STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1180-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2934

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2934, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Public Utilities Commission to establish community-based renewable energy tariffs so that electric utility customers may own portions of a renewable energy facility that sells energy to the utility, regardless of the physical siting or interconnection of the renewable energy facility.

Inter-Island Solar Supply; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; Maui Electric Company; Hawaii Electric Light Company; and several concerned individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Public Utilities Commission; Division of Consumer Advocacy, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Blue Planet Foundation; and several concerned individuals commented on this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adopting the proposed amendments recommended by the Public Utilities Commission, which requires the Commission to:

          (A)  Establish a community-based renewable energy tariff that is in the public interest and non-discriminatory;

          (B)  Allow anyone to propose a community-based renewable energy project subject to Commission approval;

          (C)  Allow an electric utility to propose a community-based renewable energy project; and

          (D)  Standardize the tariff and related interconnection processes to the extent possible; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Consumer Protection & Commerce that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2934, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2934, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________ ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair