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The California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Food Production Investment Program (FPIP) recently announced a $5 million solicitation to accelerate the adoption of advanced energy efficiency and decarbonization technologies that support electrical grid reliability and reduce GHG emissions. Grant awards range from $2.5 million to $5 million and have a 25 percent matching requirement. Proposals are due on December 17, 2026.

What is the program’s purpose?

Food manufacturing is a critical area of opportunity to advance industrial decarbonization and electrification efforts, but it faces unique barriers and challenges due to the diversity of products produced in California. Investing in updates and improvements to food production facilities with technologies that are energy efficient, decarbonizing, or both will reduce operating costs and GHG emissions. Projects should aim to drive scalability and application of the project technologies to other facilities, industries, and processes. The project must achieve two or more of these goals:

• Electrify some or all food-related processes;
• Maximize GHG emissions reductions;
• Maximize energy reductions;
• Provide benefits to support grid reliability, including reducing electrical demand during net peak periods; and/or
• Provide benefits to priority populations.

What is the focus of this year’s solicitation?

The 2026 FPIP solicitation focuses on projects that will install and demonstrate:

• Commercially Available Technologies that are drop-in ready replacement equipment or an addition to current systems that have higher efficiency than current industry-standard practice. To be eligible for FPIP funding, proposed equipment or systems must exceed the established industry-standard practice. 
• Cutting-Edge Emerging Technologies, with a minimum technology readiness level (TRL) 8 or greater that are not widely used in California and are not drop-in-ready replacement equipment or additions, but have been commercially proven elsewhere in actual food processing applications with independent verification of actual benefits such as energy reduction, GHG emissions reduction, and improved air quality.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants to the FPIP are limited to food processing and related support facilities located in California. The applicant must own or operate one or more food processing facilities where grant-funded equipment will be installed. 

What are the anticipated funding amounts and duration?

There is up to $5 million total available for grants awarded under this solicitation, with one or two projects anticipated to be funded. The minimum grant award is $2.5 million and the maximum grant award is $5 million. Applicants must provide 25 percent of eligible costs as match.

What is the anticipated timeline?

FPIP applications are due December 17, 2026. Proposed awards are expected to be posted the week of February 1, 2027. Awards will be approved at the Energy Commission Business Meeting on May 19, 2027, and agreements will begin June 1, 2027 and conclude no later than March 31, 2031.

The full 2026 FPIP Grant Solicitation can be found here.

Morrison has extensive experience writing successful applications for clients for CEC programs. For more information on this grant or how to apply with Morrison’s assistance, please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764.