Page 186 - Sustainable Cities and Communities Design Handbook

160 Sustainable Cities and Communities Design Handbook

sources [including, but not limited to solar technologies].” (Public Resources
Code section 25008).
With the establishment of the California Renewables Portfolio Standard in
2002, series of Executive Orders and Legislation have followed, the most
recent being Governor Brown’s signing into law Senate Bill 350 in October
2015, requiring retail sellers and publicly owned utilities to procure “half of
the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030.” When signing SB 350,
Governor Brown stated that “California has taken groundbreaking steps to
increase the efficiency of our cars, buildings and appliances and provide ever
more renewable energy.”
According to the California Energy Commission, as of October 31, 2016,
almost 9400 MW of distributed generation capacity was operating or installed
in California, with an additional 900 MW pending. The 12,000-MW goal for
distributed generation by 2020 set by Governor Brown in his 2011 term is
expected to be met or exceeded.

LEGAL MECHANISMS FACILITATING DEVELOPMENT OF
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES
California Clean Energy Jobs Act

In the November 6, 2012, General Election, the voters approved Proposition
39, known as the California Clean Energy Jobs Act, which has encouraged and
provided significant funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) (including
county offices of education, school districts, charter schools, and state special
schools) and community college districts for the purpose of funding eligible
projects that create jobs in California improving energy efficiency and
expanding clean energy generation. For a period of five fiscal years through
2017e18, Proposition 39 requires annual appropriations by the Legislature
from the General Fund into the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund. For fiscal
years 2013e14 through 2016e17, a total of $1.4 billion has been allocated
to LEAs and another $165,437,000 has been made available to community
college districts for eligible energy efficiency projects.

Energy Management Agreement by Community College Districts

Education Code sections 81660 through 81662 authorize a community college
district to enter into an energy management agreement for energy manage-
ment systems (i.e., solar energy or solar and energy management systems)
with the lowest responsible bidder, considering the net cost or savings to the
district, less the projected energy savings to be realized from the energy
management system. The maximum term of such an agreement shall be the
estimated useful life of the energy management system, or 15 years, which-
ever is less.