SB 698 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

California Solar Initiative: distributed energy resource equipment lists.

Summary

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission, local publicly owned electric utilities, and interested members of the public, to establish eligibility criteria for solar energy systems receiving ratepayer-funded incentives, as specified. Existing law requires the Energy Commission to adopt guidelines for solar energy systems receiving ratepayer-funded incentives, as provided. This bill would authorize the Energy Commission to establish distributed energy resource equipment lists with rating standards for equipment and components for solar energy systems, distributed energy storage systems, and electric vehicle service equipment, as specified. The bill would define various terms for these purposes. The bill would require the Energy Commission to also adopt guidelines for the distributed energy resource equipment lists, as provided.

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

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What changed between versions

04/09/25 - Amended Senate → SB698 · 3 edits

MINOR

SB 698 was amended to replace its self-contained definitions of 'bidirectional charging system' and 'electric vehicle supply equipment' with cross-references to existing Health and Safety Code definitions for 'electric vehicle service equipment.' The scope of the equipment lists in Section 25785(a) was also restructured, narrowing 'energy storage systems' to 'distributed energy storage systems' and consolidating the two separate EV equipment categories into a single 'electric vehicle service equipment' category with bidirectional as an explicit subset.

DEFINITION

The standalone definitions of 'bidirectional charging system' (Section 25781(a)) and 'electric vehicle supply equipment' (Section 25781(d)) are replaced with cross-references to Section 44269 and Section 44268 of the Health and Safety Code, respectively, both defining 'electric vehicle service equipment.'

SCOPE

Section 25785(a) changes the scope of equipment lists from covering 'solar energy systems, energy storage systems, bidirectional charging systems, and electric vehicle supply equipment' to covering 'equipment and components for solar energy systems, distributed energy storage systems, and electric vehicle service equipment, including, but not limited to, bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment.' This narrows the storage category to specifically 'distributed' energy storage systems and consolidates EV equipment into one category.

The new language in Section 25785(a) adds the phrase 'equipment and components' before listing the covered categories, clarifying that both whole systems and their parts are within scope.

02/21/25 - Introduced → 04/09/25 - Amended Senate · 5 edits · Apr 9, 2025

MODERATE

The Senate amendment to SB 698 expands the scope of the California Solar Initiative's distributed energy resource equipment lists by adding new definitions and broadening what categories of equipment can be included. It adds definitions for 'distributed energy storage system' and 'electric vehicle service equipment,' and explicitly extends the equipment lists to cover components (not just whole systems) for solar energy, distributed energy storage, and electric vehicle service equipment, including bidirectional charging.

Scope change

The bill's scope was broadened to explicitly cover individual equipment components (not just complete systems) for solar energy, distributed energy storage, and electric vehicle service equipment, and to incorporate definitions from the Health and Safety Code and Public Utilities Code for these terms.

DEFINITION

Added a definition for 'distributed energy storage system' by cross-referencing Section 2838.2 of the Public Utilities Code.

Added a definition for 'electric vehicle service equipment' by cross-referencing Section 44269 of the Health and Safety Code, and a related term referencing Section 44268 of the Health and Safety Code.

SCOPE

Section 25785 now explicitly includes 'equipment and components for solar energy systems, distributed energy storage systems, and electric vehicle service equipment, including but not limited to bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment' in the categories the Energy Commission may list. This broadens the scope from whole systems to also cover individual components.

The term 'bidirectional charging systems' in the equipment list provision was replaced with 'bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment,' aligning terminology with the new Health and Safety Code cross-references.

TECHNICAL

Minor wording cleanup: removed redundant 'both' from legislative findings ('both all of the following' became 'all of the following'), and changed 'Notwithstanding any other provision of law' to 'Notwithstanding any other law' in Section 25784.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

upper

Apr 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 3. Page 681.) (April 7).

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on E., U & C.

upper

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors