Zero-emission energy infrastructure: fallowed farmland.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards. Under existing law, it is the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 90% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2035, 95% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2040, 100% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2045, and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2035. This bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2024, to consult with the Department of Conservation, the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to assess challenges that exist when enabling farmers to repurpose their fallowed land for zero-emission energy infrastructure, and to develop best practices for navigating those challenges. The bill also would require the commission, on or before December 31, 2024, to publish on its internet website information to assist farmers in navigating the above-mentioned challenges.