Program History
The IAW research, development and demonstration (RD&D) program did not commence in 1996 like the other five PIER RD&D programs. Late in 1998, the PIER program separated the industrial, agricultural and water (IAW) efficiency elements from the Buildings Energy Efficiency program. This separation recognized that energy issues in general, and energy efficiency needs, in particular - for industry, water and agriculture sectors - are distinctly different than for residential and nonresidential buildings. The IAW sectors undertake energy efficiency measures in reaction to different market drivers. Moreover, the IAW energy consumption patterns, sensitivity to energy price and volatility, and dependence on a reliable and high quality electricity source warranted that the research be more responsive and focused to their needs. This focus was possible only if a separate RD&D program were set up to accommodate the specific needs of the IAW sectors.
The initial PIER program solicitations in 1997 and 1998 funded a few projects within the IAW sectors. After the establishment of a separate IAW program activity, the PIER program funded several RD&D projects in collaboration with academic institutions, research institutions and industry associations. Examples of research partners include the Electric Power Research Institute at Palo Alto, the University of California at Berkley, the University of California at Davis, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at Berkeley, the California Cast Metal Association and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Until the end of 2002, this collaborative approach will be the primary mode of funding RD&D for IAW sectors. The achievements of individual research projects and the accomplishments of the program can be gauged from the final reports that are located at www.energy.ca.gov/pier/iaw/reports/index.html.
Current Activities
As of December 2004, the PIER program has provided $30 million towards RD&D in the industrial, agricultural and water sectors. The majority of the funded projects were granted to research institutions such as EPRI and GTI, California Academic Institutions, and Federal Government Research Laboratories. The PIER IAW program has also solicited several RD&D projects in all three sectors through the Request for Proposals (RFP) for Transition Contracts, the First General Solicitation and Sole Source Contracts. The following chart depicts total RD&D funding in IAW to date:
For details on the projects funded under each sector, please select from below.
Planned Activities
Electricity Energy StorageThe California Energy Commission's PIER program is joining with the U.S. Department of Energy's Storage Technology program to fund projects that will seek viable options for electricity problems through demonstration of electric energy storage as a technically sound, cost-effective and broadly applicable solution for reliable electricity system capacity and for electric energy management in California. A Request for Proposals (RFP) solicitation is being prepared which will look to fund 4-5 viable projects, not to exceed $5 million that meet the selection criteria that will be outlined in the released RFP. Below are some key timeframes for this RFP:
- The RFP is expected to be released June - July of 2003
- Selected Projects Announced September - October 2003.
- Contracts expected to be awarded by the end of 2003
The PIER Food Industry Energy Research program (FIER) intends to fund proposals for research projects that will encourage energy efficiency, cost savings, reliability, and environmental stewardship in California's food processing industry. This solicitation primarily focuses on electrical energy efficiency, conservation, and reliability RD&D opportunities. The FIER Grant Program is expected to award approximately $3 million for individual projects generally ranging from $200,000 to $500,000. For more information please visit CIEE.