Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to establish by regulation biennial targets for the procurement of energy storage systems by an electric utility which has had a gross annual operating revenue of $250,000,000 or more in this State if the Commission determines such targets to be in the public interest. (NRS 704.187, 704.792, 704.796) Existing regulations establish such targets, with a target for the procurement of energy storage systems with a cumulative capacity of 1,000 megawatts by December 31, 2030. (LCB File No. R106-19) Under existing law, to qualify as an energy storage system for the purpose of meeting the biennial targets, an energy storage system is required to be commercially available technology that is capable of retaining, storing and delivering energy after storage by chemical, thermal or mechanical means. (NRS 704.793) Section 2.8 of this bill authorizes technology that retains, stores and delivers energy through hydrogen storage and use systems that only use green hydrogen to be used to meet the existing biennial energy storage targets. Section 2.4 of this bill defines the term “green hydrogen” as hydrogen produced through a certain process that is completely powered by hourly-matched, geographically deliverable renewable energy that is new or otherwise would have been curtailed. Section 2.6 of this bill makes a conforming change to make this definition applicable to existing law governing biennial energy storage targets.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 704.7811, 704.9994
Reprint 1: 704.791, 704.793
Reprint 2: 704.791, 704.793
BDR: 704.7811, 704.9994