Renewable energy resources: solar energy systems.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, as defined. The Public Utilities Act imposes various duties and responsibilities on the commission with respect to the purchase of electricity and requires the commission to review and adopt a procurement plan and a renewable energy procurement plan for each electrical corporation pursuant to the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program. The renewables portfolio standard program requires that a retail seller of electricity purchase 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. Existing law defines "renewable energy credit" to mean a certificate of proof associated with the generation of electricity from an eligible renewable energy resource, issued through a specified accounting system, that one unit of electricity was generated and delivered by an eligible renewable energy resource. This bill would expand the definition of an eligible renewable energy resource to include a facility that generates, or a renewable energy credit associated with the generation of, electricity from an eligible solar energy system that receives monetary incentives pursuant to specified law.