EPIC Policy + Innovation Coordination Group - Strategic Goals Emerging Strategies Workshop

EPIC Policy + Innovation Coordination Group

Strategic Goals Emerging Strategies Workshop

September 20, 2023, 1-4:30 pm

Location

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Courtyard Room

505 Van Ness Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94102

(virtual attendance option available via registration)

Public Registration

• Participants must register to join the meeting prior to the event at the following link whether they are attending in-person or virtually. In-person participation is encouraged.
• https://events.zoom.us/ev/AizLTbWlT2fqhNQUWgllvx4CSsaf4qiWRMMXjZLh7yo4YBepe7-R~AggLXsr32QYFjq8BlYLZ5I06Dg?lmt=1694472095000
• Call-in Option: +1-408-638-0968; Meeting ID provided to registrants

For technical concerns in accessing Zoom, contact picg@theaccelerategroup.com.

Background

About the EPIC Program. The Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) supports the development of new, emerging, and pre-commercial clean energy innovations in California. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) requires that EPIC portfolios be designed to ensure ratepayer benefits in the form of equitable access to safe, affordable, reliable, and environmentally sustainable energy for electricity ratepayers. This program is funded by California utility customers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. EPIC funds are currently administered by the California Energy Commission (CEC), which administers 80% of EPIC funds, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), which together administer the remaining 20% of EPIC funds.

Purpose of the Workshop

In its most recent EPIC decision, the CPUC directed that program-wide goals are needed to evaluate the progress of innovation investments and the extent to which investment plan portfolios maximize ratepayer benefits and impacts in achieving California’s clean energy and climate goals.

The Strategic Goals Emerging Strategies Workshop will focus on a selection of critical pathways and topic areas related to the emerging technologies and strategies that were discussed in the Kick-Off Workshop. The Strategic Goals Workshop process will inform how Strategic Goals should be articulated and established by the Commission in its next guidance Decision for the EPIC 5 cycle (2026-2030).

The Strategic Goals Workshop Process will focus on identifying four core elements:

• Pathways: Set of critical actions necessary to support meeting the State’s 2045 zero carbon goals via the most effective strategies and technology innovation.
• Gaps: Key challenges for achieving zero carbon goals and how RD&D should be prioritized to address opportunities and barriers more quickly along critical pathways.
• Roles: The best-positioned stakeholders (ratepayers, state, federal, private sector) to lead innovation investment addressing identified gaps, including through coordination and collaboration.
• Outcomes: Clear, measurable, and reasonable targets to be used by administrators in developing EPIC portfolios and used in program evaluations to measure impacts of EPIC in supporting achievement of California’s 2045 zero carbon goals.

Format

The Accelerate Group will facilitate the Workshops under the guidance of CPUC’s Energy Division.

Agenda

September 20, 2023

Speakers will be confirmed and announced closer to the date of the workshop.

All previous Strategic Goals Workshop materials are available on the PICG website: https://epicpartnership.org/strategicgoals.html