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The California Assembly seems increasingly interested in electricity made from different forms of so-called biowaste. Legislation to promote the use of bioenergy as an alternative to the open burning of crop and forestry waste passed the Assembly Utilities & Energy Committee April 7. The bill also would fund the reduction of methane releases from dairies and decaying biomass at landfills with biogas technologies.

AB 834 by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar Curry (D-Winters) would authorize community energy organizations to tap into biomass and biogas resources in the California Public Utilities Commission’s Bioenergy Market Adjusting Tariff program. This would address the fact that only investor-owned utilities are currently allowed to contract for bioenergy projects 5 MW or less in this feed-in-tariff BioMat program and be reimbursed by ratepayers.

Community energy pays its proportional share for the private utility agreements. And so far, few of the funds have been used. Utilities have only contracted for 45 MW of the 250 MW authorized by the program, according to the committee analysis.

Source: Assembly Utilities & Energy Committee

The bill, passed on a 15-0 vote, would allow community energy “to access a program they are already paying for,” Aguiar Curry told the committee. It also would permit them to have ratepayers cover the contract costs.

The bill was supported by both community energy and regional air regulators.

Sam Kang, Chief Operating Officer of Pioneer Community Energy in Placer County, said that allowing community energy to sign contracts with biomass projects would help limit public safety shutoffs and stimulate the local economy.

The measure was opposed by an environmental justice group because it encourages controversial biomass use and methane digesters at mega dairy operations.

Also advanced by the committee on a 13-0 vote was AB 322 by Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield). It would direct the California Energy Commission to consider using funds from the Energy Program Investment Charge for bioenergy projects that turn plant and woody biomass into energy and gas. The bill initially proposed a 20% set aside but that was dropped as called for by the committee. Previously, the CEC directed $18 million of EPIC funds to bioenergy projects in its 2015-17 cycle. EPIC's annual funding is $162 million.

Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) noted that biomass is four times more expensive than solar-generated electricity. However, the dilemma is that if the organic waste is not converted to electricity, and instead gets composted or burned, it produces more climate pollution. “This is not just an energy issue but is a much wider environmental issue,” he pointed out.

The bill was supported by air districts and solid waste agencies.

It was opposed by an environmental organization and environmental justice community group who warned that bioenergy projects emit criteria pollutants and carbon emissions. Because of these concerns, Assemblymember Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) abstained from the vote.

Low-income appliance efficiency rebate

Also approved by the committee was Salas’ AB 699, which would create a utility rebate program to support financially struggling customers purchases of Wi-Fi connected efficient electric appliances. It would cover devices such as smart thermostats that can lower the energy use of air conditioners and space heaters, as well as pool pumps and water heaters when the grid is stressed.

“Having smart home devices helps working families save money on their electric bills, reduce emissions, and ease stress on the grid during peak demand hours,” Salas said. The measure was approved after the author agreed not to include connected gas appliances in the rebate program.

Also advancing was AB 1087 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) that would direct 5% of the residential climate credits created by sale of carbon allowances to grants to environmental justice communities to increase local resilience.

Buildings that communities depend on for housing and vital services would be eligible for funding to reduce local pollution and increase the safety and affordability of the buildings. Resiliency grants could be directed to local schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, and soup kitchens.

The bill initially directed 85% of the residential climate credit towards low-income community grants but was stripped down to 5% to pass out of the committee.