Section 379.7.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the demonstration project authorized pursuant to this section, at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, to determine actual energy and cost savings that may be achieved when investments are made onsite to both reduce overall electricity demand and to offset peak electricity demand through the installation of (1) cost-effective energy efficient equipment and fixtures, and (2) a photovoltaic solar energy system, will provide valuable empirical data upon which to optimize future ratepayer investments in cost-effective energy efficiency and photovoltaic solar systems.

(b) (1) The demonstration project authorized pursuant to this section shall be referred to as the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds EE and PV Synergy Demonstration Project.

(2) To ensure that potential energy and cost savings from cost-effective energy efficient equipment and fixtures are achieved, the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds shall do both of the following:

(A) Implement the recommendations of the energy audit performed on July 27, 2004.

(B) Include cost-effective energy efficient equipment and fixtures in all future expansions of the fairgrounds.

(3) To ensure that potential energy and cost savings are achieved from a photovoltaic solar energy system of up to 630 kilowatts installed at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, the photovoltaic solar energy system shall meet both of the following criteria:

(A) Be installed in a manner that optimizes operating efficiency, including appropriate siting.

(B) Consist of components that are new and unused and have a warranty of not less than 10 years to protect against defects and undue degradation of electrical generation output.

(c) An electrical corporation providing electrical service to the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds shall, by February 1, 2006, file with the commission a tariff providing for an incentive rate consistent with this section. The incentive rate shall provide stability and certainty over a 10-year period in an amount and in a manner to support investment in, and to test the durability of, the photovoltaic solar energy system installed at the fairgrounds. The incentive rate, together with an incentive from the self-generation incentive program that recognizes the energy efficiency investments made at the fairgrounds as authorized pursuant to Section 379.6, shall provide for a 10-year payback period for the photovoltaic solar energy system. The incentive rate shall not result in any cost shifting among customer classes of the electrical corporation.

(d) Actual energy and cost savings shall be determined through annual energy audits and ongoing metering of electricity used and electricity produced on a time-of-use basis.

(e) The demonstration project will be complete 10 years from the date the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds first takes electrical service pursuant to the incentive rate required by this section.

(f) Biennial reports shall be submitted to the commission and to the Legislature by the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. The reports shall include actual recorded electricity usage by the fairgrounds and electricity produced by the photovoltaic solar energy system at the fairgrounds, on a time-of-use basis. A final report shall be submitted to the commission and to the Legislature within six months of the conclusion of the demonstration project. The final report shall include an analysis of the energy and cost savings achieved at the fairgrounds, the effectiveness of combining investment in energy efficiency and a photovoltaic solar energy system on the same site, the performance and durability of the photovoltaic solar energy system over the life of the demonstration project, and recommendations for optimizing ratepayer investment in energy efficiency and photovoltaic solar energy systems.

(g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2017, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2017, deletes or extends that date.

(Added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 373, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2006. Repealed as of January 1, 2017, by its own provisions.)