Comments Deadline Extended
The deadline for comments has been moved to June 1, 2020.
California’s transportation sector accounts for 40 percent of the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventory and an additional 10 percent reflects emissions from petroleum production and refineries. The California Energy Commission (CEC) has managed the Clean Transportation Program under Assembly Bill (AB) 118 (Núñez, Chapter 750, Statutes of 2007) and AB 8 (Perea, Chapter 401, Statutes of 2013) to reduce GHG emissions in the transportation sector. The CEC has provided seed funding for electric vehicle charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure, low carbon fuel production plants, vehicle and component manufacturing plants and other projects for the last 10 years at roughly $100 million per year.
The enabling legislation allows the program to deploy funds through competitive grants, revolving loans, loan guarantees, loans, or other appropriate funding measures, to public agencies, vehicle and technology entities, businesses and public-private partnerships. This fund is authorized through 2023 and complements other programs such as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Plan, incentive funds managed by other agencies (California Air Resources Board, California Public Utilities Commission, California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Department of Recycling and Resource Recovery) and other climate change initiatives. Even though progress has occurred to stimulate development of clean transportation options, the California goal to reduce GHG emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 requires greater investment from private capital sources beyond current levels of government incentives and private capital commitments.
Under the “Clean Transportation Financing and Investment Initiative”, the CEC is seeking information to increase private investment in clean transportation fuel, infrastructure and vehicle projects in California supported by incentive funds, mandates, and regulations to achieve GHG emission reduction requirements. This initiative will begin with a Request for Information (RFI) and may include additional staff research, public workshops, a financial investment workgroup, and proposed actions to conduct new pilot programs, establish new initiatives, and explore optional financing mechanisms.
