STAND. COM. REP. NO. 52

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 558

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 558 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLEAN ENERGY FINANCING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Create the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund within the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Special Fund;

(2) Expand the objective of the $50,000,000 sub-fund to allow state agencies to finance their purchase options under existing energy performance contracts and power purchase agreements to further reduce and stabilize future energy costs;

(3) Repeal the Building Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund; and

(4) Appropriate funds out of the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund to make clean energy investment loans or for other approved uses.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, Climate Protectors Coalition, and Blue Planet Foundation. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, and Public Utilities Commission.

Your Committee finds that a significant barrier to clean energy adoption has been the unavailability of flexible financing and low-cost capital. Building Hawaii's clean energy infrastructure at the lowest possible cost is vital to reach the State's clean energy goals by 2045. Public funds must be used in a sustainable manner to simultaneously spark customer demand for clean energy technology and attract private investment in green technology.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of 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. 558, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 558, 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,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair