BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SCR 108|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SCR 108
Author: Evans (D) and Hueso (D), et al.
Amended: 5/19/14
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, UTIL. & COMMUNIC. COMM. : 10-0, 4/29/14
AYES: Padilla, Fuller, Block, Cannella, Corbett, DeSaulnier,
Hill, Knight, Pavley, Wolk
NO VOTE RECORDED: De Le�n
SUBJECT : Geothermal Awareness Month and Geothermal Awareness
Day
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution recognizes the month of May 2014, as
Geothermal Awareness Month and May 5, 2014, as Geothermal
Awareness Day.
ANALYSIS : This resolution makes the following legislative
findings:
1.California contains the largest amount of geothermal
generating capacity in the United States due to its location
on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and the tectonic plate junctions
and there are 25 Known Geothermal Resource Areas located in
California, 14 of which have temperatures of 300 degrees
Fahrenheit or greater for commercial geothermal production of
electricity.
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2.Geothermal energy is a reliable base load renewable energy
source that has been commercially operating in California
since 1960 at the Geysers, the world's most developed
geothermal resource area, which has been providing
Californians with clean, reliable, and affordable electricity
for more than 50 years.
3.Geothermal energy produces electricity 24 hours a day, seven
days a week with a high availability record and is important
to balance the needs of the state's transmission grid system.
4.Geothermal energy is a clean renewable energy resource. The
operation of the Geysers helps avoid the emissions of 2.4
million tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to
greenhouse gas emissions from more than 432,000 cars being
taken off the road that would otherwise be emitted by fossil
fuel plants to meet base load energy needs.
5.In comparison to other existing renewable technologies,
geothermal energy has many unique benefits, including
consistent, predictable production, a relatively small land
footprint, and low integration cost and the geothermal
industry is a major employer in the local communities where
projects are located, providing a diverse range of full-time
employment opportunities as well as contractor jobs throughout
all phases of development and operation.
6.Fully developing Imperial County's Salton Sea Known Geothermal
Resource Area could produce 5,214 construction jobs, and up to
1,093 long-term operating and maintenance jobs, substantially
improving the economy of one of the most impoverished counties
in the state, where over 22% of the population is unemployed.
7.California has one of the most ambitious renewable portfolio
standards in the country with a mandate to procure 33% of
energy from renewable sources by 2020, and geothermal energy
is a major contributor to achieving this goal.
8.Geothermal energy is essential and complimentary to
California's environmental and economic policies, yet new
fully permitted geothermal projects have failed to keep pace
with the procurement of other renewable resources.
9.According to the ARB, the Energy Resources Conservation and
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Development Commission, and PUC, existing geothermal
generation production is expected to drop significantly by
2020, a result of renewable procurement policies that have
failed to fully capture the benefits of geothermal generation
and the costs associated with other renewable technologies.
This resolution recognizes the month of May 2014, as Geothermal
Awareness Month and May 5, 2014, as Geothermal Awareness Day to
raise awareness of the significant contributions geothermal
energy makes to California's Renewable Portfolio Standard and
towards meeting the state's environmental goals to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/21/14)
Climate Protection Campaign
Geothermal Energy Association
Geothermal Resources Council
Lake County Chamber of Commerce
JG:e 5/21/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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