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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.R. NO. |
159 |
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TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES.
WHEREAS, Hawaii is heavily dependent upon fossil fuels for the generation of electricity and has the highest electricity rates in the nation; and
WHEREAS, the use of renewable energy systems advances the State's energy policy objective of decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels; and
WHEREAS, Act 95, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, mandates that by the year 2020, twenty per cent of each electric utility company's net electricity sales is to be produced through the use of renewable energy resources; and
WHEREAS, photovoltaic systems are non-air-polluting and photovoltaic installations have been shown to improve property values; and
WHEREAS, despite the advantages of renewable energy, relatively few systems have been installed in Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, other states provide as much as fifty to eighty per cent of the cost of installing a photovoltaic system while Hawaii may be providing as little as five per cent for residential homes; and
WHEREAS, the use of tax credits may not provide an adequate incentive to portions of the population (for example, seniors and disabled homeowners) that have little or no state income tax liability; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to prepare a report comparing the incentives provided by other states to encourage increased photovoltaic generation of electricity; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Taxation is requested to prepare a report on the projected cost implications to the State of implementing each of the following:
(1) Tax credits of ten, twenty, thirty, forty, and fifty per cent, respectively, of the cost of installing a residential photovoltaic system; and
(2) A refund of the tax credit amount for senior citizens and disabled homeowners who have little or no state income tax liability; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau and the Director of Taxation are requested to submit their respective reports, including findings and any recommendations they may have, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2006; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Director of Taxation, and the Chair of the Public Utilities Commission.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Report Title:
Renewable Energy; Photovoltaic Installations; Tax Credit