REPORT TITLE:
Solar Power; Schools


DESCRIPTION:
Requires the department of education to install photovoltaic
cells and batteries in all public schools, to the greatest extent
practicable.  Appropriates funds to the department.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2701
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that section 226-18,
 
 2 Hawaii Revised Statutes, states that the energy-related goals of
 
 3 the State are to provide dependable, efficient, and economical
 
 4 statewide energy systems capable of supporting the needs of the
 
 5 people; to increase self-sufficiency and the use of indigenous
 
 6 sources of energy; and to provide greater energy security in the
 
 7 face of threats to Hawaii's energy supplies and systems.
 
 8      Hawaii exports $1,000,000,000 a year to buy foreign oil to
 
 9 provide for the State's energy needs.  Hawaii's isolated location
 
10 makes the State vulnerable to natural disasters and other
 
11 emergencies.  Major disasters and emergencies have the potential
 
12 to destroy the infrastructure for the production and distribution
 
13 of electricity, compounding the effects of the catastrophe.  It
 
14 is imperative that critical government facilities such as police,
 
15 fire, and ambulance services are operational under the adverse
 
16 conditions of major natural disasters or other emergencies.
 
17      The legislature further finds that Hawaii is the most
 
18 advanced industrialized state nearest the equator.  The
 
19 University of Hawaii has the technological capability to become a
 

 
Page 2                                                     2701
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        


 1 world leader in photovoltaic research and Hawaii is in an ideal
 
 2 location for the testing and use of photovoltaic systems.
 
 3      Several schools around the State have already installed
 
 4 photovoltaic cells through Hawaiian Electric Company's sunpower
 
 5 for schools.  These installations indicate a willingness by the
 
 6 schools to install small demonstration projects that do not in
 
 7 any way meet the power needs of the schools.  It is time to take
 
 8 the next step and insulate Hawaii's public schools from power
 
 9 outages and make the schools shelters in the case of any
 
10 emergency which would knock out power, such as a hurricane.  The
 
11 schools could be used for emergency shelters and civil defense
 
12 radios and other equipment could be powered from the array.
 
13      The purpose of this Act is to provide for greater energy
 
14 self-sufficiency in public schools by requiring the installation
 
15 of photovoltaic systems.
 
16      SECTION 2.  Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
17 amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated
 
18 and to read as follows:
 
19      "§302A-    Solar-powered public schools.  (a)  The
 
20 department of education shall install and use photovoltaic
 
21 systems and energy storage devices on all newly constructed or
 
22 renovated public school buildings, to the greatest extent
 
23 practicable, to increase the energy efficiency of those
 

 
Page 3                                                     2701
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        


 1 buildings.
 
 2      (b)  Photovoltaic systems installed in newly constructed or
 
 3 renovated schools shall be designed:
 
 4      (1)  For modularity, i.e., to allow for additional capacity
 
 5           at a later date;
 
 6      (2)  To reduce the need for off-site power by at least three
 
 7           per cent each year to eventually provide one hundred
 
 8           per cent of the school's anticipated electrical load
 
 9           on-site, to the greatest extent practicable.
 
10      (c)  All newly constructed or renovated schools shall be
 
11 designed, constructed, and equipped with all appropriate energy
 
12 saving measures, materials, and devices that are feasible and
 
13 cost-effective over the life of the building.
 
14      (d)  Public schools that have been installed or retrofitted
 
15 with photovoltaic systems and energy storage devices may be used
 
16 as emergency shelters during natural disasters.  The department
 
17 of education shall work with county civil defense agencies as may
 
18 be necessary to implement this subsection.
 
19      (e)  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91
 
20 as may be necessary to implement this section."
 
21      SECTION 3.  Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
22 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
23 read as follows:
 

 
Page 4                                                     2701
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        


 1      "§269-    Public schools; sale of electric power back to
 
 2 utilities.  (a)  Notwithstanding section 269-16.21 or any other
 
 3 law to the contrary, public schools that have been installed or
 
 4 retrofitted with photovoltaic systems and energy storage devices
 
 5 may:
 
 6      (1)  Use a single, reversible, non-time-differentiated meter
 
 7           to measure the difference between the electricity
 
 8           supplied by a utility and the electricity generated by
 
 9           the public school and fed back to the utility; and
 
10      (2)  Sell electricity back to the utility on all weekends,
 
11           school holidays, and school vacations, including summer
 
12           vacations.
 
13      (b)  Funds obtained from the sale of electricity to a
 
14 utility pursuant to subsection (a) shall be deposited into the
 
15 general fund.
 
16      (c)  The commission, in consultation with the department of
 
17 education, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to implement
 
18 this section."
 
19      SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
20 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so
 
21 much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001, for
 
22 the installation of photovoltaic systems and energy storage
 
23 devices on all newly constructed or renovated public school
 

 
Page 5                                                     2701
                                     H.B. NO.           
                                                        
                                                        


 1 buildings, to the greatest extent practicable.
 
 2      SECTION 5.  The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
 
 3 department of education for the purposes of this Act.
 
 4      SECTION 6.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
 5      SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
 6 
 
 7                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________