GFO-26-301 - Characterizing Non-Driving Electric Vehicle Energy Efficiency

GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Characterizing Non-Driving Electric Vehicle
Energy Efficiency

EPIC Program

GFO-26-301

https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitation

State of California

California Energy Commission

September 2026

Table of Contents

I. Introduction 1

A. Purpose of Solicitation 1

B. Key Words/Terms 2

C. Project Focus 4

D. Funding 5

E. Key Activities Schedule 6

F. Notice of Pre-Application Workshop 6

G. Questions 7

H. Applicants’ Admonishment 8

I. Additional Requirements Regarding Environmental Review 8

J. Background 10

K. Match Funding 14

L. Funds Spent in California 16

II. Eligibility Requirements 17

A. Applicant Requirements 17

B. Project Requirements 19

III. Application Submission Instructions 20

A. Application Format, Page Limits 20

B. Method For Delivery 20

C. Application Content 21

IV. Evaluation and Award Process 26

A. Application Evaluation 26

B. Ranking, Notice of Proposed Award, and Agreement Development 26

C. Grounds to Reject an Application or Cancel an Award 27

D. Miscellaneous 28

E. Stage One: Application Screening 31

F. Stage Two: Application Scoring 32

Attachments Attachment Number Title of Section 1 Executive Summary Form 2 Project Narrative Form 3 Project Team Form 4 Scope of Work Template 5 Project Schedule 6 Budget 7 CEQA Compliance Form 8 Past Projects Information Form 9 Commitment and Support Letters Form (requires signature) 10 Project Performance Metrics 11 Applicant Declarations (requires signature)

I. Introduction

A. Purpose of Solicitation

The purpose of this solicitation is to fund applied research and development projects that improve both understanding of non-driving electric vehicle (EV) efficiency and its associated impact on customers and the electric grid. This solicitation aligns with the approved Electric Program Investment Charge 2021-2025 (EPIC 4) Investment Plan’s strategic objective to increase the value proposition of distributed energy resources to customers and the grid, strategic initiative on transportation electrification, and research topic area on efficient transportation electrification and charging technologies.

EVs are projected to be one of the primary drivers of load growth in California through 2045. Incremental efficiency improvements in EVs can therefore lead to substantial energy and cost savings for ratepayers and reduced emissions when scaled. While there is an active body of research on quantifying and improving EV efficiency while driving, little research exists on non-driving energy consumption. These loads include, but are not limited to, battery management, cabin temperature control, and standby power while parked and idling; charging and discharging for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) applications; and onboard computer and system loads. Reduced demand from non-driving functions could generate energy and cost savings for the electric grid as well as individual vehicle users. Moreover, improved understanding of these non-driving EV efficiency factors could inform forecasts to help grid planners make more strategic decisions to keep pace with customer demand. It could also offer insights into customer and grid impacts of using EVs for other non-driving functions such as V2X services and distributed computing. This solicitation will support research that contributes to improved understanding of non-driving EV efficiency and informs policy and program mechanisms that support efficient transportation electrification.

See Section II of this solicitation for eligibility requirements. Applications will be evaluated as described in Section IV of this solicitation.

Applicants may only submit one application under this solicitation.

Prospective applicants looking for partnering opportunities for this funding opportunity should register on the CEC’s Empower Innovation website at www.empowerinnovation.net

B. Key Words/Terms

Word/Term	Definition
Applicant	An entity that submits an application to this solicitation.
Application	An applicant’s written response to this solicitation.
Authorized Representative	The person submitting the application who has authority to enter into an agreement with the CEC.
California Native American Tribe	A Native American Tribe located in California that is on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission for the purposes of Chapter 905 of the Statutes of 2004 (Pub. Resources Code, § 21073).
California Tribal Organization	A corporation, association, or group controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by a California Native American tribe that is subject to its laws, the laws of the State of California, or the laws of the United States.
CAM	Commission Agreement Manager, the person designated by the CEC to oversee the performance of an agreement resulting from this solicitation and to serve as the main point of contact for the grant recipient.
CAO	Commission Agreement Officer, the person designated by the CEC to oversee the internal administrative processes and to serves as the main point of contact for solicitation applicants.
CEC	State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission or , the California Energy Commission.
CEC funds	CEC funds are EPIC grant funds awarded under this solicitation. Also referred to as grant funds.
CEQA	California Environmental Quality Act, California Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.
Days	Days refers to calendar days.
Disadvantaged Community	Communities designated pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 39711 as representing the top 25% scoring census tracts from CalEnviroScreen along with other areas with high amounts of pollution and low populations as identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency. (https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40)
Energy Equity	The fair distribution of benefits and burdens from energy production and consumption.
EPIC	Electric Program Investment Charge, the source of funding for the projects awarded under this solicitation.
EV	Electric vehicle
IOU	Investor-owned utility, an electrical corporation as defined in California Public Utilities Code section 218. For purposes of this solicitation, it includes Pacific Gas and Electric Co., San Diego Gas and Electric Co., and Southern California Edison Co.
Low Income Community	Communities within census tracts with median household incomes at or below 80 percent of the statewide median income or the applicable low-income threshold listed in the state income limits updated by the Department of Housing and Community Development. (https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-and-funding/income-limits)
Major Subrecipient	A Subrecipient that is budgeted to receive $100,000 or more of CEC funds, not including any equipment or match funds that may be provide by the Subrecipient.
NOPA	Notice of Proposed Award, a public notice by CEC staff that identifies proposed grant recipients.
Pre-Commercial Technology	A technology that has not reached commercial maturity or been deployed at scales sufficiently large and in conditions sufficiently reflective of anticipated actual operating environments to enable the appraisal of operational and performance characteristics, or of financial risks.
Pilot Test	Small scale testing in a laboratory or testing on a small portion of the production line of the affected industry. Pilot tests help verify the design and validity of an approach, and adjustments can be made at this stage before full-scale demonstrations
Principal Investigator	The technical lead for the applicant’s project, who is responsible for overseeing the project; in some instances, the Principal Investigator and Project Manager may be the same person.
Project Manager	The person designated by the applicant to oversee the project and to serve as the main point of contact for the CEC.
Project Partner	A person or entity that contributes financially or otherwise to the project (e.g., match funding, provision of a test, demonstration or deployment site), and does not receive CEC funds.
Recipient	A person or entity receiving a grant award under this solicitation. “Recipient” may be used interchangeably with “grant recipient”.
Solicitation	This entire document, including all attachments, exhibits, addenda, written notices, and questions and answers (“solicitation” may be used interchangeably with “Grant Funding Opportunity” or “GFO”).
Subrecipient	A person or entity that receives grant funds directly from a grant Recipient and is entrusted to make decisions about how to conduct some of the grant’s activities. A Subrecipient’s role involves discretion over grant activities and is not merely just selling goods or services.
Sub-Subrecipient	Has the same meaning as a Subrecipient except that it receives grant funds from a Subrecipient or any lower tier level of a Sub-Subrecipient.
State	State of California
V2X	Vehicle-to-everything, is a term for transferring the electricity stored in EV batteries to the grid; buildings; houses; and other energy-consuming destinations.
Vendor	A person or entity that sells goods or services to the grant Recipient, Subrecipient, or any lower-tiered level of Sub-Subrecipient, in exchange for some of the grant funds, and does not make decisions about how to perform the grant’s activities. The Vendor’s role is ministerial and does not involve discretion over grant activities.

C. Project Focus

This solicitation targets research projects that will generate new knowledge for the purpose of improving understanding of non-driving EV efficiency opportunities and informing actions that support greater efficiencies in transportation electrification. Projects must:

• Collect and analyze empirical data of light-duty EV loads under non-driving operating conditions. Non-driving EV loads include, but are not limited to, battery management, cabin temperature control, and standby power while parked or idling; charging and discharging for V2X applications; and onboard computer or system loads. Projects that study additional vehicle types, such as medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in addition to light-duty vehicles, are encouraged but not required.

• Involve innovative research approaches or target novel questions that are complementary, additive, and not duplicative of past or active research.

• Conduct a literature review to synthesize information on existing non-driving EV energy consumption data, methods used to collect empirical data on EV loads, and other relevant research to improve project implementation.

• Develop or contribute to a replicable, scalable framework for characterizing real-world EV energy consumption considering non-driving loads alongside driving loads.

• Compare energy consumption of non-driving loads across different models of light-duty vehicles and equipment under consistent evaluation conditions.

• Investigate policy mechanisms to improve non-driving EV efficiency and inform system-level benefits.

• Transfer knowledge gained, educational materials, and actionable insights to relevant parties such as grid planners, manufacturers, program administrators, policymakers, and the public.

Applications should capture the following project details in relevant attachments, such as the Project Narrative (Attachment 2):

• Justification of the need for the proposed project, including a clear description of the proposed project’s research questions, objectives, and hypotheses.

• Justification of the need for EPIC funding to achieve the project objectives. including the usefulness and applicability of new knowledge outputs that will be generated.

• Description of the data collection methodology, including plans for experimental design, test environment, equipment procurement, instrumentation, and data access and quality.

• Description of the data analysis methodology that will be used to compare empirical data from different vehicles and chargers, identify trends, and contribute to answering the proposed project’s research questions.

• Explanation of the innovative and unique elements of the proposed project, including how it complements and does not duplicate existing research or available data on EV efficiency.

• Description of partnerships and plans to engage with relevant parties to strengthen project implementation, knowledge transfer, and communication of project insights to policymakers, industry, and the public.

D. Funding

1. Amount Available and Minimum/ Maximum Funding Amounts

There is up to $1,500,000 available for grants awarded under this solicitation. The minimum funding amount for each project is $1,000,000. The maximum funding amount is $1,500,000.

2. Match Funding Requirement

Match funding is not required for this solicitation. However, applications that include match funding may receive additional points during the scoring phase (see Scoring Criteria in Section IV F).

Total Match Share Percentage is calculated by dividing the Total Match Share Contributions by the sum of the CEC Funds Requested and the Total Match Share Contributions, then multiplying the result by 100:

X 100 = Total Match Share percentage

For the definition of match funding see Section I K.

3. Change in Funding Amount

Along with any other rights and remedies available to it, the CEC reserves the right to:

• Increase or decrease the available funding and the minimum/maximum grant award amounts described in this section.

• Allocate any additional or unawarded funds to passing applications, in rank order.

• Reduce funding to an appropriate amount if the budgeted funds do not provide full funding for agreements. In this event, the proposed grant recipient and Commission Agreement Manager (CAM) will attempt to reach agreement on a reduced Scope of Work commensurate with available funding.

E. Key Activities Schedule

Key activities, dates, and times for this solicitation and for agreements resulting from this solicitation are presented below. An addendum will be released if the dates change for activities that appear in bold.

ACTIVITY	DATE	TIME
Solicitation Release	9/2/2026
Pre-Application Workshop	9/16/2026	10:00 a.m.
Deadline for Written Questions	9/23/2026	5:00 p.m.
Anticipated Distribution of Questions and Answers	Week of 10/8/2026
Support for Application Submission in ECAMS	10/28/2026	5:00 p.m.
Deadline to Submit Applications	10/28/2026	11:59 p.m.
Anticipated Notice of Proposed Award Posting Date	Week of 12/10/2026
Anticipated CEC Business Meeting Date	February 2027
Anticipated Agreement Start Date	3/1/2027
Anticipated Agreement End Date	3/30/2029

F. Notice of Pre-Application Workshop

CEC staff will hold one Pre-Application Workshop to discuss this solicitation with potential applicants. Participation is optional but encouraged. The Pre-Application Workshop will be held remotely. Applicants may attend the workshop via the internet (Zoom, see instructions below), or via conference call on the date and at the time and location listed below. Please refer to the CEC's website at www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/index.html to confirm the date and time. Please be aware that the meeting will be recorded.

Date and time: September 16, 2026

Zoom Instructions:

To join the Zoom meeting, go to https://zoom.us/joinand enter the Meeting ID below and select “join from your browser.” Participants will then enter the meeting password listed below and their name. Participants will select the “Join” button.:

Meeting ID: 879 6704 4565

Meeting Password: 691916

Topic: GFO-26-301 Characterizing Non-Driving Electric Vehicle Energy Efficiency Pre-Application Workshop

Telephone Access Only:

Call 1-888 475 4499 (Toll Free) or 1-877 853 5257 (Toll Free). When prompted, enter the meeting number above. International callers may select a number from the Zoom International Dial-in Number List at: https://energy.zoom.us/u/adjzKUXvoy. To comment, dial *9 to “raise your hand” and *6 to mute/unmute your phone line.

Access by Mobile Device:

Download the application from the Zoom Download Center, https://energy.zoom.us/download.

Technical Support for Pre-Application Workshop:

• For assistance with problems or questions about joining or attending the meeting, please call Zoom Technical Support at 1-888-799-9666 ext. 2. You may also contact the CEC’s Public Advisor’s Office at publicadvisor@energy.ca.gov, or (916) 957-7910.

• System Requirements: To determine whether your computer is compatible, visit: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-requirements-for-Windows-macOS-and-Linux .

• If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Erica Rodriguez by e-mail at Erica.Rodriguez@energy.ca.gov or (916) 764-5705 at least five days in advance.

G. Questions

During the solicitation process, for questions only related to submission of application in the new ECAMS system, please contact ECAMS.SalesforceSupport@energy.ca.gov . Through that email address applicants will be able to access a team of technical assistants who can answer questions about application submission. Please also see Section III.B for additional information about the ECAMS system.

For all other questions, including all technical and administrative questions that are not related to submission of applications in the ECAMS system, please contact the Commission Agreement Officer listed below:

Crystal Willis Commission Agreement Officer

California Energy Commission

715 P, MS-18

Sacramento, California, 95814

E-mail: crystal.willis@energy.ca.gov

Applicants may ask questions at the Pre-Application Workshop and may submit written questions via email. However, all technical questions must be received by the deadline listed in the “Key Activities Schedule” above. Questions received after the deadline may be answered at the CEC's discretion. Non-technical questions (e.g., administrative questions concerning application format requirements or attachment instructions) may be submitted to the CAO at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. of the application deadline date. Similarly, questions related to submission of applications in the ECAMS system may be submitted to ECAMS.SalesforceSupport@energy.ca.gov at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. of the application deadline date.

The questions and answers will also be posted on the CEC’s website at: https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitations

If an applicant discovers a conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in the solicitation at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. of the application deadline date, the applicant may notify the CAO in writing and request modification or clarification of the solicitation. The CEC, at its discretion will provide modifications or clarifications by either an addendum to the solicitation or by written notice to all entities that requested the solicitation. At its discretion, the CEC may, in addition to any other actions it may choose, re-open the question/answer period to provide all applicants the opportunity to seek any further clarification required.

Any verbal communication with a CEC employee or anyone else concerning this solicitation is not binding on the State and will in no way alter a specification, term, or condition of the solicitation. Therefore, all communication should be directed in writing to the assigned CAO.

H. Applicants’ Admonishment

This solicitation contains application requirements and instructions. Applicants are responsible for carefully reading the entire solicitation, asking appropriate questions in a timely manner, ensuring that all solicitation requirements are met, submitting all required responses in a complete manner by the required date and time, and carefully rereading the solicitation before submitting an application. In particular, please carefully read the Screening and Scoring Criteria and Grounds to Reject an Application or Cancel an Award in Part IV, and the relevant EPIC Grant terms and conditions located at: https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/funding-resources.

Applicants are solely responsible for the cost of developing applications. This cost cannot be charged to the State. All submitted documents will become publicly available records and property of the State after the CEC posts the Notice of Proposed Award or the solicitation is cancelled. Only submit information you want made public. Applicants shall not submit any confidential information as part of their applications. No portion of your application will be considered confidential.

I. Additional Requirements Regarding Environmental Review

• Time is of the essence. CEC funds available under this solicitation have encumbrance deadlines as early as June 30, 2027. This means that the CEC must approve proposed awards at a business meeting (usually held monthly) prior to June 30, 2027 in order to avoid expiration of the funds.

• Environmental Review. Prior to approval and encumbrance, the CEC must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and other requirements. To comply with CEQA, the CEC must have CEQA-related information from applicants and sometimes other entities, such as local governments, in a timely manner. Unfortunately, even with this information, the CEC may not be able to complete its CEQA review prior to the encumbrance deadline for every project. For example, if a project requires an Environmental Impact Report, the process to complete it can take many months. For these reasons, it is critical that applicants organize applications in a manner that minimizes the time required for the CEC to comply with CEQA and provide all CEQA-related information to the CEC in a timely manner such that the CEC is able to complete its review in time for it to meet its encumbrance deadline.

• Reservation of right to cancel proposed award. In addition to any other right reserved to it under this solicitation or that it otherwise has, if the CEC determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that the CEQA review associated with a proposed project would not likely be completed prior to the encumbrance deadline referenced above, and that the CEC’s ability to meet its encumbrance deadline may thereby be jeopardized, the CEC may cancel a proposed award and award funds to the next highest scoring applicant, regardless of the originally proposed applicant’s diligence in submitting information and materials for CEQA review. Examples of situations that may arise related to CEQA review include but are not limited to:

o Example 1: If another state agency or local jurisdiction, such as a city or county, has taken the role of lead agency under CEQA, the CEC’s review may be delayed while waiting for a determination from the lead agency.

o Example 2: If the proposed work is part of a larger project for which a detailed environmental analysis has been or will be prepared by another state agency or local jurisdiction, the CEC’s review may be delayed as a result of waiting for a supplemental or initial analysis, respectively, from the other agency.

o Example 3: If the nature of the proposed work is such that a project is not categorically or otherwise exempt from the requirements of CEQA, and an Initial Study or other detailed environmental analysis appears to be necessary, the CEC’s review, or the lead agency’s review, may take longer than the time available to encumber the funds. If an Initial Study, Negative Declaration, Mitigated Negative Declaration, Environmental Impact Report, or similar document has already been completed by another state agency or a local jurisdiction, serving as the lead agency, the applicant must ensure that such an analysis covers the work in the proposed project, or must obtain a revised analysis and determination from the lead agency reviewing the proposed project.

o Example 4: If the proposed project clearly falls under a statutory or categorical exemption, or is project for which another state agency or local jurisdiction has already completed its environmental review and adopted CEQA findings that the project will cause no significant effect on the environment, the project will likely have greater success in attaining rapid completion of CEQA requirements.

The above examples are not exhaustive of instances in which the CEC may or may not be able to comply with CEQA within the encumbrance deadline and are only provided as further clarification for potential applicants. Applicants are encouraged to contact potential lead and responsible agencies under CEQA as early as possible. Please plan applications accordingly.

J. Background

1. Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) Program

This solicitation will award projects funded by the EPIC program, which is funded through an electricity ratepayer surcharge established by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in December 2011. The purpose of the EPIC program is to benefit the ratepayers of three investor-owned utilities (IOUs), including Pacific Gas and Electric Co., San Diego Gas and Electric Co., and Southern California Edison Co. The EPIC program funds clean energy technology projects that meet the guiding principles of (1) improving safety, (2) increasing reliability, (3) increasing affordability, (4) improving environmental sustainability, and (5) improving equity, all as related to California's electric system. In addition to providing IOU ratepayer benefits, funded projects must lead to technological advancement and breakthroughs to overcome the barriers that may prevent the achievement of the state’s statutory energy goals. The EPIC program is administered by the CEC and the IOUs.

Program Areas, Strategic Objectives, and Funding Initiatives

EPIC projects must fall within the following program areas identified by the CPUC:

• Applied research and development;

• Technology demonstration and deployment; and

• Market facilitation.

In addition, projects must fall within one of the general focus areas (“strategic objectives”) identified in the CEC’s EPIC Investment Plan and within one or more specific focus areas (“funding initiatives”) identified in the plan. This solicitation targets the following program area, strategic objective, and funding initiative:

Electric Program Investment Charge 2021-2025 Investment Plan (EPIC 4)

• Program Area: Applied Research and Development

• Strategic Objective: Increase the Value Proposition of Distributed Energy Resources to Customers and the Grid

o Funding Initiative: Transportation Electrification

• Topic 20: Efficient Transportation Electrification and Charging Technologies

Applicable Laws, Policies, and Background Documents

This solicitation addresses the energy goals described in the following laws, policies, and background documents.

Laws/Regulations

• AB 758 -Efficiency

AB 758 directs CEC to collaborate with the CPUC and parties to develop a comprehensive program to achieve greater energy and water savings in existing residential and nonresidential buildings. This resulted in the Existing Buildings Energy Efficiency Action Plan, adopted in 2015 and updated in 2016 and 2019. For 2021, the action plan was incorporated into the Integrated Energy Policy Report as a separate volume. The 2025 California Building Action Plan is the latest update on statewide multiagency perspectives on decarbonizing existing buildings through improved energy efficiency, electrification, and supporting strategies. The plan identifies opportunities to enhance coordination between EV charger programs and building decarbonization efforts for cost and efficiency gains.

Additional information: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=200920100AB758; https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/energy-efficiency-existing-buildings

Applicable Law: California Public Resources Code § 25943, California Public Utilities Code §§ 381.2 and 385.2

• SB 350 - Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015

SB 350, among other directives, expanded on AB 758 by directing CEC to establish annual targets to achieve a cumulative doubling of statewide energy efficiency savings in electricity and natural gas final end uses of retail customers by January 1, 2030. The 2025 Energy Action Plan provides the latest update on statewide strategies to tackle existing building decarbonization.

SB 350 also requires retail sellers of electricity and local publicly owned electricity utilities to increase their procurement of eligible renewable energy resources. It further provided for the transformation of the Independent System Operator into a regional organization.

Additional information: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160SB350 ; https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/energy-efficiency-existing-buildings

• California Energy Code

The Energy Code is a component of the California Building Standards Code and is published every three years through the collaborative efforts of state agencies including the California Building Standards Commission and the CEC. The Code ensures that new and existing buildings achieve greater energy efficiency and preserve outdoor and indoor environmental air quality through use of the most energy-efficient technologies and construction.

Additional information: http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/

Applicable Law: California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 6 and associated administrative regulations in Part 1

• AB 844 - Replacement Tire Efficiency Program

AB 844 directed the CEC to adopt a Replacement Tire Efficiency Program to ensure replacement tires for passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in California are, on average, at least as energy-efficient as the tires sold as original equipment on new vehicles. The bill required the CEC to (1) develop and maintain a database for tire efficiency information; (2) establish a rating system for the energy efficiency of replacement tires sold in the state; (3) set minimum performance efficiency standards for replacement tires; (4) require manufacturers to report the energy efficiency of replacement tires; (5) develop an efficient tire consumer information program using point-of-sale information to enable consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions; and (6) review and update the program at least every three years.

Additional information:

https://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/03-04/statute/ch_0601-0650/ch_645_st_2003_ab_844; https://www.energy.ca.gov/proceeding/replacement-tire-efficiency-program-proceeding

Policies/Plans

• CPUC Rulemaking R.23-12-008 on Transportation Electrification Policy and Infrastructure

This Rulemaking continues the CPUC’s oversight of the development of infrastructure to support the acceleration of transportation electrification and establishes a venue for considering future transportation electrification policy matters. The proceeding scope includes developing a proactive planning framework for transportation electrification, tracking barriers, and identifying potential solutions for deploying vehicle-grid integration, coordinating policy issues across related proceedings.

Additional information: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/infrastructure/transportation-electrification

• CPUC Decision 23-06-055 Authorizing Energy Efficiency Portfolios for 2024-2027 and Business Plans for 2024-2031

This Decision provided guidance on the design of Integrated Demand-Side Management portfolios with a multi-distributed energy resource approach focused on ongoing or permanent load shifting or load reduction. This new strategy offered greater flexibility and an opportunity to provide utility customers with a more comprehensive range of technologies, including EV charging infrastructure, to fulfill their needs and to move toward statewide decarbonization by 2045.

Additional information: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/energy-division/documents/energy-efficiency/idsm-guidance-for-tier-3-als.pdf

• Integrated Energy Policy Report (Biennial)

California Public Resources Code Section 25302 requires the CEC to release a biennial report that provides an overview of major energy trends and issues facing the state. The IEPR assesses and forecasts all aspects of energy industry supply, production, transportation, delivery, distribution, demand, and pricing. The CEC uses these assessments and forecasts to develop energy policies and provide recommendations for future research and analysis areas.

Additional information: http://www.energy.ca.gov/energypolicy

Applicable Law: California Public Resources Code § 25300 et seq.

• Executive Order N-79-20

Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-79-20 established goals for the State to have 100 percent of in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks be zero-emission by 2035, and 100 percent of medium-and heavy-duty vehicles in the State to be zero-emission by 2045 for all operations where feasible and by 2035 for drayage trucks. The Executive Order directs the CEC to accelerate deployment of affordable fueling and charging options for zero-emission vehicles.

Additional information: https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9.23.20-EO-N-79-20-Climate.pdf

• Executive Order N-27-25

Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-27-25 reaffirms the State’s commitment to accelerate the deployment of zero-emission technologies, including passenger, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, consistent with the deployment targets established in Executive Order N-79-20.

Additional information: https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CRA-Response-EO-N-27-25_-bl-formatted-GGN-Signed-6-11-954pmFinal.pdf

Reference Documents

Refer to the links below for information about past CEC research projects and activities:

• http://www.energy.ca.gov/research/

• https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/electric-program-investment-charge-epic-program

• https://www.energy.ca.gov/showcase/energize-innovation

Other relevant resources:

• Abhinav Vyas, Heejung Jung, Guoyuan Wu et al. November 2025. Battery Electric Vehicle Energy Efficiency: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Enabling Technologies. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7756753/v1

• Almeida, Siddarth and Jon Kingsley. December 2025. V2X Round-Trip Efficiency Market Study. https://calnext.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ET25SWE0028_V2X-Round-Trip-Efficiency-Market-Study_Final-Report.pdf

• Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. April 2024. Valuing Improvements in Electric Vehicle Efficiency. https://www.epri.com/research/products/000000003002030215

• Huether, Peter. August 2024. Electric Vehicle Efficiency: Unlocking Consumer Savings and Environmental Gains. https://www.aceee.org/white-paper/2024/08/electric-vehicle-efficiency-unlocking-consumer-savings-and-environmental-gains

• Woo, S., Strobel, L., Yuan, Y., Pruckner, M., & Lipman, T. E. November 2025. Exploring bidirectional charging strategies for an electric vehicle population. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126361

K. Match Funding

• “Match funds” includes cash or in-kind (non-cash) contributions provided by the applicant, subrecipients, or other parties including pilot testing, demonstration, and/or deployment sites (e.g., test site staff services) that will be used in performance of the proposed project.

“Match funds” do not include: CEC awards, EPIC funds received from other sources, future/contingent awards from other entities (public or private), the cost or value of the project work site, or the cost or value of structures or other improvements affixed to the project work site permanently or for an indefinite period of time (e.g., photovoltaic systems).

Definitions of “match funding” categories are listed below:

o “Cash” match means funds that are in the grant recipient’s possession or proposed by a match partner and clearly identified in a support letter, and are reserved for the proposed project, meaning that they have not been committed for use or pledged as match for any other project. Cash match can include funding awards earned or received from other agencies for the proposed technologies or study (but not for the identical work). Proof that the funds exist as cash is required. Cash match will be considered more favorably than in-kind contributions during the scoring phase.

o “In-Kind” match can be in the form of goods or services that are not reimbursed with CEC funds such as labor (if reasonable and justified), donated space, existing equipment, existing supplies, services provided by a third-party or subrecipient, and other expendable property in support of the project. The value of in-kind match is based on the fair market value of the goods and services provided at the time it is claimed as match. The value of existing equipment must be prorated for its use in the project and depreciated or amortized over the term of the project using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Labor rates for hours donated by non-employees who are not paid for their time must be consistent with those paid for similar work. Cost allocations must be reasonable and allocable to the proposed project. In-kind match share must be included in the agreement budget.

The grant recipient is expected to maintain appropriate documentation to support the fair market value of all in-kind match including match donated by third parties or major subrecipients.

• Match funds must be spent only during the agreement term, either before or concurrently with CEC funds or in accordance with an approved Match Fund Spending Plan. Match funds also must be reported in invoices submitted to the CEC.

• All applications that include match funds must submit commitment letters, including applicant, subrecipients, sub-subrecipients, and vendors. These letter must: (1) identify the source(s) of the funds; (2) justify the dollar value claimed; (3) provide an unqualified (i.e., without reservation or limitation) commitment that guarantees the availability of the funds for the project; and (4) provide a strategy for replacing the funds if they are significantly reduced or lost. Please see Commitment and Support Letters Form Attachment. Commitment and support letters must be submitted with the application to be considered.

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