Bill Text: HI SB182 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Energy Efficiency; Renewable Energy; Public Utilities Commission
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [SB182 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2012-SB182-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
182 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO RESIDENTIAL ENERGY DEVICES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that up-front costs are a barrier preventing many Hawaii residents from installing renewable energy systems and replacing energy-inefficient home appliances with energy-saving alternatives. Existing tax credit and rebate programs have not been enough of an incentive to offset up-front costs, especially for public utilities customers who are renters and for owners of older homes in need of retrofitting before energy-saving devices can be installed.
The purpose of this Act is to require the public utilities commission to explore the possibility of providing assistance to public utilities consumers who exchange energy-inefficient refrigerators for ENERGY STAR refrigerators, exchange conventional hot water heaters for solar water heaters, install photovoltaic systems, and take other energy efficiency measures deemed to be cost-effective by the public utilities commission. This Act directs the public utilities commission to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of an on-bill financing program that would allow public utilities customers to finance purchases of energy-saving appliances and renewable energy technology through on‑bill financing, backed by the public benefits fee, to develop recommendations for a possible model program, and to report its findings to the legislature.
SECTION 2. The public utilities commission shall conduct a cost-benefit analysis of a potential on-bill financing program that would allow a residential electric utility customer to purchase:
(1) An ENERGY STAR refrigerator;
(2) A solar water heater system that meets the standards established pursuant to section 269-44;
(3) A solar energy device as defined in section 196-7; or
(4) Any other device or system that the public utilities commission designates by rule;
provided that the estimated life cycle electricity savings from the item or system would exceed the cost of the item or system. The program would allow a residential electric utility customer to purchase an item or a system specified in paragraphs (1) through (4) with no up-front payments by paying the cost of the item or system over time on the customer's electricity bill.
The public utilities commission shall determine the cost of providing for billing and payment of devices and systems through a residential electric utility customer's utility bill, determine a reasonable payment schedule for items and systems purchased and a reasonable interest rate to be applied to payments, and determine reasonable penalties, which may include fines and disconnection of utility services, for nonpayment of on-bill financing costs.
The public utilities commission shall also consider issues such as whether rental tenants should be eligible for the program, whether an item or system installed on a property should remain a part of that property for the purposes of sale, lease, or transfer, or whether a residential electric utility customer should be permitted to remove the item or system and, if so, what provisions, if any, there should be for the residential electric utility customer to remove the item or system.
All costs associated with the establishment and operations of an on-bill financing program would be paid from the public benefits fee established under section 269-121.
SECTION 3. The public utilities commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation for a model program, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2012.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.
Report Title:
Energy Efficiency; Renewable Energy; Public Utilities Commission
Description:
Directs the public utilities commission to conduct a cost‑benefit analysis of an on-bill financing program that would allow public utilities customers to finance purchases of energy‑saving appliances and renewable energy technology through on-bill financing, backed by the public benefits fee, and to develop recommendations for a possible model program. (SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
