(a) The Renewable Resource Trust Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury.

(b) The Emerging Renewable Resources Account is hereby established within the Renewable Resources Trust Fund. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the moneys in the account are hereby continuously appropriated to the commission without regard to fiscal years for the following purposes:

(1) To close out the award of incentives for emerging technologies in accordance with former Section 25744, as this law existed prior to the enactment of the Budget Act of 2012, for which applications had been approved before the enactment of the Budget Act of 2012.

(2) To close out consumer education activities in accordance with former Section 25746, as this law existed prior to the enactment of the Budget Act of 2012.

(3) To provide funding for the New Solar Homes Partnership pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 2851 of the Public Utilities Code.

(c) The Controller shall provide to the commission funds pursuant to the continuous appropriation in, and for purposes specified in, subdivision (b).

(d) The Controller shall provide to the commission moneys from the fund sufficient to satisfy all contract and grant awards that were made by the commission pursuant to former Sections 25744 and 25746, and Chapter 8.8 (commencing with Section 25780), as these laws existed prior to the enactment of the Budget Act of 2012.

(e) If the Public Utilities Commission determines that the commission should be the third-party administrator for the New Solar Homes Partnership Program pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 2851 of the Public Utilities Code, any moneys made available to fund the New Solar Homes Partnership Program shall be deposited into the Emerging Renewable Resources Account of the Renewable Resource Trust Fund and used for this purpose.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 341, Sec. 6. (SB 840) Effective September 13, 2016.)