Energy

] Exempts sales to purchasers with facilities totaling more than one million square feet from a prohibition on sales of certain fluorescent lamps until January 1, 2030. Exempts residential care facilities and long term care facilities from the requirement to submit for review plans to replace light fixtures designed to use prohibited fluorescent lamps. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.

Establishes the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program as an interagency response to the effects of climate change. Directs the Department of Land Conservation and Development to serve as the lead agency of an interagency team. Requires [ the department ] certain agencies to conduct an assessment on the costs of greenhouse gas emissions. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to issue cost recovery demand notices to entities determined to be responsible for the costs of climate change. Establishes the Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program Account. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Requires each electric company to develop a distributed power plant program for the procurement of grid services to be provided by distributed energy resources. Specifies the grid services that may be eligible for compensation and the classes of distributed energy resources technologies that must be eligible to provide the grid services. Allows a customer to enroll directly or through a third party in an electric company's distributed power plant program. Requires an electric company to use a standard offer, open access tariff. Allows an electric company to recover in rates prudently incurred costs associated with the program. Directs the Public Utility Commission to develop and adopt annual procurement targets and performance incentives. Allows an electric company to earn performance incentives for meeting program targets. Requires each electric company to file an annual report with the commission on the status of the electric company's distributed power plant program, including the capacity enrolled in the program. Provides for initial requirements and an implementing timeline. Requires an initial distributed power plant program to provide compensation for system-wide peak load reduction that is provided by an energy storage device that is a battery. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Requires each electric company to develop an inclusive utility investment program to provide financing for customers' energy efficiency upgrades or renewable energy projects. Requires an inclusive utility investment program to provide savings reflected in the reduction in a customer's electricity or energy utility costs. Allows the Public Utility Commission to establish minimum financial savings standards and adopt and provide electric companies with performance incentives.

Requires producers of batteries or battery-containing products to join a battery producer responsibility organization and implement a battery producer responsibility program for the collection and recycling of batteries. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to administer and enforce requirements of the Act. Establishes the Battery Producer Responsibility Fund. Imposes civil penalties for violations of the Act.

Requires a solar energy contractor or person that installs a solar energy system to have a license appropriate for the scope of work the solar energy contractor or person will perform. Specifies disclosures required in purchase agreements, lease agreements and power purchase agreements related to solar energy systems. Specifies elements and provisions that an installation contract for a solar energy system must have. Prohibits deceptive statements concerning the provisions of an installation contract. Punishes a violation or a failure to comply with the provisions of the Act as an unlawful practice under the Unlawful Trade Practices Act. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Limits greenhouse gas emission reductions, for purposes of low carbon fuel standards, to 10 percent below 2010 levels. Prohibits local governments from prohibiting or limiting the storage capacity of fossil fuel terminals. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Allows a retail electricity consumer to install and use portable solar photovoltaic energy devices with up to a total maximum generating capacity of 1,200 watts. Defines "portable solar photovoltaic energy device." Requires a retail electricity consumer to first file a declaration with the electric utility. Limits restrictions on portable solar photovoltaic energy devices in residences by landlords, homeowners associations, and condominium associations. Allows the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services to amend the state building code as necessary to address the installation or use of portable solar photovoltaic energy devices. Becomes operative January 1, 2027. Takes effect July 1, 2026.

Exempts an energy facility from needing a site certificate from the Energy Facility Siting Council if the energy facility produces power from a renewable energy source, qualifies for certain federal renewable energy tax credits and is placed in service on or before December 31, 2030, or a date allowed by exception and a local land use application for the facility is submitted [ construction begins ] on or before December 31, 2028. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.

Directs the State Department of Energy, subject to the availability of funding, to conduct a study on nuclear energy, including advanced nuclear reactors. Directs the department to engage with tribal governments, consult with certain [ state agencies and ] organizations and utilize moneys from federal, private and other public sources to carry out the study. Requires the department to report and make public information on the sources of moneys or assistance and amounts of moneys that the department receives to carry out this Act, anticipated uses of those moneys or assistance and any potential conflicts of interest. Directs the department to submit the report to the interim committees or committees of the Legislative Assembly related to energy not later than one year after the date the department receives the moneys or assistance necessary to complete the study. Directs the department to provide an update on the department's progress in carrying out this Act to the interim committees or committees of the Legislative Assembly related to energy not later than February 15, 2027. Establishes the Nuclear Energy Study Fund. Sunsets January 2, [ 2028 ] 2030 . Declares an emergency, effective on passage.