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California invests $90 million in clean energy manufacturing

California’s Energy Commission yesterday announced a $90 million investment in clean energy manufacturing.

The investment could provide a much needed boost to manufacturing in the state, which Commission chair Karen Douglas says has eroded by nearly a third since 2001.

“California has implemented some of the most progressive energy policies in the world, [but] all too often, however, we find that our innovative ideas are supporting jobs in other states or other countries,” she says.

Douglas estimates that California has lost 600,000 manufacturing jobs, equating to $75 million a year in lost wages and $5 billion in lost tax revenue.

“By encouraging the creation of manufacturing jobs right here at home, this program will help California to reclaim some of the most significant benefits of our policies,” she says.

The Clean Energy Manufacturing Program will provide financing to manufacturers in the form of grants, loans, loan guarantees, tax-exempt financing, production incentives, sales tax incentives and credit enhancements.

Using the state’s remaining American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, $30.6 million will be made available for businesses improving or expanding their energy efficiency or renewable energy manufacturing facilities in the state.

A further $59.5 million in state funding will be open for companies developing alternative and renewable fuels and advanced transportation technologies under the Energy Commission’s existing Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program.

The fuel and vehicle programme is focused on four areas – biomethane ($21.5 million), ethanol ($6 million), vehicle and components ($19 million) and advanced biofuels ($13 million).

For further information:
www.energy.ca.gov/recovery/cleanenergy.html

25 February 2010

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