The California Energy Commission (CEC), is California’s primary energy policy and planning agency.  Created by the Legislature in 1974 and located in Sacramento, the Commission’s mission to assess, advocate and act through public/private partnerships to improve energy systems that promote a strong economy and a healthy environment.

The CEC is concerned with the impact transportation fuels has on the state of California. Under the new Commission reorganization in 2004, a new Division was formed to focus on transportation energy, natural gas and alternatives to conventional fuels.  Additionally, the division houses the Commission's Climate Change Program and the Energy Technology Export Program.  The Commission’s Transportation Technology Office assesses and demonstrates the market potential of new transportation technologies and fuels, encourages the widespread use of low-emission alternative fuels in emerging technologies, and evaluates the development risks of and opportunities for using alternative fuels in transportation applications.

The CEC provides funding for low and zero-emission transportation solutions through such programs as:

• The DOE Clean Cities Program.  The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provides funding to the State Energy Offices through the State Energy Program for Clean Cities Special Projects. Clean Cities Special project funding has been available since 1996. California has been very successful in receiving funding in four of the past five years, receiving between 20 and 33 percent of the total nationwide funding. The Commission, as the State Energy Office, acting as a pass through agency, administers and oversees the projects selected by DOE.

• Carl Moyer Program, through which the Energy Commission funds an Advanced Technology Development Program. This Program is designed to assist companies with new advanced technologies to lower emissions from heavy duty and off-road vehicles. These technologies must have the potential for commercialization within five years and provide significant emission reductions. Once commercialized, these technologies will be eligible for Carl Moyer incentives and meet cost effectiveness criteria.

• The Transportation Energy Technologies Advancement Program (TETAP), established at the CEC with funding in the Budget Act of Fiscal Year 1992-93. The California Legislature provided funds for this program from the Petroleum Violation Escrow Account (PVEA). TETAP provides up to fifty percent co-funding of near-term (3-5 years) research, development and demonstration of a wide variety of transportation vehicle and fuel technologies that have the potential to reduce petroleum fuel use and emissions.

The CEC is also an active participant with the California Fuel Cell Partnership and has helped fund the development and demonstration of fuel cell powered vehicles.

» For more information about The California Energy Commission please visit:

www.energy.ca.gov