California's PIER Program Bolsters the Competitive Market

摘要

On Jan. 1, 1998, the California Energy Commission (CEC) initiated the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program, which will invest up to $61.8 million annually for four years to advance promising projects deemed in the public interest. The PIER Program is a critical part of California's landmark legislation (AB 1890) which is bringing competition to California's electric industry. The California legislature and the governor created the PIER Program to ensure that the benefits of public interest energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D) conducted during the regulated electric utility era would continue in the new competitive marketplace for power.