Funding Progress
Each year, the Energy Commission prepares an investment plan to determine funding priorities and opportunities. Sought are the best means of leveraging up to $100 million in program funding along with other public and private investments. Currently in the fourth year of a seven-year funding lifecycle, the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program plays a crucial role in attaining the state’s climate change and energy policies. Through 2014, the Energy Commission will continue to provide incentives to accelerate developing clean, efficient low-carbon technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum dependence.
During the first two years of funding (2008-2010) the Energy Commission committed $36.5 million to California transportation projects that were awarded $105.3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds along with $113.3 million in private funds. These funds are being used to:
- Install 2,860 new electric vehicle charging sites
- Demonstrate and deploy more that 700 medium and heavy duty natural gas and hybrid-electric trucks
- Develop high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries
- Provide public outreach to promote deployment of heavy-duty natural gas vehicles
- Establish 75 new E85 fueling stations
An additional $20.6 million was distributed through inter-agency agreements for:
- Certifying hydrogen dispensing equipment for retail hydrogen fueling stations and establishing specifications for hydrogen and biodiesel fuels.
- Establishing statewide workforce training and development programs
- Converting state-owned hybrid vehicles to plug-in hybrid vehicles
- Technical assistance in administering the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program
The remainder of the two-year funding amount was then co-mingled with funds that came available from the third year (2010-2011) through a number of competitive solicitations, incentive programs and contractual agreements. Altogether, $189.4 million provided resources for 82 projects ranging from developing liquid biofuels from agricultural and forest waste to building new or upgraded fueling stations for electric, natural gas, E85, hydrogen and biodiesel vehicles. $14.5 million was provided as incentives for purchasing propane and natural gas trucks and buses, $6 million was leveraged with the Air Resources Board to augment their existing Clean Vehicle and Hybrid Truck incentive programs and $3 million was provided to the US Forest Service, University of California at Irvine and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for a variety of research services and modeling tools.
For complete details of past and future funding allocations for the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program see the 2011-2012 Committee Investment Plan.
You can follow the proceedings as the plan is finalized and sign up on the list serve at the 2011-2012 Investment Plan for the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program page. You will receive notification of meetings, workshops and reports as they are developed.