BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1923
Author: Evans (D)
Amended: 4/8/10 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, U.&C. COMMITTEE : 6-3, 6/15/10
AYES: Corbett, Florez, Kehoe, Lowenthal, Simitian, Wright
NOES: Padilla, Dutton, Strickland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cox, Oropeza
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 46-25, 5/6/10 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Solar energy systems: theft prevention
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill authorizes the Public Utilities
Commission (PUC) to use funds dedicated for research and
development from the California Solar Initiative for
antitheft technology to protect investments in solar energy
systems.
ANALYSIS : Current law provides $3.3 billion in
ratepayer-funded incentives for the California Solar
Initiative (CSI) which includes $50 million for Research,
Development, Deployment, and Demonstration (RD&D) for
development of solar and other distributed generation
technologies.
Current law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
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to report to the Legislature a description of each RD&D
grant awarded, including the intended purpose(s) to be
achieved by the particular grant, and the results of each
grant.
This bill authorizes the PUC to allocate RD&D funds for
RD&D of anti-theft technology to protect investments in
solar energy systems.
Background
The CSI has a budget of $3.3 billion of which $50 million
is allocated for RD&D. Approximately half of that $50
million has been allocated by the PUC in the form of
competitive grants. Currently the intended use of the RD&D
money is to fund solar research and demonstration projects
that will measurably reduce the cost of and accelerate the
installation of solar and other distributed technologies
that could employ solar for generation, storage, or that
could reduce the use of natural gas. While none of that
RD&D money is currently spent on solar security, the RD&D
program does not prevent the PUC from awarding a contract
to a project related to anti-theft technologies.
The nation's domestic solar photovoltaic market grew from
220 megawatts (MW) in 2007 to 357 MW in 2008. There were
more than 60,000 distributed solar electric systems
interconnected across the United States by the end of 2008.
Unfortunately, this increase in the number of
installations has created more opportunity for solar panel
theft. According to the California State Sheriffs'
Association, between June 2008 and September 2009 in Napa
County alone, over 400 solar panels worth more than
$400,000 were stolen from wineries. Solar panels that are
stolen are nearly impossible to recover because many panels
have no serial number or other method of identification.
Consequently, the potential for contractors to buy them
cheap and sell them back to customers at full price without
any repercussions exists. Each three-foot by four-foot
panel costs approximately $1,000 or more. It has been
estimated that two people working together can dismantle a
fairly large solar array and abscond with as many as 50
panels in approximately an hour. "Putting them up takes
some time, taking them down is simple." There are current
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security options for solar panels: While there are no
foolproof systems to prevent theft, in the last few years
several companies have begun selling customized
stainless-steel nuts and bolts to lock the panels down.
The fasteners fit the different types of solar rack
assemblies and can be cut in a one-of-a-kind pattern so
regular wrenches and screwdrivers do not work to remove the
panels. The installer and/or owner keep the key. The cost
is approximately $400 for installation of a 50-panel
system.
A second solar security option involves wiring an alarm
through each panel that sounds a 120 decibel siren if a
panel connection is disturbed. Simultaneously, the system
dials up to eight pre-programmed numbers to notify the
owner and police. The cost of these systems is between
$1,000 to $2,000.
While the CSI has not focused on distributed solar security
technologies, the CSI program "promotes" the use of
continuous metering and monitoring technologies that notify
system owners immediately if the system has been tampered
with. Specifically, the CSI program rules currently
require metering and monitoring on all systems (with an
exception for small systems and systems built before 2007).
In addition, the CSI program conducts marketing and
outreach to potential and existing solar customers. These
programs have been expanded to include additional
information about avoiding solar system theft.
Federal Action . United States Representative Mike Thompson
(Napa Valley) has added a provision against solar thefts in
the Solar Technology Roadmap Act. The provision creates a
national registry for solar panel serial numbers than can
be referred to in case of theft. The bill has been passed
by the House of Representatives and now awaits a Senate
vote.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/16/10)
California Solar Industries Association
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California State Sheriffs' Association
Napa County Sheriff-Coroner's Office
Napa Valley Vintners
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Wine Institute
OPPOSITION : (Verified 6/16/10)
Public Utilities Commission
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The Napa County Sheriff's
Department noted that in Napa County alone, more than
$400,000 worth of solar panels have been stolen in just
over a year. Wineries, with large ground-level installed
arrays, have been particularly hard hit. Moreover, there
have been numerous newspaper articles highlighting the
issue. Thieves steal the solar energy systems because they
are out in fields and not on roof-tops. This is
not a problem exclusively incurred by wineries. Many
agricultural areas have experienced increased rates of
theft of solar energy systems.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The PUC argues that this bill
is unnecessary due to the fact that the PUC RD&D program
does not prevent the PUC from awarding a contract to a
project related to anti-theft technologies.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Ammiano, Arambula, Beall, Blakeslee, Blumenfield,
Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles
Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Coto, Davis, De Leon, Eng,
Evans, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Hall,
Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman, Jones, Lieu,
Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Nava, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino,
Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson,
Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Yamada, John A. Perez
NOES: Adams, Anderson, Bill Berryhill, Tom Berryhill,
Conway, Cook, DeVore, Fletcher, Fuller, Gaines, Garrick,
Hagman, Harkey, Jeffries, Knight, Logue, Miller,
Nestande, Niello, Nielsen, Silva, Smyth, Audra
Strickland, Tran, Villines
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bass, Block, De La Torre, Emmerson,
Gilmore, Mendoza, Monning, Norby, Vacancy
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DLW:mw 6/16/10 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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