STAND. COM. REP. NO. 124-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2701
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy and Environmental Protection and
Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2701 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide greater energy self-
sufficiency in public schools by requiring the installation of
photovoltaic systems.

     This bill requires the Department of Education (DOE) to
install photovoltaic systems and energy storage devices on all
newly constructed or renovated public school buildings, to the
greatest extent practicable.  Once such devices have been
installed, these public schools may be used as emergency shelters
during natural disasters.  This bill also authorizes these public
schools to use single net meters and to sell excess electricity
back to the utility.

     Life of the the Land, the Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, and
Malama o Manoa supported this bill.  The DOE testified in
opposition to this measure, and the Department of Accounting and
General Services offered comments.

     Your Committees agree that the installation of photovoltaic
systems will provide greater energy self-sufficiency in the
public schools.  To keep the discussion alive on the merits of
this bill, your Committees have deleted the provisions that:


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 124-00
                                 Page 2

 
     (1)  Require the DOE to install photovoltaic systems and
          energy storage devices on all newly constructed or
          renovated public school buildings; and

     (2)  Authorizes the use of public schools equipped with such
          systems to serve as emergency shelters during natural
          disasters.

     New language has been inserted that:

     (1)  Establishes a renewable energy demonstration project in
          the DOE to determine the feasibility and cost
          effectiveness of installing such systems in the public
          schools;

     (2)  Directs the DOE to select one public school in each
          school district to participate in this demonstration
          project; and

     (3)  Requires the submittal of a progress report and final
          report to the Legislature prior to the convening of the
          regular sessions of 2001 and 2002, respectively.

     Provisions that remain in the bill allow the selected public
schools to use a single net meter and to sell electricity back to
the utility.  An unspecified appropriation also remains in the
bill.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Energy and Environmental Protection and Education
that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord
with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2701, as amended herein,
and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached
hereto as H.B. No. 2701, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee
on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Energy and
                                   Environmental Protection and
                                   Education, 




_____________________________      _______________________________
HERMINA M. MORITA, Chair            KEN ITO, Chair