Chapter 7 - Research and Development

California Public Resources Code — §§ 25600-25619

Sections (14)

Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1081.

As used in this chapter:

(a)“Passive thermal system” means a system which utilizes the structural elements of a building and is not augmented by mechanical components to provide for collection, storage and distribution of solar energy or coolness.

(b)“Semipassive thermal system” means a system which utilizes the structural elements of a building and is augmented by mechanical components to provide for collection, storage, and distribution of solar energy or coolness.

(c)“Solar device” means the equipment associated with the collection, transfer, distribution, storage, and control of solar energy.

(d)“Solar system” means the integrated use of solar devices for the functions of collection, transfer, storage, and distribution of solar energy.

(e)“Standard” means a specification of design, performance, and procedure, or of the instrumentation, equipment, surrounding conditions, and skills required during the conduct of a procedure.

§ 25601

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 353, Sec. 26. (AB 1533) Effective January 1, 2025.

The commission shall develop and coordinate a program of research and development in energy supply, consumption, and conservation and the technology of siting facilities and shall give priority to those forms of research and development that are of particular importance to the state, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(a)Methods of energy conservation specified in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 25400).

(b)Increased energy use efficiencies of existing thermal electric and hydroelectric powerplants and increased energy efficiencies in designs of thermal electric and hydroelectric powerplants.

(c)Expansion and accelerated development of alternative sources of energy, including geothermal and solar resources, including, but not limited to, participation in large-scale demonstrations of alternative energy systems sited in California in cooperation with federal agencies, regional compacts, other state governments, and other participants. For purposes of this subdivision, “participation” shall be defined as any of the following:

(1)direct interest in a project; (2) research and development to ensure acceptable resolution of environmental and other impacts of alternative energy systems; (3) research and development to improve siting and permitting methodology for alternative energy systems; (4) experiments using the alternative energy systems; and (5) research and development of appropriate methods to ensure the widespread use of economically useful alternative energy systems.

Large-scale demonstrations of alternative energy systems are exemplified by the 100KWe to 100MWe range demonstrations of solar, wind, and geothermal systems contemplated by federal agencies, regional compacts, other state governments, and other participants.

(d)Improved methods of construction, design, and operation of facilities to protect against seismic hazards.

(e)Improved methods of energy-demand forecasting.

§ 25602

Added by renumbering Section 25601 by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1081.

The commission shall carry out technical assessment studies on all forms of energy and energy-related problems, in order to influence federal research and development priorities and to be informed on future energy options and their impacts, including, in addition to those problems specified in Section 25601, but not limited to, the following:

(a)Advanced nuclear powerplant concepts, fusion, and fuel cells.

(b)Total energy concepts.

(c)New technology related to coastal and offshore siting of facilities.

(d)Expanded use of wastewater as cooling water and other advances in powerplant cooling.

(e)Improved methods of power transmission to permit interstate and interregional transfer and exchange of bulk electric power.

(f)Measures to reduce wasteful and inefficient uses of energy.

(g)Shifts in transportation modes and changes in transportation technology in relation to implications for energy consumption.

(h)Methods of recycling, extraction, processing, fabricating, handling, or disposing of materials, especially materials which require large commitments of energy.

(i)Expanded recycling of materials and its effect on energy consumption.

(j)Implications of government subsidies and taxation and ratesetting policies.

(k)Utilization of waste heat.

(l)Use of hydrogen as an energy form.

(m)Use of agricultural products, municipal wastes, and organic refuse as an energy source.

Such assessments may also be conducted in order to determine which energy systems among competing technologies are most compatible with standards established pursuant to this division.

§ 25603

Added by renumbering Section 25602 by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1081.

For research purposes, the commission shall, in cooperation with other state agencies, participate in the design, construction, and operation of energy-conserving buildings using data developed pursuant to Section 25401, in order to demonstrate the economic and technical feasibility of such designs.

§ 25605

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 353, Sec. 28. (AB 1533) Effective January 1, 2025.

On or before November 1, 1978, the commission shall develop and adopt, in cooperation with affected industry and consumer representatives, and after one or more public hearings, regulations governing solar devices. The regulations shall be designed to encourage the development and use of solar energy and to provide maximum information to the public concerning solar devices. The regulations may include, but need not be limited to, any or all of the following:

(a)Standards for testing, inspection, certification, sizing, and installation of solar devices.

(b)Provisions for the enforcement of the standards. Such provisions may include any or all of the following:

(1)Procedures for the accreditation by the commission of laboratories to test and certify solar devices.

(2)Requirements for onsite inspection of solar devices, including specifying methods for inspection, to determine compliance or noncompliance with the standards.

(3)Requirements for submission to the commission of any data resulting from the testing and inspection of solar devices.

(4)Prohibitions on the sale of solar devices that do not meet minimum requirements for safety and durability as established by the commission.

(5)Dissemination of the results of the testing, inspection, and certification program to the public.

(c)In adopting the regulations, the commission shall give due consideration to their effect on the cost of purchasing, installing, operating, and maintaining solar devices. The commission shall reassess the regulations as often as it deems necessary, based on the value of the regulations in terms of benefits and disadvantages to the widespread adoption of solar energy systems and the need to encourage creativity and innovative adaptations of solar energy. The commission may amend or repeal these regulations based on such reassessment.

(d)The commission shall not preclude a person from developing, installing, or operating a solar device on their own property.

(e)A violation of a regulation adopted by the commission pursuant to this section may be enjoined in the same manner as is prescribed in Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 25900) for enjoining a violation of

this division.

§ 25605.5

Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1145, Sec. 21. Effective January 1, 1995.

Standards adopted by the commission pursuant to Section 25605, which are building standards as defined in Section 25488.5, shall be submitted to the State Building Standards Commission for approval pursuant to, and are governed by, the State Building Standards Law (Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18901) of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code). Building standards adopted by the commission and published in the State Building Standards Code shall comply with, and be enforced as provided in, Section 25605.

§ 25608

Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1145, Sec. 24. Effective January 1, 1995.

The commission shall confer with officials of federal agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to coordinate the adoption of regulations pursuant to Sections 25603 and 25605.

§ 25609

Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1081.

The commission may, in adopting regulations pursuant to this chapter, specify the date when the regulations shall take effect. The commission may specify different dates for different regulations.

§ 25609.5

Added by Stats. 1979, Ch. 1152.

The effective dates of building standards adopted by the commission pursuant to Section 25609 are subject to approval pursuant to the provisions of the State Building Standards Law, Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18901) of Part 13 of the Health and Safety Code.

§ 25610

Added by renumbering Section 25604 by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1081.

For purposes of carrying out the provisions of this chapter, the commission may contract with any person for materials and services that cannot be performed by its staff or other state agencies, and may apply for federal grants or any other funding.

§ 25616

Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 78, Sec. 8. (AB 2605) Effective January 1, 2017.

(a)It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage local agencies to expeditiously review permit applications to site energy projects, and to encourage energy project developers to consider all cost-effective and environmentally superior alternatives that achieve their project objectives.

(b)Subject to the availability of funds appropriated therefor, the commission shall provide technical assistance and grants-in-aid to assist local agencies to do either or both of the following:

(1)Site energy production or transmission projects which are not otherwise subject to the provisions of Chapter 6 (commencing with Section

25500).

(2)Integrate into their planning processes, and incorporate into their general plans, methods to achieve cost-effective energy efficiency.

(c)The commission shall provide assistance at the request of local agencies.

(d)As used in this section, an energy project is any project designed to produce, convert, or transmit energy as one of its primary functions.

§ 25617

Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 120, Sec. 1. (SB 895) Effective January 1, 2021.

(a)It is the intent of the Legislature to preserve diversity of clean energy resources, including diversity of resources used in electric generation facilities, industrial and commercial applications, and transportation.

(b)The commission shall, within the limits of available funds, provide technical assistance and support for the development of

zero-emission fuels, zero-emission fueling infrastructure, and zero-emission fuel transportation technologies. That technical assistance and support may include the creation of research, development, and demonstration programs.

§ 25618

Added by Stats. 1991, Ch. 939, Sec. 3.

(a)The commission shall facilitate development and commercialization of ultra low- and zero-emission electric vehicles and advanced battery technologies, as well as development of an infrastructure to support maintenance and fueling of those vehicles in California. Facilitating commercialization of ultra low- and zero-emission electric vehicles in California shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1)The commission may, in cooperation with county, regional, and city governments, the state’s public and private utilities, and the private business sector, develop plans for accelerating the introduction and use of ultra low- and zero-emission electric vehicles throughout California’s air quality nonattainment areas, and for accelerating the development and implementation of the necessary infrastructure to support the planned use of those vehicles in California. These plans shall be consistent with, but not limited to, the criteria for similar efforts contained in federal loan, grant, or matching fund projects.

(2)In coordination with other state agencies, the commission shall seek to maximize the state’s use of federal programs, loans, and matching funds available to states for ultra low- and zero-emission electric vehicle development and demonstration programs, and infrastructure development projects.

(b)Priority for implementing demonstration projects under this section shall be directed toward those areas of the state currently in a nonattainment status with federal and state air quality regulations.

§ 25619

Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 601, Sec. 1. (AB 1255) Effective September 27, 2012.

(a)For purposes of this section, “qualified counties” means the Counties of Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Merced, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, and Tulare.

(b)The commission shall provide up to seven million dollars ($7,000,000) in grants to qualified counties for the development or revision of rules and policies, including, but not limited to, general plan elements, zoning ordinances, and a natural community conservation plan as a plan participant, that facilitate the development of eligible renewable energy resources, and their associated electric transmission facilities, and the

processing of permits for eligible renewable energy resources. The commission may allocate not more than 1 percent of appropriated funds to provide training to county planning staff to facilitate the siting and permitting of eligible renewable energy resources. A general plan element or zoning ordinance that is adopted or revised pursuant to this section shall be completed within two years of receipt of the grant and shall be consistent with the conservation strategies of any natural community conservation plan if one has been approved, or is under development, pursuant to the Natural Community Conservation Planning Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 2800) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code). For counties within the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan planning area, the commission may award a grant to a county only if the county meets one of the following conditions:

(1)The county is a “plan participant,” as defined by

paragraph (1) of subdivision (j) of Section 2805 of the Fish and Game Code, in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.

(2)The county enters into a memorandum of understanding with the commission in which the county agrees to participate in the development of a natural community conservation plan for the purpose of ensuring that the natural community conservation plan can achieve the goals set forth in the planning agreement entered into pursuant to Section 2810 of the Fish and Game Code, that is dated May 2010, for the preparation of a natural community conservation plan, in a manner that is consistent with the applicable policies of the county.

(c)In its initial round of grant funding, the commission shall establish a preference for a grant to a qualified county in an amount that is adequate to develop a renewable energy element in its general plan that will facilitate

the development and siting of eligible renewable energy resources that utilize multiple renewable energy technologies. The commission shall also establish a preference for a grant for those counties that have experience in geothermal energy development and have adopted a geothermal element, as defined in Section 25133, to its general plan.

(d)The commission shall only implement this section upon receiving a specific appropriation for the purposes of this section by the Legislature from the Renewable Resources Trust Fund or other funds from the Energy Resources Program Account.