California AB 2339 Energy: geothermal heat pump

[Geoexchange Solutions]

As published in GEO's New California Geo Organization Seeks Legislation Promoting GHPs a California group is working to advance California legislation that will remove major barriers to widespread adoption of GHPs in the Golden State. The legislation, AB 2339, was introduced by Assemblymembers Das Williams and V. Manual Perez on February 24, 2012.

You can follow progress on AB 2339 at California Legislative Information.

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2011–2012 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 2339

Introduced by Assembly Member Williams, V. Manuel Pérez

February 24, 2012

An act to add Section 740.5 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2339, as introduced, Williams. Energy: geothermal heat pump.
Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations, as defined. Existing law requires the PUC, in cooperation with specified entities, to evaluate and implement policies to promote the development of specified technologies.

This bill would require the PUC, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, State Air Resources Board, electrical corporations, and the geothermal heat pump and distributed solar thermal heating and cooling industries to evaluate policies and develop sufficient infrastructure sufficient to overcome barriers to the widespread deployment and use of geothermal and solar heating and cooling technologies. The bill would require the PUC, by July 1, 2013, to adopt rules addressing specified issues regarding geothermal and solar heating and cooling technologies.


Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

Section 740.5 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:
740.5.

(a) The commission, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, State Air Resources Board, electrical corporations, and the geothermal heat pump and distributed solar thermal heating and cooling industries, shall evaluate policies to develop an infrastructure sufficient to overcome barriers to the widespread deployment and use of geothermal and solar heating and cooling technologies.(b) By July 1, 2013, the commission shall adopt rules addressing all of the following:
(1) The technological advances that are needed to ensure the consideration of geothermal heat pumps and solar thermal heating and cooling in state policy and what role the state should take to support the development of these technologies.
(2) The benefits to ratepayers specific to safer, more reliable, or less costly gas or electrical service and through greater energy efficiency, reduction of health and environmental impacts from air pollution, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions related to electricity and natural gas production and use, through the use of geothermal heat pump and solar thermal heating and cooling technologies.
(3) The existing statutory and permit requirements that will impact the widespread use of geothermal heat pumps and solar thermal heating and cooling technologies and any recommended changes to existing legal impediments to the widespread use of geothermal heat pumps and solar thermal heating and cooling technologies.
(4) The impact of widespread use of the geothermal heat pump and solar thermal heating and cooling technologies on achieving the state’s goals pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code) and the renewables portfolio standard program pursuant to Section 399.12.

[Mark Custis]

I wonder what they are up to and what they want to change. I will look, and if I see that wording in Ohio, I will act.

We "geo-heads" need to have moving electrons to make our compressors work, so some one needs to spin a generator with something. If they are talking geothermal power generation I will go look up the background legislation.

Mark

[Geoexchange Solutions]

Hey Mark,

What is "raw" legislation?

[Mark Custis]

It is what they write. We try and communicate in things like sentences and paragraphs.

Raw legislation sights this, repeals that, and adds to such and such.

If you and I saw a grey cat, we would say, "There is a gray cat.". If it was written as "raw legislation" we would have 40 paragraphs referring to definitions of "cats", "grey" and definitions of the word "there".

If I was able to better explain what I meant I would be running for office.

If you need more of an example I will find you a link.

I am not unaware of what is up in CA. I just think the point is unclear. That is the state that is running out of water thanks to what they legislate.

Mark

[Geoexchange Solutions]

Thanks for the clarification Mark. AB 2339 in its present form is certainly not "raw". It is designed to require and enable the various state agencies to act affirmatively to remove systemic barriers to widespread adoption of GHPs in California.

With that said, AB 2339 is lacking a GHP definition and a requirement for DWR to publish the April 1999 draft of Well Standards for Geothermal Heat Exchange Wells. Both are likely to be added as we work the legislation.

[Mark Custis]

At first reading it sounded as I typed. I am in favor of removing any thing that can be removed. Thanks for the clarification. I will keep tracking it and see how it does.

Mark

[Palace GeoThermal]

Good Luck Phil

[Geoexchange Solutions]

Thanks Dewayne! We are working on a website for effort at ab2339.org
I will update this thread when we go live.

Follow us on twitter.com/AB2339 and facebook.com/AB2339