STAND. COM. REP. NO. 900

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1051

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1051, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY-EFFICIENCY PORTFOLIO STANDARDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an additional energy-efficiency portfolio standard of six thousand gigawatt hours of electricity use reductions statewide by 2045;

(2) Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to establish interim goals for 2035 and 2045 and adjust the 2030 and 2045 standards and interim standards; and

(3) Require the interim goals to show clear progress toward meeting the statutory 2030 and 2045 energy-efficiency portfolio standards.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Hawaiʻi State Energy Office; Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority; Public Utilities Commission; Office of Economic Development of the County of Kauai; Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu; Ulupono Initiative; Inter-Island Solar Supply; Coalition Earth; Buildings and Sequestration Task Force of the Hawaiʻi Environmental Change Agents; 350Hawaii.org; Hawaiʻi Energy; Hawaii Solar Energy Association; Hawaiian Electric; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; Kauai Climate Action Coalition; Hawaiʻi Executive Collaborative; Bowers + Kubota; Chaminade University; Zephyr Insurance; Huanani Partners; Blue Planet Foundation; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the energy-efficiency portfolio standards have been a successful policy for the State, serving as a critical component in support of the State's clean energy and decarbonization goals. Since the standards were established, they have generated many successful energy-saving programs for Hawaii residents and businesses. According to the most recent Market Potential Study (2020), the State is on track to meet and exceed the established 2030 target of four thousand three hundred gigawatt hours of energy savings. This measure challenges the State to further exceed the goal by establishing a new long-term goal of six thousand gigawatt hours by 2045.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1051, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair