Bill Text: FL S1514 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Energy SMART Schools

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-03-14 - Died in Education [S1514 Detail]

Download: Florida-2022-S1514-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1514
       
       
        
       By Senator Berman
       
       
       
       
       
       31-00618B-22                                          20221514__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to Energy SMART Schools; creating s.
    3         1013.415, F.S.; providing legislative findings;
    4         defining the term “Energy SMART School”; requiring the
    5         Department of Education and the Department of
    6         Environmental Protection to consult with specified
    7         entities to coordinate to develop a program to jointly
    8         designate public schools as Energy SMART Schools;
    9         requiring the program to include an application
   10         process that meets specified requirements; requiring
   11         that awards, recognition, and designations be jointly
   12         granted annually; requiring the Office of Educational
   13         Facilities, in consultation with the Office of Energy
   14         within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
   15         Services, to provide, upon request, specified
   16         technical assistance and consultation with public
   17         schools and school districts; authorizing electric
   18         utilities to propose certain programs; requiring the
   19         Florida Public Service Commission to review certain
   20         programs for approval; providing the criteria for
   21         commission review; authorizing the State Board of
   22         Education to adopt rules; providing an effective date.
   23          
   24  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   25  
   26         Section 1. Section 1013.415, Florida Statutes, is created
   27  to read:
   28         1013.415 Energy SMART Schools.—
   29         (1)LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—In order to protect the health,
   30  prosperity, and general welfare of this state and its residents,
   31  the Legislature finds that:
   32         (a)It is in the public interest to encourage public
   33  schools to prioritize energy efficiency and conservation,
   34  increased use of renewable energy source devices and energy
   35  storage technologies, and increased use of electric fleet
   36  vehicles and buses.
   37         (b)Schools are large consumers of energy in this state and
   38  can contribute significantly to reducing statewide demand for
   39  energy generation, thereby resulting in cost savings for all
   40  utility customers; therefore, it is in the public interest to
   41  encourage and empower schools to pursue goals of adopting
   42  sustainable energy management practices, the use of renewable
   43  energy source devices and storage technologies, and
   44  transportation systems that rely on electricity.
   45         (c)Electric utilities have a direct role to play in
   46  providing schools with innovative programs and tools to assist
   47  them in pursuing these energy and transportation goals.
   48         (2)ENERGY SMART SCHOOL.—The term “Energy SMART School”
   49  means a school that employs sustainable management with advanced
   50  renewables and transportation to reduce its energy consumption,
   51  offset energy consumption with renewable energy resources,
   52  improve resiliency with onsite energy storage, and reduce air
   53  emissions by using electric fleet vehicles and buses.
   54         (3)DESIGNATION.—In consultation with the Office of Energy
   55  within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and
   56  representatives of the business community, the environmental
   57  community, and the energy community, the Department of Education
   58  and the Department of Environmental Protection shall coordinate
   59  to develop a program to jointly annually designate eligible
   60  public schools as Energy SMART Schools. The program must include
   61  an application process through which schools may request the
   62  initial and continued designation and a method for determining
   63  eligibility for such designation and any awards or recognition.
   64  A designation, an award, or recognition made under this section
   65  must be jointly granted by the Department of Education and the
   66  Department of Environmental Protection.
   67         (4)TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—In consultation with the Office
   68  of Energy within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer
   69  Services, the Office of Educational Facilities shall provide
   70  technical assistance to and consult with public schools and
   71  school districts that request such assistance and consultation
   72  for the purposes of:
   73         (a) Assessing and surveying energy consumption and
   74  potential conservation measures associated with a public school
   75  or a school district.
   76         (b) Developing public school-specific plans for achieving
   77  designation as an Energy SMART School.
   78         (c) Providing estimates of potential reductions in energy
   79  consumption, cost savings, and reductions in greenhouse gas
   80  emissions which would result from the adoption of proposed
   81  conservation and efficiency measures and the use of renewable
   82  energy source devices.
   83         (d) Identifying commercially available and cost-effective
   84  energy efficiency options and conservation technologies and
   85  renewable energy source devices.
   86         (e) Identifying available state and federal grants and
   87  funds and assisting public schools in making grant applications
   88  or pursuing such funds.
   89         (f) Identifying utility rates and programs that are
   90  available to schools to assist them in achieving Energy SMART
   91  School designation.
   92         (5)DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMS BY ELECTRIC UTILITIES.—
   93         (a)In support of schools that wish to apply for
   94  designation as an Energy SMART School, an electric utility may
   95  propose programs that include, but are not limited to,
   96  innovative tariffs and rates, direct investments by the electric
   97  utility or third-party providers in school energy and
   98  transportation systems, and direct financing of investments by
   99  the electric utility.
  100         1.Any direct financing program must be designed to provide
  101  participating customers with financial savings over the expected
  102  life of such investments.
  103         2.Before implementing a program under this section, an
  104  electric utility shall demonstrate to the Florida Public Service
  105  Commission that the eligible technologies have sufficient
  106  estimated savings to produce net savings for customers over the
  107  life of the investments. Only technologies deemed by the
  108  commission to be cost-effective and which are reasonably
  109  expected to ensure customer savings may be funded through the
  110  program.
  111         3.Participating customers may buy down the costs of
  112  technologies with an upfront copayment to the installing
  113  contractors to ensure that the proposed program is deemed cost
  114  effective.
  115         (b)The Florida Public Service Commission shall review and,
  116  upon a determination that they are reasonable and just, shall
  117  approve proposed programs implemented under this subsection and
  118  recovery of prudently incurred costs plus a reasonable return.
  119  Program costs must be recovered directly from participating
  120  customers, net any verified electric system savings obtained by
  121  the investment. For direct utility investments and financing,
  122  any technology and remaining balances in the event of customer
  123  relocation remain with the utility meter at the upgraded
  124  location.
  125         (6)RULES.—The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
  126  implement this section.
  127         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.

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