LA QUINTA, CA — California voters recently approved a major school bond, including funding and incentives for equipment to improve energy use patterns and shift peak electrical demand, such as thermal energy storage. In addition, three pieces of energy legislation favoring thermal energy storage were signed into law. According to the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), all of the legislation supported by its Thermal Storage Equipment Product Section aimed at shifting peak electrical loads and implementing real-time metering for air conditioning systems became law.
Senate Bill 1790 (Sen. Debra Bowen, D-Marina del Rey) says, "It is the intent of the legislature that the state establish cost-effective load control programs for residential and commercial air-conditioning systems." The new law states that "Reducing peak load of, and implementing load control for, residential and commercial air conditioning systems by the state's electrical corporations can achieve a significant reduction of California's peak electricity demand in a cost-effective manner." SB 1790 provides for development of air conditioning load control programs as part of electrical service offerings as a means of "contributing to the adequacy of the electricity supply and to help customers in reducing their electric bills."