STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3145

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1828

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred H.B. No. 1828, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENERGY-EFFICIENCY PORTFOLIO STANDARDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the State's energy-efficiency portfolio standards from 2030 to 2045 and update the standards; and

(2) Authorize the Public Utilities Commission to adjust the 2045 and interim standards.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Hawaii State Energy Office; Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority; Public Utilities Commission; County of Kauaʻi Office of Economic Development; City and County of Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency; Ulupono Initiative; Blue Planet Foundation; Hawaiʻi Energy; JM Sales Hawaii LLC; Wild Kids Hawaiʻi; Hawaiian Electric; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Building Decarbonization Task Force of the Hawaiʻi Environmental Change Agents; 350 Hawaii.org; Climate Protectors Hawaii; Citizens’ Climate Lobby Hawaiʻi; Hawaii Solar Energy Association, Inc.; Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Environmental Caucus; and eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that energy efficiency plays an important role in the State's efforts to transition to clean energy. Your Committee further finds that energy efficiency efforts are an important tool for cost-effectively reducing the State's need for generating resources and providing a means for individual customers to lower their energy bills. This measure supports the State's commitment to energy efficiency by realigning the energy efficiency portfolio standards with the timeline for the State's renewable portfolio standards and allows the Public Utilities Commission to set interim standards to maximize cost-effective energy efficiency programs and technologies to meet the State's clean energy goals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1828, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1828, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________

LYNN DECOITE, Chair