BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2229
Page A
Date of Hearing: April 28, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
Steven Bradford, Chair
AB 2229 (Bradford) - As Amended: April 2, 2014
SUBJECT : Energy efficiency: military bases and facilities
SUMMARY : This bill will require the California Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) to establish an energy efficiency
program specifically for military bases and facilities.
Specifically, this bill :
Requires the PUC, in consultation with the California Energy
Commission (CEC) and the Department of Defense, to identify all
potentially achievable cost-effective electricity efficiency
savings at military bases and facilities in the state, and to
establish efficiency targets for electrical and gas corporations
to achieve at military bases and facilities.
EXISTING LAW
a)Requires the PUC to establish energy efficiency procurement
targets and ratepayer-funded programs for electrical and gas
corporations. (Public Utilities Code 454.55 and 454.56)
b)Federal Executive Order 13423 (January 2007) establishes goals
for improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas
emissions through reduction of energy intensity by 3 percent
annually through the end of fiscal year 2015, or 30 percent by
the end of fiscal year 2015, relative to the baseline of the
agency's energy use in fiscal year 2003.
c)Federal Executive Order 13514 (October 2009) establishes the
policy of the United States for agencies to increase their
energy efficiency and reduce energy intensity.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
1)Author's Statement. Department of Defense facilities (Marine,
Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard) in California are ordered to
meet Presidential and Administrative goals with respect to
AB 2229
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energy efficiency and renewable energy. Currently, there are
no specific programs to assist California military bases in
meeting their energy efficiency goals. California should do as
much as it can to support our in-state military facilities,
and this bill, would ensure that the California military bases
and facilities receive support for cost effective energy
efficiency improvements.
2)Regional Energy Networks . In 2012, the PUC, through Decision
D.1211015, selected and authorized Regional Energy Networks
(RENs) in response to complaints that utility local government
programs were not fully meeting their needs. The PUC
authorized RENs to be administered by the electrical and gas
corporations, including fiscal oversight and monitoring but
excluding program design. The RENs have independent authority
to manage, deliver, and oversee their programs and provide
period reporting to the PUC to ensure accountability and
results. The PUC authorized RENs in Los Angeles County and the
San Francisco Bay Area.
No similar targeted program exists for military and Coast
Guard facilities located in California.
3)Current Energy Efficiency Programs for Military and Coast
Guard Facilities . Currently, utilities work with military
bases to identify cost-effective energy efficiency
opportunities and provide rebates for measures that are
installed. In addition, some utilities have entered into
agreement with military bases to provide energy efficiency
improvements and demand response programs. A number of energy
efficiency and renewable energy projects are currently
underway. According to Sempra (SDG&E and SoCal Gas), current
projects include: various lighting and energy management
projects and several renewable energy projects at various
facilities. Sempra reported providing over $1 million in
incentives to the US Navy in 2013.
There is no separate accounting for military facilities within
current energy efficiency programs so the extent to which
additional cost-effective measures could be implemented is
unknown.
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4)Have all energy efficiency opportunities been implemented ? A
recent study of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton,<1> which
assessed one region (Area 22) of that facility, found that:
"Camp Pendleton already has an outstanding energy
conservation program. The Base had an FY 2000 goal of
reducing energy use per square foot by 20 percent from its
FY 1985 baseline and an FY 2005 reduction goal of 30
percent from FY 1985. During 2002, MCB Camp Pendleton
aggressively reduced energy consumption by 6 percent. MCB
Camp Pendleton was further tasked to identify and
accomplish all energy and water conservation actions that
pay back in ten years or less by FY 2005 and to improve the
efficiency of all industrial facilities energy use by 20
percent by FY 2005. MCB Camp Pendleton has accomplished the
20 percent reduction and accomplished the additional 10
percent reduction by FY 2005 as required. (USMC, 2002)"
The assessment went on to find numerous opportunities for
increasing energy efficiency within Area 22, such as:
improving the efficiency of chiller systems, upgrading
older air-handling units to efficient air volume systems,
increase energy efficiency of boilers, replace
refrigerators with newer, efficient refrigerators, improve
exterior lighting efficiency (exterior lighting represents
approximately 6% of Area 22's electricity demand), and
adding occupancy sensors to rooms, replace lighting. This
is not the complete list of recommendations. The report
concluded that the recommendations would reduce electricity
purchases by approximately 2,026,114 kilowatt-hours per
year and save nearly $350,000 per year in electricity
costs.
A complete assessment of Camp Pendleton is likely to identify
more opportunities to improve efficiency. Similar assessments
at other militia facilities are likely to reveal more
opportunities to improve energy efficiency.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
---------------------------
<1> Energy Reduction Strategies for Marine Corps Base Camp
Pendleton, Assessment and Recommendations, Gregory Wiley,
University of California, Irvine, May 2012
AB 2229
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Clean Power Campaign
Sierra Club California
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Susan Kateley / U. & C. / (916)
319-2083