STAND. COM. REP. NO. 566-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2020

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2020 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to broaden the definition of "renewable energy producer" that is used to determine the Board of Land and Natural Resources' disposition of public lands to renewable energy producers in order to allow more public lands to be leased for the generation of more types of renewable energy.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawaii State Energy Office; Climate Protectors Hawaii; and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Public Utilities Commission; Ulupono Initiative; and Hawaiian Electric.

Your Committee finds that state laws provide opportunities for the Board of Land and Natural Resources to lease, without public auction, certain public lands to public utilities and renewable energy producers. Your Committee finds that the operative definition of "renewable energy producer" under existing law could be broadened to allow more public lands to be leased for the generation of additional types of renewable energy. This measure would broaden the definition to include producers and developers of all types of renewable energy as defined in section 269-91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, instead of solely producers of electrical or thermal energy. Your Committee notes that nothing in this measure is intended to authorize wheeling.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding producers of renewable energy that use the renewable energy to provide district heating or cooling services to the definition of "renewable energy producer";

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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. 2020, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2020, 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