Florida Senate - 2024 SB 1212
By Senator Polsky
30-00652A-24 20241212__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to bidirectional charging by electric
3 vehicles; providing legislative findings; defining
4 terms; directing the Office of Energy of the
5 Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in
6 collaboration with the Department of Highway Safety
7 and Motor Vehicles and the Public Service Commission,
8 to convene the Workgroup on Bidirectional Charging by
9 Electric Vehicles by a specified date; specifying
10 duties of the workgroup; providing requirements
11 regarding the workgroup’s membership; requiring the
12 workgroup to examine the implementation of
13 bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment for
14 certain uses; requiring the workgroup to submit a
15 report to the Governor, the Commissioner of
16 Agriculture, and the Legislature by a specified date;
17 prescribing minimum requirements for the report;
18 providing for expiration; providing an effective date.
19
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22 Section 1. Workgroup on Bidirectional Charging by Electric
23 Vehicles.—
24 (1) LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.—The Legislature finds that
25 impacts to the state’s electrical grid, including those from
26 severe weather events, disrupt the ability of residences and
27 businesses to have uninterrupted electrical service and
28 negatively impact the state’s economy. Power interruptions can
29 lead to dangerous, life-threatening conditions, such as heat
30 exhaustion, and the failure of lifesaving equipment, such as
31 home oxygen concentrators and refrigerators for perishable
32 medicines. Due to these continuing threats, the Legislature
33 finds that it is critical to examine alternative ways to provide
34 electricity to residences and the state’s electrical grid during
35 emergency situations.
36 (2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
37 (a) “Bidirectional capability” means the ability of an
38 electric vehicle or electric vehicle service equipment to both
39 charge batteries and discharge electricity.
40 (b) “Bidirectional charging” means charging capability that
41 enables an electric vehicle to be charged by the electrical grid
42 or an onsite energy resource and to discharge stored energy
43 capacity through electric vehicle service equipment, either to
44 serve an electrical load or export that power to the electrical
45 grid.
46 (c) “Bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment”
47 means an electric component assembly or cluster of component
48 assemblies designed specifically to charge batteries within
49 battery-powered electric vehicles by allowing the transfer of
50 electric energy to a battery or other storage device in an
51 electric vehicle which is capable of both charging and
52 discharging electricity from the vehicle.
53 (d) “Electric vehicle” has the same meaning as provided in
54 s. 320.01(36), Florida Statutes.
55 (3) WORKGROUP.—No later than October 1, 2024, the Office of
56 Energy of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services,
57 in collaboration with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
58 Vehicles and the Public Service Commission, shall convene the
59 Workgroup on Bidirectional Charging by Electric Vehicles to
60 examine the feasibility, and the associated challenges and
61 opportunities, of using battery-powered electric vehicles and
62 bidirectional electric vehicle service equipment as a mobile
63 battery to power a residence or to provide electricity to the
64 electrical grid. The workgroup must be composed of, but need not
65 be limited to, government officials, consumer advocates, and
66 representatives of electric utilities and industry stakeholders.
67 Members of the workgroup are not entitled to per diem or travel
68 expenses pursuant to s. 112.061, Florida Statutes. The workgroup
69 may meet as many times as deemed necessary to fulfill its duties
70 and responsibilities under this section. The workgroup shall
71 examine the implementation of bidirectional electric vehicle
72 service equipment for providing power to the electrical grid
73 from a residence or powering a residence from the electrical
74 grid only.
75 (4) REPORT.—By January 1, 2026, the workgroup shall submit
76 a report to the Governor, the Commissioner of Agriculture, the
77 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
78 Representative which, at a minimum, addresses all of the
79 following:
80 (a) Potential benefits and costs associated with
81 bidirectional capability for electric vehicle service equipment.
82 (b) The mechanisms needed to ensure interoperability
83 between battery-powered electric vehicles and bidirectional
84 electric vehicle service equipment.
85 (c) The resources needed from entities operating in the
86 energy sector, including, but not limited to, technological
87 innovation and infrastructure upgrades, in order to facilitate
88 vehicle-to-residence, vehicle-to-building, and vehicle-to-grid
89 practices.
90 (5) EXPIRATION.—After submission of the report pursuant to
91 subsection (4), this section shall expire January 2, 2026.
92 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.