As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:

“Available” means that the vehicle is physically present and not rented for the requested rental period.

“Commission” means the public utilities commission.

“Conventional vehicle” means a vehicle powered solely by an internal combustion engine.

“Distributed energy resources” means a resource sited close to customers that:

(1) Can provide all or some of the customers’ immediate electric and power needs;

(2) Can be used by the system to reduce demand or provide supply to satisfy the energy, capacity, or ancillary service needs of the distribution grid; and

(3) Is connected to the distribution system and close to load, if the resource provides electricity or thermal energy.

“Distributed energy resources” includes but is not limited to solar photovoltaic and thermal, wind, combined heat and power, electrical and thermal energy storage, demand response technologies, alternative energy vehicles and related infrastructure, microgrids, energy efficiency, and advanced inverters.

“Distributor” means:

(1) Every person who refines, manufactures, produces, or compounds fuel in the State and sells it at wholesale or retail, or who uses it directly in the manufacture of products or for the generation of power;

(2) Every person who imports or causes to be imported into the State, or exports or causes to be exported from the State, any fuel;

(3) Every person who acquires fuel through exchanges with another distributor; and

(4) Every person who purchases fuel for resale at wholesale or retail rates from any person described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3).

“Electricity” means all electrical energy produced by combustion of any fuel, or generated or produced using wind, the sun, geothermal heat, ocean water, falling water, currents, and waves, or any other source.

“Electric vehicle” means a vehicle powered by an electric motor via electricity:

(1) Stored in a high capacity battery; or

(2) Generated from an onboard fuel cell.

“Energy” means work or heat that is, or may be, produced from any fuel or source whatsoever.

“Energy resources” means fuel, and also includes all electrical or thermal energy produced by combustion of any fuel, or generated, produced, or stored using wind, the sun, geothermal heat, ocean water, falling water, currents, waves, or any other source.

“Fuel” means fuels, whether liquid, solid, or gaseous, commercially usable for energy needs, power generation, and fuels manufacture, that may be manufactured, grown, produced, or imported into the State or that may be exported therefrom, including petroleum and petroleum products and gases to include all fossil fuel-based gases, coal tar, vegetable ferments, biomass, municipal solid waste, biofuels, hydrogen, agricultural products used as fuels and as feedstock to produce fuels, and all fuel alcohols.

“Hybrid vehicle” means a vehicle powered by a combination of an electric motor and a small internal combustion engine.

“Rental contractor” means an entity that rents, leases, or proposes to rent or lease, vehicles to state employees for purposes of official government business under a contract pursuant to this chapter.

“State employee” means an employee of the State, including all permanent and temporary employees of the state judicial, executive, and legislative branches and their respective departments, offices, and agencies.

“Suitable” means the vehicle has the performance capabilities needed for the intended application, including payload and weight capacity for the job or is capable of holding a charge for the time and mileage needed.

“Townhouse” means a series of individual houses, having architectural unity and a common wall between each unit.