AB 797: Solar thermal systems.

The Solar Water Heating and Efficiency Act of 2007, until August 1, 2018, requires the Public Utilities Commission, if it determines that a solar water heating program is cost effective for ratepayers and in the public interest, to implement a program to promote the installation of 200,000 solar water heating systems in homes, businesses, and buildings or facilities of eligible customer classes receiving natural gas service throughout the state by 2017. The act establishes the maximum funding for the program, for the collective service territories of all gas corporations, at $250,000,000. The act requires the governing body of each publicly owned utility providing gas service to retail end-use customers to adopt, implement, and finance a solar water heating system incentive program to encourage the installation of 200,000 solar water heating systems by 2017.

This bill would revise the program to, among other things, promote the installation of solar thermal systems throughout the state, reserve 50% of the total program budget for the installation of solar thermal systems in low-income residential housing or in buildings in disadvantaged communities, expand the program to homeowners that lack access to natural gas and rely on propane or wood burning to fulfill their space heating, water heating, and cooking needs who are being considered to receive natural gas and who reside in the San Joaquin Valley communities identified by the commission, authorize the commission to limit program eligibility based on income levels, require an assessment of the entire program through July 31, 2019, to be completed by December 31, 2019, to determine both the cost-effectiveness of the program and the programs effectiveness in achieving program goals, and extend operation of the program through July 31, 2020. Because a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission implementing these revisions would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also require the governing body of each local publicly owned utility providing gas service, until August 1, 2020, to adopt, implement, and finance a solar thermal system incentive program. Because the bill would extend the obligations of a local publicly owned utility to adopt, implement, and finance the program, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for specified reasons.