BILL ANALYSIS
AB 758
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 758 (Skinner)
As Amended September 4, 2009
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |50-29|(June 2, 2009) |SENATE: |27-8 |(September 10, |
| | | | | |2009) |
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Original Committee Reference: U. & C.
SUMMARY : Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to
develop and implement a comprehensive program to achieve greater
energy savings in existing residential and nonresidential
building stock, including energy assessments, cost-effective
energy efficiency improvements, financing options, public
outreach, and education efforts.
The Senate amendments :
1)Delete the requirement that CEC develop the program to
increase the number of annual energy audits or achieve a
targeted number of energy audits, and replace it with
assessments.
2)Delete the requirement that the utilities perform audits, and
replace it with assessments.
3)Require the program to coordinate with and avoid duplication
of existing proceedings of the California Public Utilities
Commission (PUC) and programs administered by the utilities.
4)Require CEC to fund activities related to this program from
the Federal Trust Fund consistent with the federal American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) or other sources
of nonstate funds.
5)Define "energy assessment" as a determination of an energy
user's energy consumption level, relative efficiency compared
with other users, and opportunities to achieve greater
efficiency or improve energy resource utilization.
6)Delete some of the reporting criteria that publicly owned
utilities (POUs) would be required to submit to the its
AB 758
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customers and CEC, including the amount of money designated
for energy efficiency audits, number of buildings audited,
backlog of requests for energy efficiency audits, and types of
energy efficiency financing options.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill required energy efficiency
audits and quantitative goals, required POUs to provide
quantitative reporting criteria, and did not restrict the
funding to ARRA funds.
FISCAL EFFECT :
1)CEC estimates a need for 10 positions at a cost of about $1
million, plus $500,000 in contracts annually for five years,
to develop and implement the energy efficiency requirements.
Sixty percent of these resources would be for the commercial
application and 40% for the residential application. [Energy
Resources Programs Account] The comprehensive program would
include a broad range of energy audits, building benchmarking
or energy ratings, cost effective energy efficiency
improvements, public and private sector energy efficiency
financing options, public outreach and education, and expanded
utility energy efficiency programs.
2)PUC would incur one-time costs of about $100,000 for the
proceeding and ongoing costs of about $314,000 for one
analyst-to coordinate with CEC, assist with the proceeding,
and oversee the audit program-and consulting contracts to
evaluate the utilities' audit programs. [Public Utilities
Reimbursement Account]
COMMENTS : State energy policy prioritizes energy efficiency to
reduce energy usage, which decreases the need for new power
plants and transmission lines. Energy efficiency measures are
an inexpensive alternative to investment in infrastructure, and
reduce the proliferation of greenhouse gas emissions.
To reduce energy usage in existing buildings, CEC and most of
the utilities provide information on energy-efficiency
do-it-yourself audits. CEC issued a booklet directed at
homebuyers that provides information about home energy audits
and rating programs and markets this information through home
warranty company internet web sites. Many of the
recommendations require nominal expenses that render large
savings. Some low-cost examples include replacing incandescent
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light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones, using motion sensor
controls for exterior lighting, and caulking, sealing, or
applying weather strip to seams, cracks, and openings to the
outside around windows and doors.
Analysis Prepared by : Gina Adams / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083
FN: 0003084