As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meaning:

(a) “Renewable electrical generation facility” means a facility that meets all of the following criteria:

(1) The facility uses biomass, solar thermal, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, fuel cells using renewable fuels, small hydroelectric generation of 30 megawatts or less, digester gas, municipal solid waste conversion, landfill gas, ocean wave, ocean thermal, or tidal current, and any additions or enhancements to the facility using that technology.

(2) The facility satisfies one of the following requirements:

(A) The facility is located in the state or near the border of the state with the first point of connection to the transmission network of a balancing authority area primarily located within the state. For purposes of this subparagraph, “balancing authority area” has the same meaning as defined in Section 399.12 of the Public Utilities Code.

(B) The facility has its first point of interconnection to the transmission network outside the state, within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) service area, and satisfies all of the following requirements:

(i) It commences initial commercial operation after January 1, 2005.

(ii) It will not cause or contribute to any violation of a California environmental quality standard or requirement.

(iii) It participates in the accounting system to verify compliance with the renewables portfolio standard once established by the commission pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 399.25 of the Public Utilities Code.

(C) The facility meets the requirements of clauses (ii) and (iii) in subparagraph (B), but does not meet the requirements of clause (i) of subparagraph (B) because it commenced initial operation prior to January 1, 2005, if the facility satisfies either of the following requirements:

(i) The electricity is from incremental generation resulting from expansion or repowering of the facility.

(ii) Electricity generated by the facility was procured by a retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility as of January 1, 2010.

(3) If the facility is outside the United States, it is developed and operated in a manner that is as protective of the environment as a similar facility located in the state.

(4) If eligibility of the facility is based on the use of landfill gas, digester gas, or another renewable fuel delivered to the facility through a common carrier pipeline, the transaction for the procurement of that fuel, including the source of the fuel and delivery method, satisfies the requirements of Section 399.12.6 of the Public Utilities Code and is verified pursuant to the accounting system established by the commission pursuant to 399.25 of the Public Utilities Code, or a comparable system, as determined by the commission.

(b) “Municipal solid waste conversion,” as used in subdivision (a), means a technology that uses a noncombustion thermal process to convert solid waste to a clean-burning fuel for the purpose of generating electricity, and that meets all of the following criteria:

(1) The technology does not use air or oxygen in the conversion process, except ambient air to maintain temperature control.

(2) The technology produces no discharges of air contaminants or emissions, including greenhouse gases as defined in Section 38505 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) The technology produces no discharges to surface or groundwaters of the state.

(4) The technology produces no hazardous wastes.

(5) To the maximum extent feasible, the technology removes all recyclable materials and marketable green waste compostable materials from the solid waste stream prior to the conversion process and the owner or operator of the facility certifies that those materials will be recycled or composted.

(6) The facility at which the technology is used is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances.

(7) The technology meets any other conditions established by the commission.

(8) The facility certifies that any local agency sending solid waste to the facility diverted at least 30 percent of all solid waste it collects through solid waste reduction, recycling, and composting. For purposes of this paragraph, “local agency” means any city, county, or special district, or subdivision thereof, which is authorized to provide solid waste handling services.

(c) “Renewable energy public goods charge” means that portion of the nonbypassable system benefits charge required to be collected to fund renewable energy pursuant to the Reliable Electric Service Investments Act (Article 15 (commencing with Section 399) of Chapter 2.3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code).

(d) “Report” means the report entitled “Investing in Renewable Electricity Generation in California” (June 2001, Publication Number P500-00-022) submitted to the Governor and the Legislature by the commission.

(e) “Retail seller” means a “retail seller” as defined in Section 399.12 of the Public Utilities Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 605, Sec. 1. (AB 2196) Effective January 1, 2013.)