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State Energy Efficiency Policy Database
California
Related Publications & Documents
(Research Report - 3/5/2013)
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(Press Release - 10/3/2012)
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Offers energy management solutions and other efficiency programs for California manufacturers and other businesses.
California Lead by Example Initiatives
CA Executive Order S-20-04, issued in July 2004, required state agencies and departments to reduce their energy consumption by 20% from 2003 levels by 2015. The order also directed the Division of the State Architect to develop new green design guidelines for public schools. California's Green Building Action Plan, which supplemented EO S-20-04, included specific requirements designed to help the state meet its overall goal, such as the benchmarking of all state-owned buildings for energy efficiency by 2007.
Executive Order B-18-12, signed in April of 2012, updated some of these requirements while rescinding the earlier Order. It adjusted the energy savings targets such that grid-based energy purchases must be reduced by 20% by 2018 using 2003 as a baseline. New state buildings and major renovations started after 2025 must be constructed to be zero net energy, while 50% of existing square footage must be in the process of achieving zero net energy by 2025. Additionally, new buildings or major renovations larger than 10,000 square feet must earn the "Silver" level of LEED certification and incorporate on-site renewable energy if economically feasible.
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June 29, 2012
California Executive Order S-20-04 requires all state agencies to purchase ENERGY STAR qualified equipment, whenever cost-effective.
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September 8, 2010
In Management Memo 08-04, issued March 14, 2008, the Department of General Services and the California Energy Commission established a minimum average fuel economy standard for passenger vehicles and light duty trucks in the state fleet. The combined annual purchases by each state entity must meet a standard of 27.5 miles per gallon (MPG) for passenger vehicles and 22.2 MPG for light duty trucks.
The Memo is pursuant to Section 25722.7 of the Public Resources Code, which was modified by Assembly Bill 2264 in 2006. The Bill requires a 10 percent reduction in energy used by the state fleet.
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September 8, 2010
The legislation in California that enables the usage of energy savings performance contracting frequently expresses the intention of the legislature to encourage the usage of such methods to attain energy savings. The Department of General Services coordinates ESPCs for most state buildings, while the university system implements such contracts on its own. California offers a list of prequalified ESCOs and a streamlined manual to performance contracting.
Links:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory: California ESPC Legislation
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: Performance Contracting and Energy Efficiency in the State Government Market
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June 12, 2012
The California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program supports research and development in several key areas including energy efficiency for buildings, industry, agriculture, and water systems; generation for renewable resources, combined heat and power, and advanced generation; transportation and alternative fuels, vehicle efficiency, and biofuels; technology systems and smart grid, transmission, and distribution; and environmental research on minimizing impacts from renewable energy development, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and improving indoor air quality. PIER is funded from a surcharge on electricity and natural gas use in the state and totals about $80 million per year.
The University of California at Davis houses the Center for Water-Energy Efficiency (CWEE) and the Energy Efficiency Center (EEC). CWEE focuses on the research and development of efficient technologies that will lead to the conservation of water and energy resources. CWEE has a permanent staff of 3 and receives funding from the EEC, the California Lighting Technology Center, and the Western Cooling Efficiency Center. The EEC’s mission is to accelerate the development and commercialization of energy efficiency technologies. It has a faculty and staff of 25, received initial funding from the California Clean Energy Fund, and has received continued funding from numerous multi-national corporations.
The University of California at Los Angeles’ Center for Energy Science and Technology Advanced Research (CESTAR), with a faculty and staff of 42, lists energy conservation as one of its four major research areas. The Smart Grid Energy Research Center (SMERC) also performs research into the development of the next generation of the electric utility grid, with one of their criteria being improving its efficiency. SMERC has a faculty and staff of 13 and is funded by a $10 million grant from the US Department of Energy.
Links:
- The California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research Program
- University of California at Davis' Center for Water-Energy Efficiency
- University of California at Davis' Energy Efficiency Center
- University of California at Los Angeles' Center for Energy Science and Technology Advanced Research
- University of California at Los Angeles' Smart Grid Energy Research Center
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June 12, 2012