BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                    Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
          
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          |                               |52(Chesbro)                 |
          |-------------------------------+----------------------------|
          |                               |                            |
          |-------------------------------+----------------------------|
          |Hearing Date:  8/20/01         |Amended: 7/17/01            |
          |-------------------------------+----------------------------|
          |Consultant:  Lisa Matocq       |Policy Vote: E, U & C       |
          |                               |9-0                         |
          |                               |                            |
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          ____________________________________________________________ 
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          BILL SUMMARY: 
          
          SB 52xx requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to  
          analyze the cost-effectiveness of thermal energy storage  
          technologies and determine whether such technologies could  
          help reduce peak energy demand, and report to the  
          Legislature by July 1, 2002. 

                              Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
           
          Major Provisions                     2001-02              2002-03          
            2003-04                Fund 
          
          CEC report              $ 150                   --                    
          --                     General

          
          STAFF COMMENTS:  This bill meets the criteria for referral  
          to the Suspense File.

          Thermal energy storage is a process whereby energy is used  
          at night (thereby taking advantage of lower off-peak energy  
          rates) to make ice to cool buildings during the day. 

          AB 29x (Kehoe, Ch. 8, St. of 2001), among other things,  
          requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to  
          inventory state buildings to identify ways to reduce peak  
          energy  demand, and produce onsite generation where  
          feasible by using thermal storage and other technologies.