State Energy Grants

The purpose of this solicitation is to fund an applied research and development project that will support research to assess the impact of consolidated packages of electrified retrofit measures on air quality and other related impact categories, including resilience to extreme heat, indoor comfort, and energy and cost savings in California homes. Description: This research will identify and assess non-energy benefits of home electrification and evaluate key stakeholders’ (e.g., residents, contractors) experience with the retrofitting process. Ultimately, this work will provide guidance on how these benefits could be considered in strategies and decisions to retrofit or replace gas-fueled appliances with electric. The proposed research is intended to provide crucial support to the state’s efforts to address challenges in building decarbonization and to minimize air quality impacts to its residents. The research responds to the 2021-2025 California Energy Commission (CEC) Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) Investment Plan research initiative “Evaluating Air Quality, Health, and Equity in Clean Energy Solutions.” CEC’s California Building Decarbonization Assessment report, required by Assembly Bill 3232 (Friedman, Chapter 373, Statutes of 2018) suggests that efficient electrification in California’s buildings presents the most readily achievable pathway for this sector to achieve a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gases relative to 1990 levels by 2030 (Kenney, et al. 2021). The same report acknowledges significant challenges associated with residential building decarbonization including high upfront costs, potential for increased utility bills, limited awareness of technology options and their benefits, constraints faced by renters, and systemic inequality faced by low-income and disadvantaged communities. There are many non-market factors to consider in decisions to retrofit or replace appliances, such as the non-energy benefits of home electrification (e.g., health, comfort, and household economics) that many are not aware of. Additionally, there are many not-yet characterized potential benefits of electrification retrofits in existing homes (e.g., improved air quality). These existing homes pose challenges — as well as enormous potential benefits — related to electrification; however, they are not typically covered under the Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, which apply only to new buildings and buildings undergoing permitted upgrades. Improvements in indoor air quality and related health outcomes are of particular importance to populations in low-income and disadvantaged communities, which are often disproportionately burdened by energy-related air pollutants. For example, in August 2023, the operating lives of three once through cooling (OTC) fossil gas power plants were extended through 2026 to provide reserve generation during power emergencies (CalMatters 2023, California Energy Commission 2023) and the emissions from OTC smokestacks can impact the outdoor and indoor air quality of residents living near those plants. In addition, wildfire-generated air pollution poses an added threat, possibly compounding already existing air quality issues in these communities. Eligibility Requirements Eligible Applicants: Business Individual Nonprofit Other Legal Entity Public Agency Tribal Government This solicitation is open to all public and private entities with the exception of local publicly owned electric utilities. Eligible Geographies: No local publicly owned electric utilities. Matching Funding Requirement: Match funding is required in the amount of at least 5% minimum of the requested CEC funds.

The purpose of this solicitation is to award grants to fund projects focused on geothermal energy and lithium recovery from geothermal brine that support local jurisdictions and private entities to advance the geothermal sector and related activities per Public Resource Code (PRC) Sections 3800-3827 and California Code of Regulations (CCR) Sections 1660-1665. ; This solicitation aims to support the goals of Senate Bill 100 (SB 100, De Leon, Chapter 312, Statures of 2018), Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32, Nunez, Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006), and SB 32 (Pavley, Chapter 249, Statutes of 2016) to meet the eligible renewable energy, zero-carbon energy, and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. The proposed projects must not exceed thirty-six (36) months in length – the project term must be in alignment with the proposed project scope and budget, and it is encouraged to explain that alignment in the Project Narrative (Attachment 3). The proposed projects are limited to addressing one of the eligible purposes allowed by the Geothermal Grant and Loan Program, as presented in Section I.C., Project Focus, per PRC Section 3823. This solicitation will be conducted as a two-phase process. Phase one is for local jurisdictions that want to compete for technical assistance funds to develop and prepare the full proposal for this solicitation. Phase one applicants need to complete a 1) Technical Assistance Application Form, 2) Technical Assistance Project Summary, and 3) Technical Assistance Scope of Work. Phase two is for local jurisdictions and private entities to submit the full proposal, as indicated in Section I E. (Key Activities Schedule) of this solicitation. See Part II of this solicitation for applicant and project eligibility requirements. Phase one and Phase two applications will be evaluated as follows: (1) proposal screening and (2) proposal scoring, as fully described in Section IV. Applicants may submit multiple applications, though each application must address only one of the eligible purposes identified in Section 1 C. (Project Focus) of this solicitation. If an applicant submits multiple applications, each application must be for a distinct project (i.e., no overlap with respect to the tasks described in the Scope of Work).

The purpose of this solicitation is to fund applied research to increase California’s hydropower generation through precipitation enhancement (cloud seeding). Research funded by this solicitation will foster cost-effective, robust approaches to manage anticipated needs for zero-carbon, fast-ramping resources in the context of a rapidly evolving energy system and climate change.; The proposed research contributes to implementation of the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) 2021-2025 Investment Plan and responds to the strategic objective: “Inform California's Transition to an Equitable, Zero-Carbon Energy System that is Climate-Resilient and Meets Environmental Goals” (Chapter 7). Specifically, this solicitation supports the topic 44 within the Climate Resilience Initiative: “Integrating Climate Resilience in Electricity System Planning.” Hydroelectric power is an important source of zero-carbon, dispatchable power in California. It is a critical element of the state’s electricity system and in-state generation, providing peaking reserve, spinning reserve, and load following capacity, as well as transmission line support (Somani, et al., 2021). The percentage of the state’s electricity supplied by hydropower varies, as hydropower resources are strongly dependent on magnitude and timing of snowmelt runoff and rainfall. Between 2012 and 2021, hydropower (including in-state generation and imports) provided an average of 9 percent of California’s total energy mix (California Energy Commission 2022). As the state continues to contend with drought and other climate-driven impacts on water and hydropower resource availability, as well as develop more sustainable water management practices (California Water Action Plan, 2014), the proposed research will support opportunities for increasing and sustaining hydropower generation. Specifically, the research will contribute to more effective precipitation enhancement (cloud seeding) strategies.

The Texas Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Program aims to improve Texas air quality by providing grants for the replacement or repowering of older diesel vehicles and equipment with all-electric versions. This includes Class 8 Local Freight Trucks, Port Drayage Trucks, School Buses, Shuttle Buses, Transit Buses, and non-road equipment like forklifts and airport ground support equipment. The program supports the transition to cleaner, electric alternatives to reduce emissions and promote environmental sustainability. Grants on a first-come, first-served basis