The California Energy Commission announced seven 2024 Food Production Investment Program recipients who will share $22 million in grants.
All but one of the awardees said they will use the funds in part to replace or purchase new high-efficiency refrigeration systems. Primex Farms instead plans to install a solar-powered microgrid and energy storage system at its pistachio processing plant.
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Projects must advance “energy efficiency, decarbonization, renewable energy and load reduction technologies” to be eligible. CEC seeks to enable food processors to maintain product quality while amplifying use of available technologies that reduce energy costs and reduce emissions.
Tricia Geringer, vice president of government affairs at the Agricultural Council of California, spoke earlier this year on the need to protect FPIP funding from budget cuts. However, the program will have no new funding following this round of grants.
