Bill Text: CA AB1150 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Energy: University of California and California State

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2015-10-08 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 597, Statutes of 2015. [AB1150 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB1150-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1150	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Levine

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2015

   An act to add Section 25404.5 to the Public Resources Code,
relating to energy.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1150, as introduced, Levine. Energy: University of California
partnership.
   The Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Act establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission. The act requires the State Energy
Resources Conservation and Development Commission, beginning November
1, 2003, and by November 1 of every odd year thereafter, to adopt an
integrated energy policy report which includes an overview of major
energy trends and issues facing the state, an assessment and forecast
of system reliability, and the need for resource additions,
efficiency, and conservation.
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations
and gas corporations, as defined, while local publicly owned electric
utilities, as defined, and local publicly owned gas utilities are
under the direction of their governing board.
   This bill would require the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission, in consultation with the Public Utilities
Commission and the University of California, to expand the existing
statewide institutional partnership between the University of
California and investor-owned energy utilities, as defined, to create
an integrated and flexible program across all University of
California facilities, that accomplishes specified matter, including
extending participation to University of California facilities served
by local publicly owned energy utilities that choose to participate.
As a condition for participation in the expanded partnership, the
bill would require the University of California to report to the
State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission the
annual reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases from the expanded
partnership at all participating University of California facilities.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) The University of California has committed to achieving carbon
neutrality through aggressive measures to increase energy efficiency
and develop renewable energy resources.
   (b) Because of its size and subsequent required energy
consumption, there are significant opportunities for reducing
emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases at University
of California facilities.
   (c) Collectively the University of California has substantially
contributed to the state's energy efficiency goals by saving 373
million kilowatthours per year and 18,700,000 therms per year through
2014 as part of an institutional statewide partnership with
investor-owned energy utilities established in 2004.
   (d) Additional deep energy efficiency potential exists at
University of California facilities. The identified potential deep
energy efficiency projects could produce savings of 426,000,000
kilowatthours per year and 15,700,000 therms per year, equating to
$59 million per year in utility cost savings.
   (e) There is a need to expand the existing University of
California institutional statewide partnership to capture carbon and
reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and to ensure meaningful and
reliable energy assessments, cost-effective energy efficiency
improvements, and the incorporation of projects that are demonstrated
to be cost effective on a carbon basis.
  SEC. 2.  Section 25404.5 is added to the Public Resources Code, to
read:
   25404.5.  (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms
have the following meanings:
   (1) "Investor-owned energy utilities" means the state's three
largest electrical corporations, as defined in Section 218 of the
Public Utilities Code, and each gas corporation, as defined in
Section 222 of the Public Utilities Code, of the state.
   (2) "Local publicly owned energy utility" means a local publicly
owned electric utility, as defined in Section 224.3 of the Public
Utilities Code, or a local publicly owned gas utility.
   (3) "Partnership" means the statewide institutional partnership
between the University of California and investor-owned energy
utilities.
   (b) The commission, in consultation with the Public Utilities
Commission and the University of California, shall expand the
statewide institutional partnership between the University of
California and investor-owned energy utilities to create an
integrated and flexible program across all University of California
facilities, that accomplishes all of the following:
   (1) Participation in the partnership is extended to University of
California facilities served by local publicly owned energy utilities
that choose to participate. The commission shall collaborate with
those local publicly owned energy utilities serving the University of
California to ensure the participation of the University of
California and local publicly owned energy utilities.
   (2) A project is evaluated based upon the project's effect in
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and the cost effectiveness in
achieving those reductions, including, but not limited to, deep
energy efficiency and eligible renewable energy resources, subject to
applicable funding.
   (3) Wherever feasible, the partnership utilizes whole-building, or
whole-campus, meter based verification in order to reduce costs
associated with traditional field verification and engineering hand
calculations.
   (c) The Public Utilities Commission and the commission shall
leverage the existing partnership to allow flexibility and to
accommodate the potential for multiple funding sources, and the
partnership's existing administrative framework shall, subject to
subdivision (e), be utilized to allocate any future funding from the
state for energy projects or projects for reducing emissions of
greenhouse gases.
   (d) This section does not affect the eligibility of the University
of California to receive resources from federal, state, and local
government, or from public utilities or other sources through the
partnership, and to leverage those resources.
   (e) Funds associated with an investor-owned energy utility shall
be used only for projects that are in compliance with Public
Utilities Commission requirements at University of California
facilities within the service territory of the investor-owned energy
utility.
   (f) As a condition to participation in the expanded partnership,
the University of California shall report to the commission the
annual reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases from the expanded
partnership at all participating University of California facilities,
by a mutually agreed upon date. When reporting the results of
partnership projects, all savings calculations shall utilize a
baseline reflecting the existing conditions prior to the upgrade.
   (g) The Public Utilities Commission and the commission, to the
extent possible, shall utilize existing resources, administrative
structures, and expertise in implementing this section.