BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2944
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Date of Hearing: April 8, 2002
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
Roderick D. Wright, Chair
AB 2944 (Kehoe) - As Introduced: February 25, 2002
SUBJECT : Energy conservation and development: San Diego Solar
Streetlights Pilot Program.
SUMMARY : Establishes a pilot program in San Diego to educate
the public on solar energy feasibility and to encourage greater
use of solar energy systems. Specifically, this bill :
1)Establishes the San Diego Solar Streetlights Pilot Program, in
effect for a period of time specified by the California Public
Utilities Commission (PUC), upon agreement with the City of
San Diego and at the initiative of alternative energy
companies that have organized for this purpose.
2)Declares that the purpose of the pilot program is to educate
the public on solar energy system feasibility as an
alternative renewable energy source, and to encourage greater
use of solar energy systems in commercial and residential
applications.
3)Provides that the project shall use resources of alternative
energy companies for a solar street lighting program not to
exceed a six-block radius.
4)Specifies that participating energy companies shall donate the
necessary infrastructure in consideration of incentives to be
devised by the City of San Diego. No state funds are to be
encumbered to pay for any part of the program.
5)Allows the business participants in the program to be
identified, but not the brands of products used.
6)Requires PUC to report to the Governor and the Legislature on
the pilot program in January 2005.
EXISTING LAW charges the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission with responsibilities that include
development of alternative renewable sources of energy.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown.
AB 2944
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COMMENTS :
Related Legislation
AB 48 X2 (Wright), [Chapter 17, Statutes of 2001, Second
Extraordinary Session] enacted last year, creates the Solar
Training, Education and Certification Act, a three-prong program
that fills in gaps of existing state programs designed to
encourage use of solar energy systems. It authorizes local
governments to develop a program to encourage the construction
of buildings that use solar thermal and photovoltaic systems
that are certified by nationally recognized certification
agencies or the California Energy Commission (CEC).
SB X2 82 (Murray), [Chapter 10, Statutes of 2001, Second
Extraordinary Session] enacted last year, requires the
Department of General Services and CEC to ensure that solar
equipment that produces electric energy be installed, where
feasible, as part of the construction of all state buildings and
parking lots that begins after December 31, 2002.
SB 1534 (Bowen) requires solar energy systems to meet all
applicable safety and performance
standards established by the National Electrical Code and the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, among others,
and applicable rules of the Public Utilities Commission
Author's statement
The energy crisis of 2000-2001 demonstrated the hazards of over
reliance on a single power source. We must immediately begin to
decrease out reliance on traditional means of power generation.
The Legislature should support and facilitate development of
alternative energy sources, including solar power. Once method
of doing this is to encourage use of alternative energy by
demonstrating its reliability to the public.
The City of San Diego now has a single solar-powered street
light. AB 2944 will facilitate expansion and further
development of solar power by this demonstration program. The
City of San Diego will assist by expanding the use of solar
lighting via zoning, permits, waiver of fees, and the like. AB
AB 2944
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2944 seeks to create an environment in which auxiliary solar
power is readily available on a widespread basis and our
dependence on electric power generated through traditional means
has been reduced significantly.
Double Referral
This measure has also been referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Paul Donahue / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083