California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have required the State’s renewable energy and climate change programs to include hydroelectric generation facilities as renewable electrical generation facilities, eligible renewable energy resources, and zero-carbon resources.  The bill also would have required that those programs not differentiate between the electricity generated by hydroelectric facilities and the electricity generated by other renewable electrical generation facilities, eligible renewable energy resources, and zero-carbon resources.  Remains at the Assembly Desk.

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Summary

Expands the statutory definition of biomethane for the gas utility biomethane procurement program under development by the California Public Utilities Commission by adding the use of noncombustion thermal conversion of woody and other waste material, including agricultural and wood waste.

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Summary

Spot bill expressing the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would incentivize the use of fuel cells to address reliability issues associated with public safety power shutoffs.  Was not heard in the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Public Utilities Commission, in consultation with the California Energy Commission and CARB, to establish a critical consumption program for hydrogen production and processing and to establish a framework for directing electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources to the production and processing of hydrogen at specified times.  Was not heard in the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.

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Summary

Would have required a person who extracts or uses water from a groundwater basin within 20 miles of Joshua Tree National Park, for purposes of construction and operation of a closed-loop pumped hydroelectric energy storage system, to submit to the State Water Resources Control Board, any plans, technical reports, or monitoring data reports required under any license for hydroelectric generation issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) to timely incorporate consideration of long-duration energy storage systems into their energy and resource planning.  The bill would have required CPUC and CEC to consider measures to advance described objectives for long-duration energy storage, including support through research and development, demonstration, procurement, and incentives.  Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have prohibited the State Water Resources Control Board from extending the operation of once‑through cooling powerplants that are older, less-efficient, higher-emitting plants, specifically Redondo Beach, in order to develop parklands and restore wetlands.  Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the procurement of long-duration energy storage to meet a more aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction target.  This bill would have required the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to direct this procurement by load-serving entities (LSE) by March 1, 2021.  If the CPUC did not order the procurement, this bill would have required the Department of Water Resources to procure the amount of long-duration energy storage on behalf of the LSEs.  Was not heard in the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee.

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Summary

Requires the California Public Utilities Commission, on or before March 1, 2021, to review and decide whether to approve two specific pending transportation electrification infrastructure applications and to issue a decision reauthorizing and extending programs and investments previously approved.  This bill also creates the School Building Energy Efficiency Stimulus Program that consists of:  (1) the School Reopening Ventilation and Energy Efficiency Verification and Repair Program and (2) the School Building Noncompliant Plumbing Fixture Program to be adopted by the investor-owned utilities and administered by the California Energy Commission.  The bill requires that up to 25 percent of installation crew members of any State‑funded electric vehicle charging infrastructure be certified under the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program.

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Summary

Would have prohibited the State Water Resources Control Board from extending the operation of once‑through cooling powerplants that are older, less-efficient, higher-emitting plants, specifically Redondo Beach, in order to develop parklands and restore wetlands.  Was not heard in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

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