The California Energy Commission adopted the 2010 update to its Integrated Energy Policy Report, which focuses on the agency’s distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal stimulus funding. This “was such an unprecedented opportunity,” said Karen Douglas, commission chair, adding the monies opened the door to “transformational decisions and investments and set up policy and programs that we hope will last well beyond the stimulus act.” She added it also added significantly to the commission’s workload. The 2010 update approved Jan. 12 focuses on the potential benefits that energy-related federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds will have on California’s energy sectors. “We focused on job creation and economic benefits, providing lasting and measurable energy benefits, spending money efficiently and with maximum accountability, contributing to the state’s energy and environmental goals and finally, the degree to which the projects leveraged other funding sources in partnership,” according to Suzanne Korosec, report manager. “The report concludes that ARRA is going to help transform California’s energy sectors by speeding up the achievement of our energy goals,” she said. In every odd numbered year, the commission is required to prepare an IEPR with details on energy supply and demand, delivery and distribution, and major energy challenges facing the state. The CEC’s also required to compile an update to the IEPR in even numbered years that covers any issues that may have arisen since the previous year’s report. The first Integrated Energy Policy Report was published in 2003. The commission also approved about $2.5 million in grants, loans and service contracts, with the largest being $379,000 for the trustees for the California State University system. The money is to be used for energy research projects being conducted by San Diego State University and three other institutions, two of which are out of state.
