20250SB__069898AMD INTRODUCED 2025-02-21 AMENDED_SENATE 2025-04-09 2025 SB AMD Introduced by Senator McNerney LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE McNerney

An act to amend Sections 25780, 25781, and of, to amend the heading of

Chapter 8.8 (commencing with

Section 25780) of Division of, and to add

Section to, the Public Resources Code, relating to energy. energy California Solar Initiative: distributed energy resource equipment lists. Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission), in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission, local publicly owned electric utilities, and interested members of the public, to establish eligibility criteria for solar energy systems receiving ratepayer-funded incentives, as specified.

Existing law requires the Energy Commission to adopt guidelines for solar energy systems receiving ratepayer-funded incentives, as provided. This bill would authorize the Energy Commission to establish distributed energy resource equipment lists with rating standards for equipment and components for solar energy systems, distributed energy storage systems, and electric vehicle service equipment, as specified. The bill would define various terms for these purposes. The bill would require the Energy Commission to also adopt guidelines for the distributed energy resource equipment lists, as provided.

MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. The heading of

Chapter 8.8 (commencing with

Section 25780) of Division of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 8.8. California Solar Initiative and Equipment Lists

SEC. 2.

Section of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 25780. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (

a) It is the goal of the state to install solar energy systems with a generation capacity equivalent of 3,000 megawatts, to establish a self-sufficient solar industry in which solar energy systems are a viable mainstream option for both homes and businesses in years, and to place solar energy systems on percent of new homes in years. (

b) A solar initiative should be a cost-effective investment by ratepayers in peak electricity generation capacity where ratepayers recoup the cost of their investment through lower rates as a result of avoiding purchases of electricity at peak rates, with additional system reliability and pollution reduction benefits. (

c) Creating and maintaining distributed energy resource equipment lists for equipment, components, and systems that further the energy and environmental goals of the state is economically and environmentally beneficial to the state.

SEC. 3.

Section of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 25781. As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) “Bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment” has the same meaning as defined in

Section of the Health and Safety Code. (b) “California Solar Initiative” means the program providing ratepayer funded incentives for eligible solar energy systems adopted by the Public Utilities Commission in Decision 06-01-024. (c) “Distributed energy storage system” has the same meaning as defined in

Section 2838.2 of the Public Utilities Code. (c)</xhtml:p>"?> (d) “Electric vehicle service equipment” has the same meaning as defined in

Section of the Health and Safety Code. (d)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>“Energy storage system” means a technology that is capable of storing electricity that is generated from a co-located generator or from the distribution grid for a period of time before discharging it to meet the energy needs of the host customer site or back to the distribution grid.</xhtml:p>"?> (e) “kW” means kilowatts or 1,000 watts, as measured from the alternating current side of the solar energy system inverter consistent with

Section of Title of the United States Code. (f) “kWh” means kilowatthours, as measured by the number of kilowatts generated in an hour. (g) “MW” means megawatts or 1,000,000 watts. (h) “Solar energy system” means a solar energy device that has the primary purpose of providing for the collection and distribution of solar energy for the generation of electricity, that produces at least one kW, and not more than five MW, alternating current rated peak electricity, and that meets or exceeds the eligibility criteria established pursuant to

Section 25782.

SEC. 4.

Section of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 25784. The commission shall adopt guidelines for solar energy systems receiving ratepayer funded incentives and for distributed energy resource equipment lists at a publicly noticed meeting offering all interested parties an opportunity to comment. Not less than days’ public notice shall be given of the meeting required by this section, before the commission initially adopts guidelines. Substantive changes to the guidelines shall not be adopted without at least days’ written notice to the public. Notwithstanding any other law, guidelines adopted pursuant to this

chapter shall be exempt from the requirements of

Chapter 3.5 (commencing with

Section 11340) of Part of Division of Title of the Government Code.

SEC. 5.

Section is added to the Public Resources Code , immediately following

Section 25784 , to read: 25785. "?>The commission may establish distributed energy resource equipment lists with rating standards for equipment and components for solar energy systems, distributed energy storage systems, and electric vehicle service equipment, including, but not limited to, bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment. (b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This

section does not affect the requirements on the commission pursuant to

Section 25783.</xhtml:p>"?>