Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board (state board) to adopt specified hydrogen fuel regulations that, among other things, ensures that, in any year immediately following a 12-month period in which the mass of hydrogen fuel dispensed for transportation purposes in California exceeds 3,500 metric tons, no less than 33.3% of the hydrogen produced or dispensed in California for motor vehicles be made from eligible renewable energy resources, as defined.
This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2022, the state board to develop and implement regulations to require that, by December 31, 2024, on a statewide basis, not less than 44% of the hydrogen produced or dispensed in California for motor vehicles be green hydrogen, as defined. The bill would require that the green hydrogen percentage be increased to 52% by December 31, 2027, 60%
by December 31, 2030, and 100% by December 31, 2045.
Existing law, enacted as part of the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015, requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) and the state board, to direct electrical corporations to file applications for programs and investments to accelerate widespread transportation electrification, as defined, to achieve specified results. The PUC is required to approve, or modify and approve, programs and investments in transportation electrification, including those that deploy charging infrastructure, through a reasonable cost recovery mechanism, if they meet specified requirements.
This bill would require the PUC, in consultation with the state board, to direct gas corporations to file applications for programs and investments to accelerate use of hydrogen as a
transportation fuel to advance specified environmental objectives. The bill would authorize the PUC to approve, or modify and approve, programs and investments in, among others, hydrogen production, distribution, and nonretail refueling stations, if the programs and investments use a cost recovery mechanism in the interest of ratepayers, do not compete with retail hydrogen fueling enterprises, and include specified investment and workforce measures. These provisions would be repealed on January 1, 2036.
Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because some provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of an order or decision of the commission implementing its requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by expanding the application of a crime.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.