REPORT TITLE: 
Solar power; schools


DESCRIPTION:
Establishes a renewable energy demonstration project in the
department of education that involves the installation of
photovoltaic systems and energy storage devices in one public
school in each school district.  Appropriates funds.  Requires a
progress and final report to the legislature. (HB2701 HD1)



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        2701
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  There is established a renewable energy
 
 2 demonstration project in the department of education.  The
 
 3 purpose of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility and
 
 4 cost effectiveness of installing photovoltaic systems and energy
 
 5 storage devices in the public schools.
 
 6      The department of education, with the assistance of the
 
 7 department of business, economic development, and tourism and the
 
 8 department of accounting and general services, shall select one
 
 9 public school, or one planned for construction, in each school
 
10 district to participate in this project based on a school's
 
11 potential to:
 
12      (1)  Successfully carry out the project; and
 
13      (2)  Insulate the school from power outages and to convert
 
14           its facilities to an emergency shelter during disasters
 
15           such as a hurricane.
 
16      The department of education shall install photovoltaic
 
17 systems and energy storage devices at each selected school and
 
18 shall evaluate the feasibility and cost effectiveness of this
 
19 demonstration project.
 

 
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 1      SECTION 2. (a) Notwithstanding section 269-16.21 or any
 
 2 other law to the contrary, public schools that have received
 
 3 photovoltaic systems and energy storage devices under this Act
 
 4 may:
 
 5      (1)  Use a single, reversible, non-time-differentiated meter
 
 6           to measure the difference between the electricity
 
 7           supplied by a utility and the electricity generated by
 
 8           the public school and fed back to the utility; and
 
 9      (2)  Sell electricity back to the utility on all weekends,
 
10           school holidays, and school vacations, including summer
 
11           vacations.
 
12      (b)  Funds obtained from the sale of electricity to a
 
13 utility pursuant to subsection (a) shall be deposited into the
 
14 general fund.
 
15      SECTION 3.  The department of education shall submit to the
 
16 legislature:
 
17      (1)  A progress report no later than twenty days prior to
 
18           the convening of the regular session of 2001; and
 
19      (2)  A final report no later than twenty days prior to the
 
20           convening of the regular session of 2002.
 
21 The reports shall focus on the feasibility and cost effectiveness
 
22 of installing photovoltaic systems and energy storage devices in
 
23 the public schools, including:
 

 
Page 3                                                     2701
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (1)  The payback period for the cost of the equipment and
 
 2           its operations;
 
 3      (2)  The value of the excess electricity sold to the
 
 4           utility;
 
 5      (3)  Maintenance costs; and
 
 6      (4)  Unforeseen problems relating to installation,
 
 7           maintenance, and operation.
 
 8      SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
 9 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much
 
10 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000-2001 to carry
 
11 out the purposes of this Act.
 
12      The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
13 education for the purposes of this Act.
 
14      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval,
 
15 except that section 4 shall take effect on July 1, 2000.