STAND. COM. REP. NO.  443-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2291

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2291 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to more accurately reflect the percentage of renewable energy penetration in Hawaii by amending the definition of "renewable portfolio standard" to base the calculation of the standard on electrical energy generation rather than electrical energy sales.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Blue Planet Foundation, Distributed Energy Resource Council of Hawaii, and two concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Alliance for Solar Choice testified in opposition to this measure.  The Public Utilities Commission, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Maui Electric Company, and Hawaii Electric Light Company, and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by amending the definition of "renewable portfolio standard" and establishing a new definition for the term "grid-connected" to more accurately reflect the sum total of renewable energy penetration in the State.  Specifically, the amended definition of renewable portfolio standard, when analyzed in the context of grid-connection, bases the calculation of renewable portfolio standards on the ratio of total renewable electrical energy generated from grid-connected renewable energy systems to the total electrical energy generated from grid-connected energy systems.

     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. 2291, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2291, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair