STAND. COM. REP. NO. 61
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 412
S.D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Third State Legislature
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 412 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Require state departments to prepare a report assessing the feasibility of installing distributed energy resource systems at each facility;
(2) Require state departments to implement and install the distributed energy resource systems detailed in the reports no later than five years from the issue date of the reports; and
(3) Give priority for the required energy efficiency measures to first responder facilities.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Kauai Climate Action Coalition, 350Hawaii, Greenpeace Hawaii, Green Party of Hawaiʻi, and eleven individuals.
Your Committees
received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Public
Utilities Commission.
Your Committees find that while the State has always been threatened by natural disasters, the potential severity of hurricanes, storm surges, and wildfires will grow in coming decades due to climate change-induced sea level rise and drought. Your Committees believe that the State must ensure that not only its departments, but especially its first responders, can adequately respond to the emergencies caused by climate change, such as disruptions to the electric grid, port activity, and essential services provided by state agencies. Your Committees recognize that the installation of on-site distributed energy resources provides affordable and resilient power for the State's energy system. Your Committees also recognize that although over fifty percent of the energy consumed in the State is used to power buildings, the State has yet to maximize on-site renewable energy production at many of it own facilities, foregoing millions of dollars in potential savings. This measure will build the State's resilience to the effects of climate change by encouraging the implementation and installation of distributed energy resource systems at state facilities, especially those used by first responders.
Your Committees have
amended this measure by:
(1) Requiring
the Hawaii State Energy Office to assess the feasibility of installing
distributed energy resource systems at each state facility and submit reports
to each respective state department;
and
(2) Making
technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and
consistency.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 412, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 412, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Government Operations,
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________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair |
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________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair |
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