3360 Energy Resource Conservation/Dvlmt Comm
Program Descriptions

10 - REGULATORY and PLANNING PROGRAM

The Regulatory and Planning program facilitates markets in providing adequate statewide energy supplies. The program develops long-range projections for future energy supplies and demand, and maintains current information on statewide electricity generation, transmission, natural gas, and fuels markets. Additionally, this program certifies power plant sites and designates transmission line corridors, and monitors new energy facilities and fuel infrastructure for compliance and supply and distribution adequacy consistent with state energy policies. The Electricity Supply Analysis program develops long-range projections for future energy supplies and demand, and maintains current information on statewide electrical generation, consumption and peak demand, natural gas, and distributed generation. The program develops state energy policy based on the economic, financial, security, safety, and environmental implications of supply, demand, and price/cost assessments, and monitors energy markets to ensure competitive prices and prevent potential market abuses.

10.10 - Power Plant Site Certification and Transmission Line Corridor Designation Program

The Power Plant Site Certification and Transmission Line Corridor Designation program is responsible for the following: reviewing power plant siting applications 50 megawatts and larger; ensuring power plant developers comply with conditions of certification and all applicable laws and regulations when constructing and operating power plants; reviewing petitions to amend siting decisions; reviewing applications for designation as transmission line corridors; evaluating constraints and opportunities for energy resource development; and analyzing reliability, efficiency, and environmental performance issues related to power plants and the state electricity transmission grid.

10.20 - Electricity Analysis

The Electricity Analysis program is responsible for evaluating current and future electricity supply market trends and infrastructure needs; estimating costs of various generation types; assessing the adequacy of electricity supplies; and analyzing regulations and environmental issues related to electricity. Additionally, this program addresses the distribution system and its relationship to distributed generation, including planning and interconnection barriers and provides information and recommendations to state agencies, electricity market participants, and the public. The natural gas program component is responsible for evaluating current and future natural gas market trends and infrastructure needs, assessing the adequacy of natural gas supplies, analyzing regulations and environmental issues related to natural gas, and leading interagency work groups to monitor short-term natural gas market trends.

20 - ENERGY RESOURCES CONSERVATION PROGRAM

The Energy Resources Conservation program objectives include reducing overall energy use and decreasing peak electricity demand by identifying energy efficiency opportunities and developing and implementing programs and standards for efficiently using energy in all sectors.

20.10 - Building and Appliances Program

The Building and Appliances program objectives include reducing consumer and business energy use and peak demands by developing and implementing strategies and minimum efficiency standards for new and existing residential and nonresidential buildings, appliances, and equipment. The Building and Appliances program provides technical assistance on building standards and enforcement support to the building industry and building departments. Further, the program maintains a database of energy efficiency appliances and equipment, and enforces compliance with the appliance efficiency standards.

20.30 - Energy Projects Evaluation and Assistance Program

This program is responsible for providing technical assistance, grants, and loans to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs of schools, colleges, local jurisdictions, hospitals, and public care facilities.

20.40 - Demand Analysis

The Demand Analysis program is responsible for collecting and analyzing electricity and natural gas consumption data used to prepare energy demand forecasts, forecasting peak and total energy consumption by sector, and estimating the amount of energy conserved by existing and proposed program activities.

30 - DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The Development Program focuses on transportation and alternatives to conventional fossil fuels. The mission is to ensure that adequate and reliable transportation energy is provided to the California transportation sector while balancing economic, public health, safety, and environmental consequences. Additionally, the program also conducts research, development, demonstration, commercialization, and deployment activities on energy efficiency, renewable and advanced energy technologies, and alternative and renewable fuel and advanced vehicle technologies to ensure future energy supplies are cost effective, secure, and reliable; enhance environmental quality; and promote state and local economic development. The program provides technical assistance, financial assistance, direct technology research and demonstration, technology forecasting, technology analysis and evaluation, and information transfer.

30.20 - Transportation Technology and Fuels

The Transportation Technology and Fuels program provides financial incentives to develop and deploy innovative technologies that transform California's fuel and vehicle types to help attain the state's climate change policies. The program goal is the development and deployment of low-carbon alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies in the marketplace, without adopting any one preferred fuel or technology. The program provides analyses and recommendations to guide state energy policy and legislation to achieve climate change objectives, reduce petroleum consumption, and promote economic development. The program also monitors, analyzes, and reports on transportation fuel supply and production, fuel infrastructure issues, transportation fuel demand trends, and responds to energy and fuel shortages and emergencies. The program assists local and regional agencies with reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions through land use planning and community design; provides support to border energy commitments; and facilitates international trade missions and delegation visits

30.30 - Research and Development

The Research and Development program provides analysis and investment recommendations for research, demonstration, and development innovations addressing current and emerging energy system requirements. The program supports projects that complement other private or public sector investments. The program goal is to develop, and help bring to market, energy solutions providing increased environmental benefits, greater system reliability, and lower energy costs. Benefits are provided to Californians through investments in energy efficiency and demand response, advanced generation, energy storage, strategies to reduce or mitigate energy-related environmental impact, transportation technologies, and energy transmission and distribution system improvements.

30.40 - Renewable Energy

The Renewable Energy program fosters growth of the renewable energy market by providing rebates to purchasers of renewable products, tracking and verifying renewable energy transactions, and enforcing compliance with state renewable energy mandates.

99 - LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM

The Loan Repayment program consists of Conservation and Development program loan repayments deposited into the following accounts: State Energy Conservation Assistance Account; Local Jurisdiction Energy Assistance Account; Energy Technologies Research, Development and Demonstration Account; and Local Government Geothermal Resources Revolving Subaccount and Clean and Renewable Energy Business Financing Revolving Loan Fund.