STAND. COM. REP. NO. 578

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1915

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Energy and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 1915 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HYDROGEN,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to further the State's transition to energy independence by defining hydrogen as a transportation tool and allocating funds for the development of Hawaii's hydrogen industry.

 

     This measure makes four unspecified appropriations for fiscal year 2007-2008 for the following purposes:

 

     (1)  For a hydrogen public awareness campaign, including funding for a hydrogen convention to be hosted in 2008;

 

     (2)  For the development of geothermal hydrogen production infrastructure on the island of Hawaii;

 

     (3)  For the construction of at least three hydrogen demonstration refueling stations across the State; and

 

     (4)  Funding for the diversification of the State automotive fleet by leasing up to twelve hydrogen powered vehicles and purchase of two hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Automobile Dealers' Association, and Energy Research Systems.  Testimony in support of the intent of the measure was submitted by the 15th Airlift Wing, Hickam Air Force Base.  Comments were submitted by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and The Gas Company.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii has the highest dependence on petroleum for its energy needs of all the states in the country.  This dependence makes the State extremely vulnerable to any oil embargo, supply disruption, international market dysfunction, and other uncontrollable factors.  It also has negative environmental consequences. 

 

     Your Committee further finds that Hawaii has abundant renewable energy resources, including solar, geothermal, wind, biomass, and ocean energy resources.  Making use of these natural, renewable energy resources will increase the State's energy self-sufficiency while improving the State's environmental health. 

 

     Your Committee amended this measure to add the following activities to the Hawaii Renewable Energy Program:

 

     (1)  Hydrogen research and development infrastructure projects, related to geothermal hydrogen production on the island of Hawaii, biomass hydrogen production on Maui and Kauai, and hydrogen production on Oahu;

 

     (2)  Integration of the State's automotive fleet with hydrogen powered vehicles, and the establishment of standards for hydrogen fuel vehicles;

 

     (3)  Establishment of a hydrogen public awareness campaign; and

 

     (4)  Advance the construction of hydrogen demonstration refueling stations throughout the State.

 

     Your Committee further amended this measure to:

 

     (1)  Substitute the requirement of integrating at least twelve hydrogen powered vehicles into the Hawaii Renewable Hydrogen Program law with a general requirement to integrate these vehicles into the State's automotive fleet, however the appropriation for the twelve vehicles remains unchanged;

 

     (2)  Amending the definition of "hydrogen," to specify it is to be produced from renewable energy sources to make it consistent with the purposes of the program, and deleting the provision defining it as a transportation fuel.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1915, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1915, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Environment,

 

 

 

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair