Around $176million will be invested over the next two years as the California Energy Commission adopts the Alternative and Renewable Fuels and Vehicle Technology Program’s Investment Plan to encourage innovation and meet the state’s climate change policies.
Currently around 38 per cent of the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in California come from burning petroleum and diesel in cars. The Investment Plan is part of California’s bid to drive down greenhouse gas emissions to 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050 and decrease petroleum use to 15 per cent below 2003 levels by 2020.
In order to achieve these objectives there will need to be a new portfolio of fuels and vehicle technologies including electric cars and fuel cell vehicles. The Energy Commission will provide around $120million annually over the next seven years to develop these fuels and technologies.
The Energy Commission is also proposing the expansion of use of the cleaner vehicles that are available today and over the next two years the Energy Commission will invest: $46million for electric vehicles and public charging stations and manufacturing plants; $43million for natural gas vehicles, biomethane production facilities and fuelling stations; $40million for hydrogen refuelling stations; $12million for production facilities for advanced ethanol fuel and E85 fuelling stations; $6million for advanced renewable diesel and biodiesel facilities; and $2million for propane vehicles.
A further $27million will fund a workforce and training programmes as well as public education and assistance programmes.
