First Grant Funding Solicitation

The California Solar Initiative is pleased to announce the release of its first Grant Funding Solicitation for the Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment (RD&D) Program.

Solicitation Summary

Target Funding: This solicitation will fund up to $15 million and targets integration of photovoltaics (PV) into the utility grid and focuses on the following activities:

1. Planning and modeling for high-penetration PV
2. Testing and development of hardware and software for high-penetration PV
3. Addressing the near term integration of energy efficiency, demand response and storage along with PV.

The entire Grant Proposal Solicitation Package is available here.

Funding Available

• Total Funding Available Through This Solicitation:  Up to $15 million
• Maximum Award Amount:  $3 million
• Minimum Award Amount:  $200,000
• Award Length:  Up to two years

Key Dates

The grant solicitation was released on July 8, 2009 and proposals (electronic and hard copy) are due by 4:00 PM (PDT) August 24, 2009. There will be a pre-bid conference on July 23, 2009 at 10 AM.  Awards are expected to be made by December 2009.

Read more: First Grant Funding Solicitation

Questions & Answers on First Solicitation

Questions about this grant solicitation were accepted through July 23, 2009.  Responses to the questions can be found here:   questions_and_responses_for_the_csi_rdd_final.pdf

Pre-bid webinar and public documents

July 23, 2009 Pre-bid Q&A Webinar Documents for CSI RD&D First Grant Solicitation:

• Pre-bid webinar participant list: csi_rdd_july2309_participant_list.pdf
• Pre-bid webinar slideshow: pre-bid_webinar_07232009.pdf
• Pre-bid webinar recording: Pre-bid-webinar
  Note: Files size is 38.8MB - it may take a while to download
• Questions & Answers about First Solicitation: questions and responses for the csi rdd final.pdf
• The First Grant Solicitation is available here.
• The Sample Grant Agreement is available here.
• Questions about this grant solicitation were accepted through July 23, 2009. Responses to the questions can be found here: questions_and_responses_for_the_csi_rdd_final.pdf

February 19, 2010 Pre-bid Q&A Webinar Documents for CSI RD&D Second Grant Solicitation:

• Pre-bid webinar participant list: csi_rdd_11-18-09_pre-bid-attendee_list.pdf
• Pre-bid webinar slideshow: pre-bid_webinar_solicitation-2.pdf
  
• Pre-bid webinar recording: http://www.calsolarresearch.ca.gov/pre-bid-webinar-recording-solicitation-2.html
• Questions and Answers about Second Solicitation: qa_sol2_120709.pdf
• The Second Grant Solicitation is available here: csi-rdd_second_solicitation.doc
  
• The Sample Grant Agreement is available here: sample_grant_agreement_for_posting.doc
  

Background documents and adopted plans for the CSI RD&D:

• CSI RD&D Adopted Plan
• Decision Adopting CSI RD&D

Request for Comments on the First DRAFT Solicitation for the California Solar Initiative Research, Demonstration, and Deployment Program

Background and Purpose

The California Solar Initiative (CSI) is a statewide incentive program that aims to build a self-sustaining solar electricity market.  The CSI has a goal of creating 1940 MW of new, solar-produced electricity in California by 2017 (and 3,000 MW on a statewide-basis).  The CSI was authorized in 2006 by Senate Bill (SB) 1 (Murray) and subsequently enacted through California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Rulemaking (R.) 06-03-004. Pursuant to SB 1, the CPUC allocated $50 million for a Solar Research, Demonstration, and Deployment (RD&D) Program.  Within the Solar RD&D Program, grant funding is further allocated into three target areas:

1. Production technologies
2. Grid integration
3. Business development and deployment

Read more: Request for Comments on first draft Solicitation

CSI RD&D Second Grant Solicitation

Improved PV Production Technologies and Innovative Business Models

The California Solar Initiative (CSI) is pleased to announce the release of its second Grant Solicitation for the Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment (RD&D) Program.

Click here to download the second Grant Solicitation document.
(Revised 12/29/2009 to show deadline extension)

Solicitation Summary

This second solicitation focuses on improved PV production technologies and innovative business models.

Award Information

Read more: CSI RD&D Second Grant Solicitation