STAND. COM. REP. NO. 142

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1434

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1434 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to facilitate implementation of the renewable portfolio standards.

More specifically, this bill amends the renewable portfolio standard law to clarify the events considered as outside a utility's control in meeting the standard, directs the Public Utilities Commission to establish an intrastate renewable energy credits trading program, implements penalties and alternate compliance mechanisms, and requires a study of green power pricing.

Your Committee finds that the policies underlying this measure are to increase the use of renewable energy resources and reduce the State's dependence on fossil fuels. From a practical point of view, this means that the right combination and design of rates, incentives, and penalties will determine whether the State will be able to meet the renewable portfolio standards requirement of producing twenty per cent of the State's net electricity from renewable energy resources by the year 2020.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including a findings and purpose section;

(2) Making further changes to the definition of "renewable energy";

(3) Deleting the proposed requirement that the Public Utilities Commission establish and monitor an intrastate renewable energy credits trading program;

(4) Adding further directives to the Public Utilities Commission regarding the renewable portfolio standards study; and

(5) Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity 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. 1434, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1434, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

____________________________

HERMINA MORITA, Chair