BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 306
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Date of Hearing: May 18, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 306 (Gatto) - As Amended: April 27, 2011
Policy Committee: Natural
ResourcesVote:6-1
Transportation 11-1
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to
conduct research on generating electricity from roadway weight
and friction using piezoelectric technology. The bill requires
CEC, as part of this research, to collaborate with the
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to establish a pilot
project or projects that employ piezoelectric technology and
authorizes use of Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) monies,
upon appropriation, to fund the research, if CEC finds, based on
initial research, that a pilot project is appropriate.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Minor, absorbable costs to CEC to conduct initial research.
(Public Interest Research, Development, and Demonstration Fund
(PIRDDF).)
2)Potential significant costs to CEC, likely in the hundreds of
thousands to millions of dollars, to conduct additional
research, which would include a pilot project. (PIRDDF.)
3)Potential costs to Caltrans, possibly in the millions of
dollars, to install generation equipment, which, according to
Caltrans, would need to occur on the state's busiest
commercial corridors, and to remove it should the equipment
prove damaging to the roadway or to vehicles. (PIRDFF or State
Highway Account.)
COMMENTS
AB 306
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1)Rationale. The author notes that California is exploring a
variety of alternative energy resources to help it meet a
number of policy goals, including greenhouse gas (GHG)
reduction. The author argues it appropriate to require CEC
to undertake research, which includes a pilot project, to
explore the electricity generation possibilities of
piezoelectric technology.
2)Background.
a) Piezoelectricity is the electric charge that accumulates
in certain materials, such as crystals and ceramics, in
response to applied mechanical strain, such as the weight
of passing motor vehicles. As noted by the Natural
Resources Committee analysis of the bill, the piezoelectric
technology installed under the surface of roads as
described in this bill is patented by Israel-based
Innowattech.
b) Public Interest Energy Research. When California
partially deregulated its energy market in 1996, many
assumed that the state's for-profit investor-owned
utilities (IOUs) would cut research efforts to reduce
costs. To ensure continuation of energy research that
benefitted the public, statute directed the IOUs to levy a
public goods charge on electricity bills, the proceeds of
which funds CEC's PIER program. Through PIER, CEC awards
competitive grants for research to develop, and help bring
to market, energy technologies that benefit the
environment, provide greater system reliability, lower
system costs, and provide other tangible benefits to
California electric utility customers. Each year, the PIER
program receives no less than $62.5 million in public goods
surcharge monies from the ratepayers of the state's
electricity IOUs. The public goods charge is set to expire
in 2012.
3)Support. This bill is supported by the State Building and
Construction Trades Council of California, Sierra Club
California and other organizations and individuals supporting
research and use of alternative energy supplies.
4)The policy committees received no formal opposition to this
bill.
AB 306
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Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081