Systems Research Office

Manages four programs which include Energy Systems Integration (ESI) Program Area, Energy-Related Environmental Research Program Area, The Energy Innovations Small Grant (EISG) Program, and Transportation Research Program Area. The primary mission of ESI is to develop research opportunities that facilitate the integration and development of innovative technologies to provide California's with a more effective, efficient, and reliable electricity infrastructure. PIER-EA's goal is to resolve impacts from electricity generation, transmission, and use. In addition to addressing suspected and documented environmental impacts of electricity, PIER-EA provides basic scientific information and tools needed to understand the environmental implications of technology and fuel types to inform the R&D choices undertaken elsewhere in the PIER Program. The Energy Innovations Small Grant (EISG) Program provides up to $95,000 for hardware projects and $50,000 for modeling projects to small businesses, non-profits, individuals and academic institutions to conduct research that establishes the feasibility of new, innovative energy concepts. EISG projects must target one of the PIER program areas, address a California energy problem and provide a potential benefit to California electric and natural gas ratepayers. Transportation RD&D provides a sustainable foundation for California's future by building a cleaner and more diverse transportation system, which increases California's independence from foreign oil, improves the quality of its environment and increases the health benefits from a cleaner environment and higher air quality.

Fossil Fuels Office

Serves the citizens of California by gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data provided by the petroleum industry. The office is currently involved in the most pertinent and visible energy issues taking place in California. Staff in this office perform analytical activities, which are developed through legislative mandates, research, or in response to issues related to transportation fuels, supply, price, and demand. The office publishes a 20-year transportation fuel supply and demand forecast biannually and monthly reports on the driving forces affecting the supply and price of fuels.

The staff in this office is very active - aiding and educating citizens with current fuel price and supply information, as well as providing reports, testimony, presentations, data, and support to the Governor's office, state and federal agencies, cities, counties, community colleges, universities, bureaus, and the public at large.

• Petroleum Reporting Unit staff collect and analyze data coming to the Energy Commission from California's petroleum industry, such as retail fueling stations, refineries, and fuel importers. This information keeps the Governor, Legislature, Commissioners, and the public aware of the current gasoline and diesel situations in California. The unit is looking for a wide range of skills - from database knowledge and/or hands-on experience to communication and networking skills with individuals in the petroleum industry. Backgrounds in economics and engineering are useful.
• Petroleum Forecasting Unit staff work on understanding current trends in transportation supply and demand and looking into the future to help the State plan for reliable and affordable fuels. The work integrates skills and knowledge of geopolitics, market economics, and statistics with the operation and development of complex computer models and databases to produce long-term fuel forecasts and other fuels market analyses.

Emerging Fuels and Technology Office

Assesses and demonstrates the market potential of new transportation technologies and fuels, encourages the widespread use of low-emission alternative fuels in emerging technologies, and evaluates the development risks of and opportunities for using alternative fuels in transportation applications. This office will administer the new established Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Fund which will award $120 million annually.

Programs in this office

Include the nation's most ambitious demonstration and commercialization of fuel flexible vehicles - a technology that allows vehicles to operate on ethanol, gasoline, or any combination of these fuels; development of the State's Alternative Fuels Plan; technology advancement activities that promote further development of cleaner and more energy efficient vehicle technologies; California's Clean Cities Program; and the country's largest demonstration of fuel-efficient school buses, nearly 50 percent of which are fueled with natural gas. The office is also involved in the California Fuel Cell Partnership, Tire Efficiency, Truck Stop Electrification, and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

The goal of the Emerging Fuels and Technologies Office (EFTO) is to increase fuel efficiency and provide fuel diversity to California's transportation market. Staff work is varied and interesting, working with vehicle manufacturers, fuel providers, and the many individuals and organizations to shape California's transportation demands.

EFTO staff works in teams and undertakes a number of different tasks pertaining to alternative fuels and transportation technologies such as:

Collaborate with state agencies on projects such as Governor Schwarzenegger's Hydrogen Highway Blueprint Plan, which requires agencies to work together on the production of hydrogen as part of a strategy to reduce the state's dependence on petroleum, achieve the state's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and improve air quality for the state's residents.

Interact with individuals and organizations leading development in a number of fuels such as ethanol, natural gas, propane, and electricity to name a few to aid in an attempt to develop a strategy to increase their production and use of these fuels in the California market. Past fuel use trends along with previous alternative fuel projects must be examined in order to project how they will affect future transportation markets in California.

Explore alternative technologies and developments which are not typically thought of for fuel savings. Some examples include tire efficiency, or rolling resistance, and how it can affect vehicle mileage, and electrification of truck stops to reduce truck idling and fuel consumption (while providing drivers with the comforts of heating and air conditioning while they stop for rest).

Collect and analyze data on emerging transportation fuel trends and trends in the process technologies needed to convert resources available around the world into these fuels. Reports are developed on technical and economic assessments of process technology and vehicle technologies, as well as market trends in other states and countries competing for emerging fuels suitable for California on-road and off-road vehicles.

Special Projects Office

Coordinates a variety of Energy Commission's multi-disciplinary programs. The Office supports the state's liquefied natural gas (LNG) working group which coordinates communication among government agencies involved in permitting LNG facilities in California. Under the Climate Change program, staff participates in and coordinates Energy Commission work with California Environmental Protection Agency-led greenhouse gas reduction efforts. The Office supports the work of the Bioenergy Interagency Working Group, a state agency group that coordinates an integrated state policy and action plan on the use of biomass. This Office runs the California Energy Shortage Contingency Plan to respond to any energy emergency or disaster and administers the state's Emergency Fuel Allocation Program which finds fuel for emergency services responders. The Office administers the Energy Technology Export Program which manages International Energy Fund projects, leads trade missions and orientation visits, and conducts market and trade analysis. The Office also coordinates land use planning activities with other state agencies and local and regional governments.