The state Public Service Commission approved a request Thursday to pay for three new initiatives intended to cut energy use and improve energy storage systems.
The nearly $26 million for the initiatives comes from the System Benefits Charge, a fee collected by utilities from ratepayers to finance state energy programs.
The money was previously uncommitted.
The funds will be used as follows:
- $10 million will pay for new programs to reduce costs of photovoltaic (solar electric) system installations and for development of photovoltaic technology;
- $10 million to fund research on an energy-storage/smart grid hub, including efforts to get federal funding to establish an energy storage research hub in the state; and
- $5.76 million for expansion of the Advanced Buildings Program, including $3 million for the Advanced Buildings Consortium and $2.76 million for an initiative to save energy in commercial buildings.
