STAND. COM. REP. NO.  224-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2141

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2141 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Community-Based Renewable Energy Program (Program) to make the benefits of renewable energy more accessible to a greater number of Hawaii residents, including residential and commercial renters and other groups currently unable to participate in clean energy generation.

The Sierra Club of Hawaii; Blue Planet Foundation; and an individual testified in support of this measure.  The Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism; Public Utilities Commission; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; and an individual commented on this measure.

Your Committee understands the concerns raised by the Public Utilities Commission that the measure may be overly prescriptive and may have unintended program design consequences resulting in implementation barriers.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Removing the prescriptive administrative requirements for utilities operating within the Program and instead setting policy guidance for the Public Utilities Commission for the establishment and structure of a community-based renewable energy contract, tariff, or tariffs;

     (2)  Requiring the Public Utilities Commission to report to the Legislature relative to the implementation of the Program before the convening of the Regular Session of 2015;

     (3)  Changing the effective date to June 15, 2750, to encourage further discussion; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2141, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2141, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Economic Development & Business.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair