Since 1996, the state has invested almost $900 million through various funding programs for clean energy research and development projects. California leveraged those dollars to attract more than $1.4 billion in matching funds.
One significant funding source is the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) Program, which was created in 2011 by the California Public Utilities Commission. The California Energy Commission administers the program. Last year, the Energy Commission approved 81 projects totaling almost $171 million.
The program�s goal is to provide more reliable, lower-cost, and safer electricity to ratepayers. It supports that goal by funding leading-edge energy research and development projects that create or build upon clean energy solutions such as near-zero-net energy buildings, state-of-the-art energy efficient businesses, sustainable bioenergy systems, the electrification of transportation, and developing technologies for the 21st century power grid.
EPIC also helps bring innovations to market by fostering the development of energy technologies into successful businesses, facilitating the inclusion of emerging clean energy technologies into large-scale procurement processes, and accelerating the deployment of promising energy technologies.
Programs such as EPIC have helped California take the lead nationally in energy efficiency. The state has more renewable energy resources than many countries and has the largest fleet of hybrid and clean fueled vehicles on the road in the United States.
More about the EPIC projects can be found in program�s 2015 annual report.
