EPIC Research and Development Dollars are Driving the Next Generation of Affordable Clean Energy Solutions

By Media Office Staff

Hundreds of California energy leaders gathered in Sacramento at the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) Symposium, hosted by the California Energy Commission (CEC), to spotlight California’s cutting-edge clean energy technology and the state’s continued commitment to funding innovation.

EPIC is California’s premier clean energy research and development program. It helps the state meet its climate and energy goals by funding clean energy research that improves the resiliency, affordability, and safety of the electricity system as climate impacts grow.

“EPIC is sort of a postcard from the future for the rest of the country,” said CEC Chair David Hochschild. “The first rooftop solar system in the world was here, the first utility scale solar system in the world was here, so was the first terrestrial wind project, the first energy storage system, the first electric vehicle, and first energy codes and standards. Investments in innovation made that all possible, and it is vitally important that we keep that momentum going to help drive the next generation of clean energy technologies.”

The symposium, which is in its 11th year, brings together policy leaders, entrepreneurs, utility professionals, researchers, community members, and government leaders to discuss key energy topics. The Oct. 7 event examined battery safety, next generation vehicle charging technologies, ways to improve affordability and lower barriers to clean energy innovation, and more.

“Now more than ever, it's important to highlight public funding to show its importance in tackling some of the big issues such as clean energy, energy affordability, and benefits to ratepayers,” said Fritz Foo, Outreach and Engagement Supervisor for the CEC’s Research and Development Division. “Events like the symposium help people really understand the value of EPIC-funded research and realize the benefits to households, schools, buildings, and all Californians.”

About the EPIC Program 

EPIC is funded by California utility customers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and is administered by the CEC and the state’s three largest investor-owned electric utilities – Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Southern California Edison.

Since the program’s inception, the CEC has invested more than $322 million in building decarbonization projects, $271 million in grid decarbonization and decentralization, $174 million in industrial and agricultural innovation, and $106 million in low-carbon transportation projects.

DID YOU KNOW? This past year, EPIC grant recipients reported saving ratepayers over $600,000 on utility bills and over 2 gigawatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to powering 1.5 million homes for a year.

The program has awarded more than $262 million to support clean energy technologies as they go from laboratory to market. It also provided $222 million to strengthen climate resilience and help advance an equitable clean energy transition.

This past year, EPIC grant recipients reported saving ratepayers over $600,000 on utility bills and over 2 gigawatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to powering 1.5 million homes for a year.

“The point of publicly funded research is finding ways to support the state’s goals and support public interest in how they are implemented and achieved,” said CPUC Commissioner Karen Douglas, during the symposium. “How do we meet the state’s goals, and how do we advance technology development with consideration for how those advancements are going to play out in the context of equity, the involvement of tribes and disadvantaged communities, and how the developments will benefit ratepayers.”

About 60 percent of EPIC demonstration funds are spent on projects located in and benefitting low-income or disadvantaged communities. Another $30 million has been invested in projects on tribal lands, some of which are located in rural or remote areas and are subject to planned power outages, natural disasters, and other power interruptions.

To learn more about EPIC, visit the EPIC web page. To review recordings from the symposium, visit the EPIC Symposium event webpage.