ABSTRACT
California is usually thought of as a leader in promoting renewable energy technology. Promoting renewable resources, California style, found form in programs that gave financial incentives to new or expanding businesses or that used well known transactions, such as leasing, in a new way. This chapter reviews some of the ways California State government has tried to stimulate the growth of its renewable energy industry. If the California experience can be summed up, it is that opportunities for change should be seized decisively when the catalysts exist and that, to be successful, financial and technical incentive programs need the consistent, long term commitment of policy makers. Two programs have been a source of capital for firms pioneering new projects, technologies, or services: the California Energy Commission's Biomass Demonstration Program and State Assistance Fund for Energy-Business and Industrial Development Corporation, Fund for Energy.
