California Geothermal Bill Passes General Assembly
Geothermal Exchange Organization, September 6, 2012
Championed by the new California Geothermal Heat Pump Lobby Coalition,
AB 2339 recently passed in the state Senate with a 36-0 vote then
returned to the Assembly the following day where it also passed
unanimously with a 79-0 vote. The bill requires the California Energy
Commission, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission, the
Air Resources Board and other stakeholders, to evaluate and recommend
policies for overcoming barriers to expanded use of geothermal heat
pumps in the Golden State. In evaluating these policies and strategies,
the bill requires the CEC to consider:
**The quantitative benefits and costs 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 geothermal ground loop technologies.
**The existing statutory and permit requirements that impact the use of
geothermal heat pumps and geothermal ground loop technologies and any
other existing legal impediments to the use of geothermal heat pump and
geothermal ground loop technologies.
**The impact of the use of the geothermal heat pump and geothermal
ground loop technologies on achieving the state’s goals pursuant to
the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and achieving the
state’s energy efficiency goals.
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