California Energy Commission to Hold Public Workshop on $46M+ in Grants for Biomethane, Medium-and Heavy-Duty Advanced Vehicle Technology, and Alt and Renewable Fuel Infrastructure
26 November 2009
The California Energy Commission staff will conduct a public workshop on 15 December to discuss three grant solicitations to be funded by the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Program (Program). The solicitations will focus on biomethane production, medium- and heavy-duty advanced vehicle technology, and alternative and renewable fuel infrastructure. A minimum of $46 million will be available from the three solicitations.
The workshop, which will also provide access via Webex and conference call, will provide information on the grant solicitation process, including required proposal information, review and scoring criteria, project selection and award, terms and conditions, and timeline. The three solicitations include:
Biomethane Production. Available funding is $21.5 million. The Energy Commission is seeking to fund projects that involve the design, construction and operation of biomethane production facilities. The intent of this solicitation is to encourage the development of a new industry in California to produce a transportation fuel that is one of the most effective greenhouse gas reduction strategies, and that can significantly reduce petroleum fuel demand, stimulate economic development, and reduce environmental impacts associated with the State’s major waste sources.
The Energy Commission reserves the right to increase this total amount to $26 million without issuing a new solicitation.
Medium- and Heavy-Duty Advanced Vehicle Technology. Available funding is $9.5 million. The Energy Commission is seeking to fund projects that develop the commercialization of advanced medium- and heavy-duty vehicle technologies. The intent of this solicitation is to provide funding to advance the state-of-the-art in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to significantly reduce the demand for petroleum fuels and greenhouse gas emissions in this critical market sector.
The Energy Commission reserves the right to increase this total amount to $12 million without issuing a new solicitation.
Alternative and Renewable Fuel Infrastructure. Available funding is $13.8 million. The Energy Commission is seeking to fund projects that develop infrastructure necessary to store, distribute and dispense the following transportation fuels:
- Electricity,
- E-85,
- Biomass-based diesel, and
- Natural gas.
The intent of this solicitation is to upgrade public and private infrastructure investments, expand the network of public-access and fleet fueling stations and charging sites based on the population of existing and anticipated vehicles, and put in place infrastructure that will ultimately be needed to accommodate transportation fuels with very low greenhouse gas emissions.
The Energy Commission reserves the right to increase this total amount to $17 million without issuing a new solicitation.
Background. Assembly Bill 118 (Nùñez, Chapter 750, Statutes of 2007), created the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. The statute, subsequently amended by AB 109 (Nùñez) Chapter 313, Statutes of 2008), authorizes the Energy Commission to develop and deploy alternative and renewable fuels and advanced transportation technologies to help attain the state’s climate change policies.
The Energy Commission has an annual program budget of approximately $100 million and provides financial support for projects that:
Develop and improve alternative and renewable low-carbon fuels;
Optimize alternative and renewable fuels for existing and developing engine technologies;
Produce alternative and renewable low-carbon fuels in California;
Decrease, on a full fuel cycle basis, the overall impact and carbon footprint of alternative and renewable fuels and increase sustainability;
Expand fuel infrastructure, fueling stations, and equipment;
Improve light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle technologies;
Retrofit medium- and heavy-duty on-road and non-road vehicle fleets;
Expand infrastructure connected with existing fleets, public transit, and transportation corridors; and
Establish workforce training programs, conduct public education and promotion, and create technology centers.
Resources
CEC Investment Plan for the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (CEC-600-2009-008-CTF)
I would like to see methanol and DME made from natural gas locally and renewable methane filling the pipelines from biomass sources. M85 for cars and DME for trucks made from pipeline methane locally would reduce oil imports and make a more efficient distribution network.
Posted by: SJC | 26 November 2009 at 09:22 AM
CEC rejoices in press release entirely purged of "climate" language. Cautious public considers reading it.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 27 November 2009 at 12:41 AM
The concept of biofuels should be repugnant to any environmentalist who should have learned that England and Europe were nearly totally deforested during the beginning of the industrial revolution as was the US.
Two thousand years before that, the fertile lands of North Africa were washed into the mediteranee in an effort to supply grain for food to Rome.
There is not enough fertile biomass land area on the whole earth to supply a biofuel replacement for the oil that the US uses and feed the people of the earth too.
Hydraulic hybrid technology or any hybrid technology can reduce fuel consumption by up to one half.
Smaller engines and cars can also reduce consumption and should have long ago been required by Califormia.
All new cars in California should not be sold without being equipped with natural gas tanks that have the capacity for 40 miles of travel. The car need never run on natural gas alone but it can be used to reduce fuel consumption. All new houses that have natural gas must have compressors to charge each car.
All large trucks operated consistently in California must also have such a system that has a capacity of 100 miles of diesel equivalent fuel. All truck fuel stations must have a means of recharging natural gas quickly. In remote locations this may be a large tank of liquid natural gas.
Cogeneration must be required for all heating systems in all new buildings that have natural gas available. The heat can be used also for cooling. The gas used must be provided at a net cost less than double that charged to major power plants.
No imports of biofuels can be allowed; California must learn to be energy independent in regards to any biofuels if they are going to require them.
The phrase low carbon fuels is intended to mislead the public that such a thing can be provided at the costs they can pay.
Nuclear energy is a clear way to reduce CO2 release and supply industrial amounts of energy. France has proved that it is possible. Many French electric consumers pay far less for electricity than Californians. People with profits comming from oil can pay billions of dollars to false front environmental groups to prevent nuclear or other power plants. Much anti-coal power actions can be financed by oil companies who get up to twenty times more money for the same amount of energy.
A lifetime's worth of energy for a US resident, including all US energy consumption averaged over each person, would require less than two pounds of uranium at as low as ten dollars a pound or as much as 1000. A persons average coal ash waste for a day is more than that and paradoxically frequently contains more energy in the form of uranium and thorium than the coal it came from contained.
No forests can be destroyed for biofuels as they have already been destroyed in the past for fuel and building. All biofuels must come from private and not public lands. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 29 November 2009 at 04:15 PM