STAND. COM. REP. NO. 149-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2103

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2103 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LONG DURATION CLEAN ENERGY STORAGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the Hawaii Renewable Hydrogen Program and Hydrogen Investment Special Fund to include a broader focus on long duration clean energy storage and transfer responsibility for the program to the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the United States Department of Energy intends to make significant funding available to the states to support the Energy Storage Grand Challenge Roadmap, a federal program that has a goal of reducing the cost of long duration clean energy storage by ninety percent. Your Committee further finds that the State must support the continued development and storage of clean energy and remain competitive for clean energy storage federal grants. Your Committee believes that this measure addresses this need by broadening the focus of the Hawaii Renewable Hydrogen Program and Hydrogen Investment Special Fund to encompass long duration clean energy storage and transferring responsibility for the program to the Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, 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. 2103, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2103, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair