STAND. COM. REP. NO.  138-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1855

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1855 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

The purpose of this measure is to require electric utilities to offer excess electricity to consumers to help create a more sustainable environment in the State.

 

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from 350Hawaii.org and numerous individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' Division of Consumer Advocacy, Hawaii State Energy Office, Public Utilities Commission, and Hawaiian Electric.

 

Your Committee finds that solar power is a key to achieving Hawaii's goal of generating 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2045.  Hawaii can maximize the benefits of renewable energy resources by finding ways to efficiently utilize excess energy generation.  One solution is for the electric utilities to sell excess electricity to consumers for purposes such as hydrogen production or protected agriculture, at a rate that encourages efficient utilization of available renewable energy resources.  The sale of excess electricity from the grid to consumers is known as "smart imports".

 

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that the State's electric utilities study include:

 

          (A)  Mechanisms to achieve smart imports from utility scale projects to avoid curtailing or otherwise not using available excess energy; and

 

          (B)  Recommendations about how energy intensive commercial and industrial customers can utilize smart imports to reduce costs and benefit the grid;

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, 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. 1855, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1855, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair