BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 415
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 29, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
Steven Bradford, Chair
AB 415 (Garcia) - As Amended: April 24, 2013
SUBJECT : Solar Water Heating and Efficiency Act of 2007
SUMMARY : This bill broadens the test protocols and accredited
listing agencies that eligible equipment can use to be eligible
for solar water heating incentives. Specifically, this bill :
a)Allows ISO 9806 and ASHRAE 93 testing protocols to be used in
addition to the testing protocols used by the Solar Rating and
Certification Corporation (SRCC) for eligibility.
b)Allow product certifications issued by the International
Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), a
certification body accredited by the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) to be used for eligibility.
c)Would establish that the California Public Utilities
Commission (PUC) may adopt standards written by accredited
standards developers in place of developing ad-hoc standards
for the solar water heating incentives authorized by this
program.
EXISTING LAW
1)Establishes an incentive program to support installation of
200,000 solar water heaters by 2017. (Public Utilities Code
2863)
2)Requires equipment eligible for incentives to be certified by
SRCC. (Public Utilities Code 2864)
3)Technical amendments to update reference to test standards.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
1)Author's Statement. "In 2007 when the Governor signed AB 1470
into law, the Solar Rating & Certification Corporation (SRCC)
was the only solar system certification then in existence. Now
there are several accredited listing agencies that have the
ability to review and issues certification for solar
AB 415
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collectors used in systems for multifamily residential,
commercial, government, nonprofit, educational, or industrial
water heating. In order to address the issues raised by SRCC's
recent actions to make itself a sole source for certification
in accordance with OG-300, it is necessary to amend that
section of existing California code which has the effect of
conferring this monopoly control of certification."
2)Background. In 2010, the PUC authorized the California Solar
Initiative (CSI) Thermal program, which pays incentives to
solar water heating (SWH) systems that displace gas water
heating and electric water heating. The CSI Thermal program
was established pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB) 1470 (Huffman,
Chapter 536, Statutes of 2007), which contains direction to
the PUC in regards to the program budget, design, and
eligibility criteria. AB 1470 required that to be eligible for
an incentive a residential SWH system must be certified by
SRCC. AB 1470 also required that to be eligible for a
non-residential incentive the solar collectors must be
certified by SRCC.
3)Alternative Rating Systems . In October 2011, the PUC approved
a D1111004 finding that IAPMO is qualified to certify solar
water heating systems to Solar Rating and Certification
Corporation (SRCC) standards. The CSI Thermal Program
Administrators were directed to accept SRCC certifications
rendered by IAPMO. Additionally, the PUC decision established
a process for considering requests for acceptance of SRCC
certification performed by entities that are ANSI accredited
listing agencies.
Part of the basis of the PUC's decision was a letter from the
author of AB 1470, former Assemblymember Huffman, stating
that: "It's also important to note that regardless of the
entity certifying a solar water heating unit, all
certification entities should produce the same test results
when testing a solar water heater for eligibility against the
SRCC OG-300 or OG-100 standard."
The PUC also noted that there should not be much difference
between the SRCC and other entities' test results.
4)If there's no difference, why is this important? As written
the current statute creates a monopoly for one listing entity.
If AB 415 is enacted manufacturers could choose among testing
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agencies based on a variety of factors, such as timeliness of
testing, cost, or proximity to the test facility.
This concept is not new. For example, in electric equipment
safety testing, Underwriters' Laboratory (UL) develops test
protocols. UL also provides equipment testing. However, other
accredited testing organizations, such as Intertek, may also
provide equipment testing.
According to the sponsors, AB 415 will provide an open,
competitive market for certification services.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Solar Energy Industries Association (Sponsor)
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Susan Kateley / U. & C. / (916)
319-2083