BILL NUMBER: AB 2339INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Williams and V. Manuel Prez 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. 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. 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.