HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

619

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to net-energy metering.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Section 269-101, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§269-101  Definitions.  As used in this part:

     "Eligible customer-generator" means a metered residential or commercial customer, including a government entity, of an electric utility who owns and operates a solar, wind turbine, biomass, micro-combined heat and power generating equipment, fuel cell electric generating equipment, or hydroelectric energy generating facility, or a hybrid system consisting of two or more of these facilities, that is:

     (1)  Located on the customer's premises;

     (2)  Operated in parallel with the utility's transmission and distribution facilities;

     (3)  In conformance with the utility's interconnection requirements; and

     (4)  Intended primarily to offset part or all of the customer's own electrical requirements.

     "Fuel cell electric generating equipment" means a solid oxide, molten carbonate, proton exchange membrane or phosphoric acid fuel cell with a combined rated capacity of not more than ten kilowatts.

     "Micro-combined heat and power generating equipment" means an integrated, cogenerating building heating and electrical power generation system that:

     (1)  Operates on any fuel to power any applicable engine, fuel cell, or other technology;

     (2)  Has a rated capacity of at least one kilowatt and not more than ten kilowatts electric and thermal output that, at full load, has a design total fuel use efficiency in the production of heat and electricity of not less than eighty per cent; and

     (3)  Annually produces at least two thousand kilowatt hours of useful energy in the form of electricity that may work in combination with supplemental or parallel conventional heating systems.

     "Net energy metering" means measuring the difference between the electricity supplied through the electric grid and the electricity generated by an eligible customer-generator and fed back to the electric grid over a monthly billing period; provided that:

     (1)  Net energy metering shall be accomplished using a single meter capable of registering the flow of electricity in two directions;

     (2)  An additional meter or meters to monitor the flow of electricity in each direction may be installed with the consent of the customer-generator, at the expense of the electric utility, and the additional metering shall be used only to provide the information necessary to accurately bill or credit the customer-generator, or to collect solar, wind turbine, biomass, micro-combined heat and power generating equipment, fuel cell electric generating equipment, or hydroelectric energy generating system performance information for research purposes;

     (3)  If the existing electrical meter of an eligible customer-generator is not capable of measuring the flow of electricity in two directions, the electric utility shall be responsible for all expenses involved in purchasing and installing a meter that is able to measure electricity flow in two directions;

     (4)  If an additional meter or meters are installed, the net energy metering calculation shall yield a result identical to that of a single meter; and

     (5)  An eligible customer-generator who already owns an existing solar, wind turbine, biomass, micro-combined heat and power generating equipment, fuel cell electric generating equipment, or hydroelectric energy generating facility, or a hybrid system consisting of two or more of these facilities, is eligible to receive net energy metering service in accordance with this part."

     SECTION 2.  Section 269-111, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

     "(a)  A solar, wind turbine, biomass, micro-combined heat and power generating equipment, fuel cell electric generating equipment, or hydroelectric energy generating system, or a hybrid system consisting of two or more of these facilities, used by an eligible customer-generator shall meet all applicable safety and performance standards established by the National Electrical Code, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and accredited testing laboratories such as the Underwriters Laboratories and, where applicable, rules of the public utilities commission regarding safety and reliability.

     (b)  For systems of ten kilowatts or less, an eligible customer-generator whose solar, wind turbine, biomass, micro-combined heat and power generating equipment, fuel cell electric generating equipment, or hydroelectric energy generating system, or whose hybrid system consisting of two or more of these facilities, meets the standards and rules under subsection (a) shall not be required to install additional controls, perform or pay for additional tests, or purchase additional liability insurance."

     SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Net Energy Metering

 

Description:

Includes micro-combined heat and power generating equipment and fuel cell electric generating equipment among the technologies eligible for net energy metering.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.