The California Energy Commission (CEC) expects to receive up to $300 million of funding from the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and it has set up a portion of the CEC website to track what the state does with the monies, it said Tuesday. CEC staff’s initial review of ARRA’s nearly $800 billion has looked at a $37 billion portion earmarked for energy efficiency, renewables and other clean energy initiatives.

These initiatives, the CEC analysis indicated, are supported with about $20 billion in energy-related tax credits, energy bonds and other favorable tax incentives.

“New funding and energy-related tax credits present California and the CEC and its stakeholders and citizens with an opportunity to lay the foundation for economic recovery and a more secure and cleaner energy future,” a CEC spokesperson said in announcing the new web page.

CEC expectations are that it will receive nearly $300 million through a combination of the federal act’s state energy program and energy efficiency/conservation block grant programs. Funds in these programs will support efforts to promote conservation, increase energy efficiency and expand renewable energy in California, the CEC analysis concluded.

Still to be worked out are the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) guidelines for distribution of the state energy monies and the block grants. The CEC said the release of those DOE guidelines is “imminent,” and it intends to work closely with the federal energy department, along with various state agencies, CEC stakeholders and others to “ensure we get the money out quickly to stimulate economic activity and create the foundation for long-term sustainable growth,” the CEC spokesperson said.

He said the CEC’s new web pages (www.energy.ca.gov/recovery) are supposed to “provide timely information about economic and energy stimulus activities and how stakeholders can stay informed and participate in upcoming workshops.”

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