STAND. COM. REP. NO. 490

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 181

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy and Environment and Water, Land, and Housing and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 181 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PHOTOVOLTAIC-READY NEW RESIDENTIAL HOMES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require that new single-family residential construction incorporates design elements and equipment installation at the time of construction to facilitate the future adoption of photovoltaic systems.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Richard C. Lim, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Mark Duda, Hawaii Solar Energy Association; Robert Harris, Sierra Club, Hawai‘i Chapter; Jeff Mikulina, Blue Planet Foundation; Barbara Angelo; and Brian Bell.

     Your Committees find that the installation of photovoltaic systems on existing homes can be hindered by design features that were incorporated at the time of initial construction of the homes.  This measure will facilitate widespread adoption of photovoltaic systems in the future and optimize future gains from solar technology adoption which will result in reduced energy demand on the grid, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced dependency on imported fossil fuels.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Environment and Water, Land, and Housing and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 181, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 181, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Environment and Water, Land, and Housing and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs,

____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair	____________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair
	____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair