California Energy Investment Center, LLC
About The CEIC
California Energy Investment Center (CEIC) an EB-5 Regional Center designated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), identifies programs pursuant to the USCIS EB-5 Investor Visa Program. The CEIC was approved by USCIS in August 2009 and is one of the oldest active regional centers in the United States and was designated as a “legacy” Regional Center by USCIS in 2025. The CEIC has offices in Cupertino (California’s Silicon Valley), Fresno (California’s Central Valley), and near Sacramento (California’s State Capitol).
Celebrating 15 successful years, CEIC has consistently demonstrated its unwavering commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth and empowering local communities. The CEIC has played a strategic role in the identification and support of promising companies and innovative technologies. By focusing on experienced leadership in rural and targeted employment areas, CEIC has not only facilitated job creation but has also catalyzed significant positive changes in environmental sustainability.
CEIC Completed EB-5 Projects & Job Creation
CEIC Statistical Data: 2009 – Fiscal Year End 2025
CEIC’s Core Strategy
Focus its capital investment and economic activity on projects which have high employment and income producing potential in communities with chronically high unemployment. CEIC believes that the CEIC Region has unique attributes– including an abundance of sun days and agricultural products, and an existing transportation infrastructure which includes international and regional airports and road systems — all of which facilitates alternative energy-related projects. It should be noted that jobs in the alternative energy sector typically pay more than agricultural jobs. As a result, CEIC believes that the impact of its projects on the CEIC Region, including income and purchasing power, as well as income, sales, and property tax revenues, will be substantial. It is estimated that more than 75% of the population in the Central Valley lives within proximity of Highway 99 and Interstate 5. In some of the towns along these highways general unemployment is well over 30% and, in certain age groups, well over 50%. CEIC’s investment categories will be in proximity to large concentrations of unemployed people.
CEIC Approved EB-5 Industry Categories
The CEIC specializes in identifying projects in various sectors including alternative energy and fuels, technology, and real estate development in California. All EB-5 investment categories and technologies that reduce waste and otherwise enhance the environment.
CEIC Approved Geographic Territory
CEIC approved counties in the State of California and Nevada:
California Counties
- Stanislaus
- Merced
- San Benito
- Kings
- San Bernadino
- Madera
- Kem
- Imperial
- Fresno
- Riverside
- Tulare
- San Joaquin
Nevada Counties
- Clark
CEIC EB-5 Projects
For more EB-5 Project information – https://calenergyinvestment.com/projects/
CEIC Principal
CEIC Owner & Managing Member:
Dr. Joseph J. Penbera. Ph.D., American U; MPA, Baruch School, CUNY; BA. Rutgers; Postgraduate: Senior Finance, Harvard, and Computer Applications, MIT/Bowdoin.
Dr. Penbera has been working in the EB-5 field since 2001, having helped to create EB-5 regional investment centers in California, Texas, and Florida. He has written professional opinions relating to regional economic analysis and job creation, testified at the U.S. Congress about investment benefits in targeted employment areas, and authored “A Comparative Analysis of IMPLAN and RIMS II Econometric Modeling of Job Creation and Capital Investment as Applied to EB-5 Investment Projects”, Global Finance Association, Innovative Capital Track, May 2012. Dr. Penbera is known for his commitment to regional job creation and project development in targeted employment areas and, particularly, in rural areas. He began his career Director, Agro-Industrial Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School in Washington, D.C, and, then, founded and served as President of the Network of Organization, Agriculture and Human Resources under international agency funding. He served as Dean, Craig School of Business and Professor at California State University, Fresno. He has authored rural county economic profiles, a comprehensive regional Statistical Abstract, job studies, and population forecasts, among others. He was appointed Eaton Fellow in the Futures Institute, the first think tank in the CSU system. He has aided the Rural Alliance on EB-5 matters of importance to rural investment centers.
Dr. Penbera was appointed Senior Fulbright Scholar in Economics and has been identified by Knight Kiplinger, editor of The Kiplinger Letter, as one of the best forecast economists in the nation. At the USDA Graduate School, he also was the program leader for the Technology Forecasting and Futures Programs serving NASA, NSF, other federal agencies, and directed training programs funded by the USAID, and coordinated with The World Bank, and other international agencies. Dr. Penbera authored one of the first referred journal articles on the “Economics of E-Commerce” and co-authored a Bookwatch Bestseller. He has served as a Director of Rug Doctor (ACAS-NYSE), and Vendo (part of Sanden), and as a consultant to NBC and The White House Consortium of Cabinet-Level Agencies, among others. He is the recipient of the ORMASZ Medal (Poland) and the Paul Harris Medal (Rotary). His work as an economist has been used in matters before the U.S. courts at all levels, including Federal courts.
Dr. Penbera has had a more than a two-decade commitment to the EB-5 Program. He has assisted other EB-5 regional centers in California, Texas, and Florida. In 2009, he founded the highly successful California Energy Investment Center, LLC (“CEIC”). He has provided professional opinion letters relating to EB-5 applications for investors from all over the world. He has been cited by media channels as an authoritative source for analysis and opinion on economic issues. In 2017, he was named one of the best economists in the world by the Invest in the U.S. Summit in Shenzhen, China.
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