STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1539

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 781

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 781, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require government entities in the State that issue building permits to:

(A) Implement, by January 1, 2024, SolarAPP+ or a functionally equivalent online automated permitting platform that verifies code compliance and issues permits to licensed contractors for solar distributed energy resource systems in real time; and

(B) Adopt self-certification for residential and commercial on-site solar distributed energy resource systems, if the territory is served by an investor-owned electric utility; and

(2) Exempt work with respect to residential distributed energy resource systems from the professional engineers, architects, surveyors, and landscape architects licensure law.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Green Infrastructure Authority; Pacific Resource Partnership; Blue Planet Foundation; Climate Protectors Hawai‘i; 350Hawaii.org; Hawaii Environmental Change Agents' Decarbonization of Buildings Task Force; Our Revolution Hawaii; Hawaii Solar Energy Association; Capture the Carbon; Climate Future Forum; Kauai Climate Action Coalition; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawaii Unified Industries, LLC; Hawai‘i Energy; Sunrun; Sierra Club of Hawai‘i; Ulupono Initiative; Green Power Projects LLC; Grand Solar, Inc.; Solar Services Hawaii LLP; Hawaii Energy Connection, LLC; Alternate Energy Inc.; Sunnova; Alternate Energy Hawaii; Elemental Excelerator; Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the American Institute of Architects Hawaii Council; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union No. 1186, AFL-CIO; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors, and Landscape Architects; Electrical Contractors Association of Hawai‘i; and Associated Builders and Contractors, Hawaii Chapter.

Your Committee finds that the State's continued dependence on fossil fuels contributes to the climate crisis and subjects residents and businesses to the ever-increasing cost of fossil fuels. Your Committee further finds that the State's dependence on a centralized grid can render residents and businesses vulnerable to power outages caused by extreme weather or other events that compromise centralized energy producing facilities. This measure streamlines the permitting process for distributed solar projects, which can reduce the time, cost, and risk in realizing the benefits of greater distributed renewable energy infrastructure in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that duly licensed electricians are among the list of licensed professionals who must notify the applicable government entity; 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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 781, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 781, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair