65850.52. (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Energy Commission” means the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission.
(2) “Residential energy storage system” means commercially available technology, located behind a customer’s residential utility meter, that is capable of absorbing electricity generated from a colocated electricity generator or from the electrical grid, storing it for a period of time, and thereafter discharging it to meet the energy or power needs of the host customer or for export.
(3) “Residential solar energy system” means any configuration of solar energy devices that collects and distributes solar energy for the purpose of generating electricity and that has a single residential interconnection with the electric utility transmission or distribution network.
(4) “SolarAPP+” means the most recent version of a web-based portal, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, that automates plan review, produces code-compliant approvals, and issues permits for residential solar energy systems and residential energy storage systems paired with residential solar energy systems.
(b) (1) Pursuant to the compliance schedule in subdivision (c), a city, county, or city and county, in consultation with the local fire department, district, or authority, shall implement an online, automated permitting platform, such as SolarAPP+, that meets both of the following requirements:
(A) The platform verifies code compliance and issues permits in real time or allows the city, county, or city and county to issue permits in real time to a licensed contractor for a residential solar energy system that is no larger than 38.4 kilowatts alternating current nameplate rating and a residential energy storage system paired with a residential solar energy system that is no larger than 38.4 kilowatts alternating current nameplate rating.
(B) The platform issues permits or allows the city, county, or city and county to issue permits for residential solar energy systems and residential energy storage systems paired with residential solar energy systems that SolarAPP+ is capable of processing.
(2) A city, county, or city and county is not required to permit an application for a residential solar energy system or a residential energy storage system paired with a residential solar energy system through the online automated permitting platform pursuant to this section if the system configuration is not eligible for SolarAPP+ at the time the application is submitted to the jurisdiction.
(c) (1) A city with a population of fewer than 5,000 and a county with a population of fewer than 150,000, including each city within that county, is exempt from subdivision (b).
(2) A city with a population of 50,000 or fewer that is not exempt pursuant to paragraph (1) shall satisfy the requirements of subdivision (b) by September 30, 2024.
(3) A city, county, or city and county with a population of greater than 50,000 that is not exempt pursuant to paragraph (1) shall satisfy the requirements of subdivision (b) by September 30, 2023.
(d) A city, county, or city and county shall report to the Energy Commission when it is in compliance with subdivision (b).
(e) (1) The Energy Commission shall set guidelines for cities, counties, and cities and counties to report to the commission on the number of permits issued for residential solar energy systems and residential energy storage systems paired with residential solar energy systems and the relevant characteristics of those systems. A city, county, or city and county shall annually report to the Energy Commission pursuant to those guidelines within one year of implementing the online, automated solar permitting system pursuant to subdivision (b). This annual reporting requirement shall become inoperative on June 30, 2034.
(2) The Energy Commission shall adopt the guidelines required by this subdivision through a public process that shall include, but shall not be limited to, both of the following requirements:
(A) The Energy Commission shall make the proposed guidelines available for public comment for at least 30 days prior to adopting the guidelines.
(B) The Energy Commission shall respond in writing to a public comment received during the period required by paragraph (A).
(3) The Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2) shall not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this subdivision.
(f) A city, county, or city and county shall self-certify its compliance with this section when applying for funds from the Energy Commission after the applicable date in the compliance schedule in subdivision (c). This subdivision shall not apply to the twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) in funds available, pursuant to Section 76 of Chapter 69 of the Statutes of 2021, from the Energy Commission for automated solar permitting.
(g) This section does not limit or otherwise affect the generator interconnection requirements and approval process for a local publicly owned electric utility, as defined in Section 224.3 of the Public Utilities Code, or an electrical corporation, as defined in Section 218 of the Public Utilities Code.
(h) All liabilities and immunities, including, but not limited to, the immunities provided in Sections 818.4, 818.6, and 821.2, applicable to cities, counties, and cities and counties shall apply to any permits issued through an online, automated permitting platform and any inspections conducted in connection with those permits.
(i) For the purposes of this section, a city shall include a charter city.
(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 356, Sec. 2. (SB 379) Effective January 1, 2023.)