The investor-owned public utilities (PG&E, SoCalGas, and Southern California Edison) provide funding for businesses for energy self-generation projects under the auspices of the Self Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). Funding incentives are available for a number of qualified renewable and waste-to-energy technologies, including:
• Wind turbines ($1.13/watt)
• Advanced energy storage ($1.62/watt)
• Waste heat to power ($1.13/watt)
• Biogas ($2.08/watt)
• Pressure reduction turbines ($1.13/watt)
• Fuel cells (electric or combined heat and power) ($1.83/watt)
• Nonrenewable microturbines, gas turbines or internal combustion engines ($0.46/watt)
SGIP eligibility requirements:
• The facility must be a customer of one of the investor-owned utilities.
• The equipment must be new, commercially available and permanently installed.
• The equipment must be connected to the grid.
• The project must offset a portion or a single facility’s entire electric load.
• The electric load cannot be on interruptible rate schedules or load management programs.
• Applicants cannot apply to two or more administrators for funding for the same project.
The annual funding for the SGIP program is limited in all service territories; food processors are advised to contact their local utility representative soon if they are interested in applying. General information about the SGIP program can be found on the website of the California Public Utilities Commission at www.cpuc.ca.gov.
Article written by Rob Neenan, President and CEO, California League of Food Processors
California League Of Food Producers