STAND. COM. REP. NO. 468

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 272

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 272 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOLAR ENERGY DEVICES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend a definition of "solar energy device" to include building-applied photovoltaics and building-integrated photovoltaics and exclude passive solar skylights or windows, thereby clarifying the types of devices that are allowed to be installed on single-family residential dwellings and townhouses.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Solar Energy Association.

Your Committees find that the existing statutory definition of "solar energy device" as used in section 514B-140(c), Hawaii Revised Statutes, needs to be updated so as to take into account the latest advancements in renewable energy technologies, such as electricity-producing photovoltaic windows. This measure clarifies and adds building-applied photovoltaics and building-integrated photovoltaics to the definition of "solar energy device", thereby specifically allowing installation of the photovoltaic systems on or in single-family residential dwellings and townhouses, subject to certain conditions.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 272 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Technology,

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair