SACRAMENTO, CA - The California Energy Commission has released a draft of its 2010-2011 Investment Plan for the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program -- an annual document that sets funding priorities for the $100 million-a-year program. 

The program, created by Assembly Bill 118 in 2007 and later amended by Assembly Bill 109 in 2008, seeks to provide a path toward meeting the state's climate change policies. The Energy Commission will establish a new advisory committee to help develop and adopt the investment plan. Committee meetings will be open to the public. The public and all stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments about any proposals to the commission. 

The investment plan is intended to guide the allocation of program funding. The program's goals include promoting the increased use of alternative transportation fuels, including electricity, natural gas, biomethane, propane, hydrogen, ethanol, renewable diesel and biodiesel. Funding priorities are analyzed based on the State Alternative Fuels Plan's 2020 and 2050 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. 

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Here is a funding allocation summary, included in the draft document, for FY 2010-2011.* 

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Battery Electric Drive

• Develop and demonstrate advanced on-road and non-road medium- and heavy-duty vehicles -- $14 Million 

• Infrastructure and related activities -- $3 Million 

• Manufacturing facilities and equipment -- $7.5 Million 

Subtotal -- $24.5 Million

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Hydrogen Electric Drive

• Fueling Infrastructure -- $13 Million

 Subtotal -- $13 Million

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Gasoline Substitutes

• Expansion of E-85 dispensers and retail outlets -- $6.5 Million 

• Gasoline substitutes production in existing, new and retrofit facilities -- $10 Million 

Subtotal -- $16.5 Million

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Diesel Substitutes

• Diesel substitutes production -- $5 Million 

• Bulk terminal storage and blending facilities -- $4 Million

Subtotal -- $9 Million

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Natural Gas

• Light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles -- $13 Million 

• Upgrades to natural gas fueling stations -- $2 Million 

• Biomethane production plants and quality testing -- $7 Million 

Subtotal -- $22 Million

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Propane

• Light- and medium- duty vehicles -- $3 Million 

Subtotal -- $3 Million

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Innovative Technologies and Advanced Fuels

• Innovative technologies and advanced fuels -- $3 Million 

• Federal cost sharing -- $5 Million

Subtotal -- $8 Million

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Market and Program Development

• Workforce Development and Training -- $1 Million 

• Sustainability studies -- $2.5 Million

• Program marketing and public education and outreach -- $2.5 Million 

• Technical assistance and environmental/market/technology analyses -- $6 Million 

Subtotal -- $12 Million

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Grand Total -- $108 Million

Source: California Energy Commission 

* The Energy Commission will also fund up to 2 percent (or $2.16 million) of the total allocation for measurement, verification, and evaluation. This amount will be taken from each category on a prorated basis.