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SB 1282 (Becker) Battery Integration and Grid Reliability Act

Josh Becker, Senate District 13 (San Mateo) https://sd13.senate.ca.gov/
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An electric vehicle charging. Photo via Canva.

SB 1282 moves California toward a future utilizing the energy stored in electric vehicle (EV) batteries to strengthen the state’s electrical grid, support the clean energy transition, and save ratepayers money.

California already has over 2.5 million EVs on the road, each with a battery that sits unused for most of the day, but these can actually be used to enhance resilience and lower electricity costs through vehicle-grid integration (VGI). 

EVs with bidirectional charging capabilities can be used to export battery power to a home, managing the flow of electricity from the EV to power a home when the grid is down. EV batteries can also lower electricity costs by tapping into energy from an EV (instead of the grid) during peak times when electricity is most expensive. Grid managers can even pay EV owners to send power back to the grid during periods of high demand when the grid is stressed, avoiding the need to deploy polluting fossil fuel generators to keep the lights on.  

Analysis from the Union of Concerned Scientists and many others demonstrate the benefits that grid-integrated vehicle batteries could bring to EV owners and ratepayers. Their study indicates that with high levels of VGI participation, cost savings in the electricity system could top $10 billion annually through 2045. Given the number of Californians struggling to keep up with utility costs and the trajectory at which rates continue to increase, the savings potential is huge. 

SB 1282 tasks the California Energy Commission with evaluating the state’s need for grid‑integrated vehicles and authorizes the Commission to set standards requiring manufacturers to provide a VGI‑ready battery. EV batteries are a key piece of the clean energy transition, and this bill will empower California to utilize grid-integrated vehicles to lower electricity costs for all Californians.  

Full bill text and more information.

Committee Status: The bill has been referred to the Senate Energy and the Senate Transportation Committee.

Bill author

Senator Josh Becker

Senator, 13th District

Josh Becker is a California State Senator representing most of Silicon Valley. In the Legislature, Senator Becker has authored landmark legislation on clean energy, affordability, data privacy and consumer protection, and justice reform. His work has helped position California as a national leader on climate action, digital privacy rights, and policies that strengthen economic opportunity while protecting vulnerable communities. Senator Becker currently serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water and as a member of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications, among other committees.

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California Energy Commission: A roadmap to unlocking the benefits of bidirectional charging