Bill Text: HI HB550 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Renewable Energy.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-03-22 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPH/WAM. [HB550 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2019-HB550-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
550 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
S.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Act 97, Session
Laws of Hawaii 2015, amended section 269-92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to
establish a one hundred per cent renewable portfolio standard by December 31,
2045, with the intent to transition the State away from imported fuels and
toward renewable local resources that provide a secure source of affordable
energy. Currently, the calculation of
the renewable portfolio standard, based on the definition of renewable
portfolio standard enacted in 2001 and amended in 2006, is the percentage of electrical energy sales that is
represented by renewable electrical energy. The legislature finds that the calculation of
the renewable portfolio standard based on electrical energy sales (renewable
electrical energy sales divided by total electrical sales), rather than on
electrical energy generation (renewable electrical energy generation divided by
total electrical energy generation), overestimates the amount
of renewable energy serving Hawaii's electric utility customers. There are two fundamental issues that lead to
the current discrepancy:
(1) The current renewable portfolio standard calculation inflates the reported percentage of renewable energy by excluding customer-sited, grid-connected energy generation in the denominator, which becomes material with higher levels of customer-sited, grid-connected renewable energy generation and higher renewable portfolio standard percentages; and
(2) The current electrical energy sales number does not include energy losses that occur between the points of electrical energy generation and the customer meter, where sales are measured.
Failure to address these issues creates an incorrect measure of the State's progress toward its statutory goal of one hundred per cent renewable energy.
The
purpose of this Act is to amend the definition of "renewable
portfolio standard" to be a percentage of electrical energy generation
that is represented by renewable electrical energy.
SECTION 2. Section 269-91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "renewable portfolio standard" to read as follows:
""Renewable
portfolio standard" means the percentage of electrical energy [sales]
generation that is represented by renewable electrical energy."
SECTION 3. Section 269-92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§269-92 Renewable portfolio standards. (a) Each electric utility company that sells
electricity for consumption in the State shall establish a renewable portfolio
standard of:
(1) Ten per cent of its net electricity sales by December 31, 2010;
(2) Fifteen per cent of its net electricity sales by December 31, 2015;
(3) Thirty per cent of its net electricity sales by December 31, 2020;
(4) Forty per cent [of
its net electricity sales] by December 31, 2030;
(5) Seventy per cent [of
its net electricity sales] by December 31, 2040; and
(6) One hundred per
cent [of its net electricity sales] by December 31, 2045.
(b)
The public utilities commission may establish standards for each electric
utility company that prescribe [what] the portion of the
renewable portfolio standards that shall be met by specific types of
renewable energy resources; provided that:
(1) Prior to January 1, 2015, at least fifty per cent of the renewable portfolio standards shall be met by electrical energy generated using renewable energy as the source, and after December 31, 2014, the entire renewable portfolio standard shall be met by electrical generation from renewable energy sources;
(2) Beginning January 1, 2015, electrical energy savings shall not count toward renewable energy portfolio standards;
(3) Where electrical energy is generated or displaced by a combination of renewable and nonrenewable means, the proportion attributable to the renewable means shall be credited as renewable energy; and
(4) Where fossil and renewable fuels are co-fired in the same generating unit, the unit shall be considered to generate renewable electrical energy (electricity) in direct proportion to the percentage of the total heat input value represented by the heat input value of the renewable fuels.
(c)
If the public utilities commission determines that an electric utility
company failed to meet the renewable portfolio standard, after a hearing in
accordance with chapter 91, the utility shall be subject to penalties to be
established by the public utilities commission; provided that if the commission
determines that the electric utility company is unable to meet the renewable
portfolio standards [due to] because of reasons beyond the
reasonable control of an electric utility, as set forth in subsection (d), the
commission, in its discretion, may waive in whole or in part any otherwise
applicable penalties.
(d)
Events or circumstances that are [outside of] beyond an
electric utility company's reasonable control may include, to the extent the
event or circumstance could not be reasonably foreseen and ameliorated:
(1) Weather-related damage;
(2) Natural disasters;
(3) Mechanical or resource failure;
(4) Failure of renewable electrical energy producers to meet contractual obligations to the electric utility company;
(5) Labor strikes or lockouts;
(6) Actions of governmental authorities that adversely affect the generation, transmission, or distribution of renewable electrical energy under contract to an electric utility company;
(7) Inability to acquire sufficient renewable electrical energy due to lapsing of tax credits related to renewable energy development;
(8) Inability to obtain permits or land use approvals for renewable electrical energy projects;
(9) Inability to acquire sufficient cost-effective renewable electrical energy;
(10) Inability to acquire sufficient renewable electrical energy to meet the renewable portfolio standard goals beyond 2030 in a manner that is beneficial to Hawaii's economy in relation to comparable fossil fuel resources;
(11) Substantial limitations, restrictions, or prohibitions on utility renewable electrical energy projects; and
(12) Other events and
circumstances of a similar nature[.] that could not be reasonably
foreseen and ameliorated."
SECTION 4. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2100.
Report Title:
Renewable Portfolio Standard; Electricity
Description:
Amends the definition of renewable portfolio standard to be a percentage of electrical energy generation, rather than sales. Effective 7/1/2100. (SD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
