Distributed generation: small wind energy systems.

The California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program requires that an electrical corporation, as defined, procure a specified minimum percentage of electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources, as defined, in any given year as a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold to retail end-use customers each calendar year (renewables portfolio standard) , subject to specified limits. The renewables portfolio standard requires each retail seller to increase its total procurement of eligible renewable energy resources by at least an additional 1% of retail sales per year so that 20% of its retail sales are procured from eligible renewable energy resources no later than December 31, 2010. This bill would authorize a county to adopt an ordinance that provides for the installation of small wind energy systems outside an urbanized area, but within the county's jurisdiction, and to establish a process for the issuance of conditional use permits for these systems, subject to specified conditions. The bill would also authorize a county to impose conditions on the installation of these systems, but would prohibit the county from imposing conditions relating to specified aspects of these systems that are more restrictive than certain specified requirements of, and conditions upon, these systems. This bill would authorize a county that has not adopted an ordinance providing for the installation of these systems within its jurisdiction by January 1, 2011, to adopt an ordinance providing for the installation of these systems within its jurisdiction at a later date, but would require that ordinance, when adopted, to be in accordance with a specified provision of law. The bill would specifically exempt ordinances approved prior to January 1, 2011, from the provisions of this article. The bill would require a county to approve an application for the installation of one of these systems submitted between January 1, 2011, and the date of the county's adoption of an ordinance that meets specified requirements through the issuance of a ministerial permit that meets specified requirements, if the county establishes a process for the issuance of conditional use permits for small wind energy systems. This bill would authorize a county to impose as a condition of approval a requirement that a small wind energy system be removed if it remains inoperable for 12 consecutive months, and the small wind energy system, at that time, would be subject to nuisance codes and code enforcement action. The bill would specify that nothing in this article interferes with or prevents the exercise of authority by a county to carry out its programs, projects, or responsibilities, or affects the requirements imposed under any other provision of law. The bill would declare that it is the policy of the state to promote and encourage the use of distributed renewable energy systems and to limit obstacles to their use. The bill would require the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to submit, on or before January 1, 2016, to the Assembly and Senate Committees on Local Government and the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce, a report containing specified information, including the number of applications for small wind energy systems received and approved by the counties that have adopted wind energy system ordinances on or after January 1, 2011. This bill would provide that its provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2017.