Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC)

GFO-25-307: Direct Air Capture Pre-Commercial Demonstration

Supports carbon-capture innovators developing pre-commercial demonstration projects for deployment readiness.

GFO-25-307 is a California Energy Commission grant solicitation under the EPIC (Electric Program Investment Charge) program, funding pre-commercial demonstration of direct air capture (DAC) technology alongside associated community engagement activities. EPIC is funded by a ratepayer surcharge on electricity customers of California's three largest investor-owned utilities — Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas and Electric — and exceeds $130 million annually in clean energy research investment. GFO-25-307 is administered by CEC's Energy Research and Development Division, which manages the 80% CEC share of EPIC funding. The application deadline is 31 July 2026, with applications submitted through CEC's Grant Solicitation System (GSS) at gss.energy.ca.gov.

The solicitation specifically targets pre-commercial DAC demonstrations, meaning projects must be beyond laboratory-stage research but not yet operating as commercial installations. A community engagement component is explicitly part of the funded scope, reflecting EPIC's mandate to allocate at least 25% of technology demonstration funds to projects sited in or benefiting California's disadvantaged communities. Eligible applicants include for-profit companies, non-profit organisations, universities, and research organisations operating in California; individual applicants are not eligible. Award amounts are specified in the GFO-25-307 solicitation document, which contains the full eligibility requirements, scoring rubric, and application instructions.

Direct air capture projects must demonstrate a credible pathway to cost reduction and scale, consistent with California's carbon-neutrality goals. Applicants should download and review the GFO-25-307 PDF solicitation from the CEC website before applying, as the GSS submission process requires completion of prescribed application forms and budget templates. CEC evaluates proposals competitively, and applicants that clearly tie their project to measurable tonnes of CO₂ removal, articulate local community benefits, and demonstrate a viable commercialisation pathway are best positioned under the EPIC program's scoring criteria.