43871. (a) The State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, in consultation with the state board and the Public Utilities Commission, shall prepare a statewide assessment of the fuel cell electric vehicle fueling infrastructure and fuel production needed to support the adoption of zero-emission trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles at levels necessary for the state to meet the goals and requirements of Executive Order No. N-79-20 and any state board regulatory action that requires or allows zero-emission vehicles in the heavy-duty vehicle and off-road sectors. The assessment shall complement and not duplicate the Joint Agency Staff Report on Assembly Bill 8: Annual Assessment of Time and Cost Needed to Attain 100 Hydrogen Refueling Stations in California.
(b) The statewide assessment shall consider all necessary fuel production and distribution infrastructure, including, but not limited to, dispensing equipment, distribution equipment, production equipment, storage equipment, and supporting hardware and software, all heavy-duty and off-road vehicle categories, road, highway, and off-road electrification, port and airport electrification, and other programs to accelerate the adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles to meet the goals and requirements described in subdivision (a). The statewide assessment shall examine existing and future fuel production and distribution infrastructure needs throughout the state, including in low-income communities. The statewide assessment shall also list synergies and estimate the potential for hydrogen to contribute to emissions reductions across sectors, including, but not limited to, the truck, bus, off-road vehicle, locomotive, maritime, and aviation sectors. The statewide assessment shall take into consideration the process for creating hydrogen and include an evaluation of the ability of hydrogen to enable a more renewable grid, provide grid services, decarbonize hard-to-electrify industries and remote locations, contribute to microgrids, and improve energy resilience.
(c) The State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission shall regularly seek data and input relating to fuel cell electric vehicle fuel production and fueling infrastructure from the state board, the Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Food and Agriculture, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, and interested stakeholders, including, but not limited to, electrical corporations, gas corporations, local publicly owned electric utilities, state and local transportation and transit agencies, fueling infrastructure developers, fuel producers, environmental groups, fuel cell manufacturers, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle manufacturers.
(d) The State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission shall complete the statewide assessment by December 31, 2023, and shall post the statewide assessment on its internet website. The commission shall update the statewide assessment at least once every three years and shall post the updated statewide assessment on its internet website.
(e) The statewide assessment prepared pursuant to this section does not constitute a directive instituting a mandate on state funding.
(f) This section does not limit the ability of the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to award funds related to any of the following on a competitive basis:
(1) Alternative and renewable fuel development, production, demonstration, and deployment projects.
(2) Alternative and renewable fuel infrastructure projects, including, but not limited to, fueling stations and equipment.
(3) Projects to develop and improve light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle technologies, including zero-emission and near-zero emission vehicles and vehicle technologies.
(g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 646, Sec. 1. (SB 643) Effective January 1, 2022. Repealed as of January 1, 2030, by its own provisions.)
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