Report Title:

Renewable Energy; Biodiesel Feedstock; Appropriations

 

 

Description:

Appropriation for Hawaii county economic opportunity council for operation of laboratory and research farm expansion for the Hawaii biotech tissue culture center to mass produce biodiesel feedstock.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

246

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELating to biodiesel feedstock.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The Hawaii biotech tissue culture center, established by the Hawaii county economic opportunity council, is a large-scale laboratory dedicated to the mass production of high-quality plantlet clones for use by commercial agriculture, which benefits Hawaii county and the world's need for clean renewable energy.

     After four years of operation, Hawaii biotech tissue culture center has a proven record in advanced tissue culture of various agricultural commodities, including research and development of superior high-yielding clones of jatropha curcas, a renewable source that yields the most oil per acre at the lowest production cost.  Jatropha curcas is a plant that grows on marginal nonagricultural land, has the lowest water and fertilization demands, and does not displace food crops.  Jatropha curcas produces oil that burns clean with virtually no sulfur emissions.  Currently, hundreds of thousands of acres of jatropha curcas are planted worldwide with millions planned for the near future to replace fossil fuels, including aviation fuel.

     The Hawaii biotech tissue culture center requires funding to complete research and development to move into mass tissue culture propagation, and to expand its present laboratory.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2009-2010, or so much thereof as may be necessary, as a grant and subsidy under chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to the Hawaii county economic opportunity council, as follows:

     (1)  $1,800,000 for operational expenses for the Hawaii biotech tissue culture center to the end of the first cycle of mass propagation and point of sale to mass produce non-genetically-modified organism, superior, high yielding jatropha curas biodiesel feedstock; and

     (2)  $1,200,000 to expand the existing 8,500 square foot laboratory to 25,000 square feet to significantly raise production from an estimated 2.2 plantlets per year to 20,000,000 plantlets per year over a three‑year period.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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