STAND. COM. REP. NO.  299

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1270

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1270 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage the use of nonfossil fuel generated electricity, helping the state reduce the amount of fossil fuel imported and consumed in Hawaii, by enabling the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to establish rates that will support implementation of appropriate renewable energy resources while maintaining a standard of just and reasonable rates.

 

     The Hawaii Energy Policy Forum, Sierra Club, Hawaii Chapter, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc., Maui Electric Company, Ltd., Hawaii Renewable Energy Alliance, Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company, Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaii Solar Energy Association, SunPower Systems Corporation, and Dowling Company, Inc., testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and PUC offered comments.

 


     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Clarifying that "cost-effective" also means the ability to produce or purchase electric energy or firm capacity from renewable energy resources at costs the PUC determines to be just and reasonable; and

 

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for 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. 1270, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1270, 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