STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2585

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3357

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 3357 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require state facilities to prepare a report assessing the feasibility of installing distributed energy resource systems at each facility;

(2) Require state facilities to implement and install the distributed energy resource systems detailed in the reports no later than five years from the issue date of the reports; and

(3) Assign priority for the required energy efficiency measures to first responder facilities.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Greenpeace Hawaii, Hawaii Chapter of 350.org, Hawaii Solar Energy Association, Kauai Climate Action Coalition, Chamber of Sustainable Commerce, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, Green Party of Hawaiʻi, and six individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committees find that the installation of on-site, distributed energy resources, such as rooftop solar and battery storage, is a cost-effective method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants associated with electricity generation. Your Committees further find that energy used to power buildings account for more than fifty percent of the electricity consumed in the State. However, the State has not undertaken efforts to maximize on-site renewable generation at many of its own facilities, forgoing millions of dollars in potential savings. This measure builds the State's resilience to the effects of global warming while taking a proactive approach to cost savings for electricity consumption in state facilities.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Department of Accounting and General Services is the responsible agency for taking measures to assess the potential and feasibility of installing distributed energy resource systems at each state facility, and providing a report detailing the findings; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3357, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3357, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair

________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair