BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2378
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2378 (Tran)
As Amended May 11, 2010
Majority vote
UTILITIES & COMMERCE 8-2
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|Ayes:|Knight, Buchanan, Carter, | | |
| |Fong, Fuller, Ma, | | |
| |Swanson, Villines | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Huffman, Skinner | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Includes any combination of the renewable resources to
qualify as an eligible renewable energy device under the California
Energy Commission's (CEC) Renewables Program and for Renewable
Portfolio Standard (RPS) compliance.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and certain other retail
sellers to achieve a 20% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) by
2010, and requires publicly-owned utilities (POUs) to implement and
enforce their own RPS programs.
2)Establishes the Renewable Energy Resources Program (Renewables
Program) to complement RPS by increasing the quantity of
electricity generated by in-state renewable electricity generation
facilities and identifying and supporting specified emerging
renewable technologies.
3)Defines eligible renewable technologies under the program to
include: biomass, solar thermal, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal,
fuel cells using renewable fuels, small hydroelectric generation of
30 megawatts or less, digester gas, municipal solid waste
conversion, landfill gas, ocean wave, ocean thermal, or tidal
current, and any additions or enhancements to the facility using
that technology.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill is intended to codify a renewable energy device
AB 2378
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that may use more than one source of renewable resource. The current
eligible renewables identify a number of specific renewable energy
technologies, however, it is silent with regard to whether a
combination of technologies would qualify for the Renewables Program
and RPS compliance.
The author states that devices that would generate electricity using
more than one renewable resource could include: wind turbines atop
wave generators; photovoltaic panels and/or wind turbines affixed to
wave machines; wind turbines affixed to exhaust vents from biomass
generators; or, any other combination of renewable energy devices
that increases net energy generation.
Current law requires the CEC to establish eligibility requirements
for renewable resources. CEC guide book states that the generator
can count as renewable any output that is associated with renewable
input. So if the generator uses 20% wind and 80% solar, it is
considered 100% renewable electricity. If the generator uses a fuel
cell that runs on 20% biogas and 80% natural gas, only 20% of the
output is considered renewable for RPS compliance.
Analysis Prepared by : Gina Adams / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083 FN:
0004131