BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2944
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 15, 2002
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Howard Wayne, Chair
AB 2944 (Kehoe) - As Introduced: February 25, 2002
SUBJECT : Energy conservation and development: San Diego Solar
Streetlights Pilot Program.
SUMMARY : This bill establishes the San Diego Solar Streetlights
Pilot Program to educate the public on solar energy feasibility
and to encourage greater use of solar energy systems.
EXISTING LAW : Charges the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission (CEC) with responsibilities that
include development of alternative renewable sources of energy.
THIS BILL :
1)Establishes the San Diego Solar Streetlights Pilot Program
(Program), which would remain in effect for a period of time
specified by the CEC, 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 the CEC to report to the Governor and the Legislature
on the pilot program in January 2005.
AB 2944
Page 2
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown.
COMMENTS :
1)Background
In the last year, California has been aggressive in promoting
renewable energy through a number of renewable energy programs
administered by the CEC. Solar electric systems have received
special attention because of their clean energy appeal with
virtually no operating cost.
According to the author's office, the energy crisis of 2000-2001
demonstrated the hazards of over reliance on a single power
source. The author's office believes that we must immediately
begin to decrease reliance on traditional means of power
generation. One method of doing this is to encourage the use of
alternative energy by demonstrating its reliability to the
public.
The City of San Diego now has a single solar-powered street
light. This bill 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.
This bill 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.
2) Is This Bill Needed to do a Pilot Program ?
Currently, any community in California has the ability to
retrofit their streetlights to be powered by solar electric
power. In some cases the communities already own their
streetlights and can simply retrofit them with solar electric
power. In other communities, where the streetlight poles are
owned by the utility, then they must get the approval from the
utility to retrofit their streetlights. Communities do not need
the approval of the CEC to retrofit their streetlights. While a
number of communities have looked at retrofitting their
streetlights, most have not because it means individually
retrofitting each streetlight and it has been more cost
effective to outfit the lights with a more energy efficient
AB 2944
Page 3
lighting fixture.
According to the author's office, because the City of San Diego
only has one solar-powered street light, this bill will
facilitate expansion and further development of solar power in
San Diego.
3) Length of Pilot Program
This bill currently allows the pilot program to proceed until
such time that the CEC and the City of San Diego agree the
program should end. The bill also contains a report from the
CEC to the Governor and Legislature no later than December 31,
2005.
Generally, however, pilot programs are deemed to be test cases
that demonstrate a new type of technology or program and set the
groundwork for a larger program. Because they are generally
test cases, as this bill is, pilot programs are also generally
limited in the amount of time the program runs with some type of
report or study at the end of the program to acknowledge the
success or problems with the pilot program.
The Committee may wish to consider the following amendments to
limit the pilot program to two years, followed by the existing
report to the Legislature already provided for in the bill:
On page 2, line 16, after "established" delete "for a period of
time to be determined by the"
On page 2, delete lines 17 to 19, inclusive
On page 2, line 20, delete "(b) The purpose of the pilot program
is"
On page 2, line 24, delete "(c)" and replace with "(b)"
On page 2, line 31, delete "(d)" and replace with "(c)"
On page 3, line 3, delete "(e)" and replace with "(d)"
On page 3, line 8, delete "(f)" and replace with "(e)"
On page 3, after line 13 add:
AB 2944
Page 4
(f) This section shall remain in effect only until December 31,
2005, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before December 31, 2005, deletes or
extends that date.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Kyra Ross / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092