STAND. COM. REP. NO.946

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: S.B. No. 1435

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1435, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HYDROGEN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the establishment of the hydrogen public/private partnership within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, in order to support and promote hydrogen use in Hawaii.

In addition, this measure requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, with the assistance of the hydrogen public/private partnership, to:

(1) Sponsor a stakeholder workshop with interested parties to review and critique the Hawaii hydrogen plan;

(2) Evaluate and adopt policy options to promote industry investment in hydrogen infrastructure;

(3) Initiate pilot projects to install multi-megawatt electrolyzers to produce hydrogen from indigenous resources on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii;

(4) Conduct a comprehensive evaluation and market study for the production of hydrogen on Oahu and the island of Hawaii;

(5) Conduct engineering assessments of biomass or wind energy pathways for hydrogen for Maui and Kauai; and

(6) Initiate pilot projects that include distribution of hydrogen produced on the island of Hawaii to the other islands.

Your Committee finds that hydrogen is a renewable, nonpolluting source of energy for fueling vehicles and generating electricity. While hydrogen may not totally replace fossil and nuclear fuels within our lifetime, it can make the world a safer, cleaner, healthier place for future generations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1435, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair