Bill Text: HI HB1973 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Rooftop Solar Installation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-01-24 - Referred to EEP, CPC, referral sheet 1 [HB1973 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-HB1973-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1973 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO ROOFTOP SOLAR INSTALLATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that taking advantage of available rooftop space for rooftop solar photovoltaics will be an important part of meeting Hawaii's one hundred per cent renewable energy target by 2045, as the State is unlikely to meet its renewable energy target with utility-scale resources alone. A limited supply of land, as well as competing uses for this land, such as agriculture, affordable housing, and conservation needs, means that utility-scale projects, such as utility solar and wind, are unable to provide all of the electricity necessary to meet Hawaii's renewable energy mandates. Furthermore, avoiding the cost of utility scale resources, such as new transmission, and more expensive technologies, like offshore wind, could save Hawaii residents billions of dollars in present value.
The legislature further finds that adding a rooftop solar energy generation system requirement for new, single-family homes will help Hawaii achieve its renewable energy goals, while lowering Hawaii's dependence on nonrenewable energy sources and leading to a more sustainable future.
The legislature additionally finds that adding a solar energy generation system during the construction phase significantly reduces the system installation cost for homeowners versus adding solar photovoltaics post-construction. Solar installation during construction also allows home buyers to finance systems at traditional, low mortgage rates.
The legislature also finds that California adopted a similar requirement for solar on all new low-rise residential buildings in 2019, with extensive studies showing that savings on average were double to the investment made. The California mandate was extended in 2022 to include all commercial buildings, including high-rise residential buildings, which studies also found to be cost-effective.
Because Hawaii's climate is even more favorable for solar energy and electric rates are higher in the State, solar photovoltaic systems can be expected to yield substantial savings for Hawaii homeowners. In addition, many home developers in California found opportunities to have solar systems installed for free or to be paid for by the solar developers, which lowered the cost of new home development. At least one large developer founded their own solar company to do their own design and installation. Similar opportunities may become available to home developers in Hawaii. Large production home projects are where rooftop solar will be the most cost-effective. These projects benefit from economies of scale for design and installation and potentially lower project costs significantly by reducing the electrical infrastructure that needs to be installed for the subdevelopment.
The purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Prohibit the issuance of building permits beginning on January 1, 2025, for new single-family dwellings that are part of a development of ten or more dwellings and do not include a rooftop photovoltaic energy generating system, unless an exemption or variance is granted; and
(2) Allow moneys from the energy security special fund to be used to support the Hawaii state energy office in administering variances.
SECTION 2. Chapter 196, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§196- Rooftop
photovoltaic energy generating system installation required for new
single-family residential construction.
(a) On or after January 1, 2025, no building
permit shall be issued for a new single-family dwelling that is part of a
development of ten or more dwellings and does not include a rooftop
photovoltaic energy generating system, unless the chief energy officer of the
Hawaii state energy office approves a variance or the development is for
affordable housing, as defined in section 201H-57(b). A variance application shall only be accepted
if submitted by an architect or electrical engineer licensed under chapter 464,
who attests that:
(1) Installation is
impracticable due to poor solar resource; or
(2) Installation is
cost-prohibitive based upon a life cycle cost-benefit analysis that
incorporates the average residential utility bill and the cost of the new
rooftop photovoltaic energy generating system, including any specific
interconnection costs, with a life cycle of twenty-five years.
(b) A
request for a variance shall be submitted to the Hawaii state energy office on
an application prescribed by the chief energy officer and shall include a
description of the location of the property and justification for the approval
of a variance using the criteria established in subsection (a). A variance shall be deemed approved if not
denied within sixty working days after receipt of the variance application. The chief energy officer shall publicize:
(1) All applications
for a variance, including cost estimates, within seven calendar days after
receipt of the variance application; and
(2) The disposition
of all applications for a variance within seven calendar days of the
determination of the variance application.
(c)
The chief energy officer of the Hawaii state energy office may adopt
rules pursuant to chapter 91 to impose and collect fees to cover the costs of
administering variances under this section.
The fees, if any, shall be deposited into the energy security special
fund established under section 201-12.8.
(d)
Nothing in this section shall preclude any county from establishing
procedures and standards required to implement this section.
(e)
Nothing in this section shall preclude participation in any utility
demand-side management program or public benefits fee program under part VII of
chapter 269.
(f)
For the purposes of this section, "rooftop photovoltaic energy
generating system" means any identifiable facility, equipment, apparatus,
or the like, that utilizes electricity-generating modules mounted on a rooftop,
or near the subject property, that converts solar energy to useful electrical
energy for heating, cooling, or reducing the use of other types of energy that
are dependent upon fossil fuel for the generation of electricity; provided that
the system shall have no less than five kilowatts of generating capacity and
shall include an energy storage device, such as a battery."
SECTION 3. Section 201-12.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
"(b) Subject to legislative appropriation, moneys from the fund may be expended by the Hawaii state energy office for the following purposes and used for no other purposes, except for those set forth in this section:
(1) To support the Hawaii clean energy initiative program and projects that promote and advance dependable and affordable energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy self-sufficiency, and greater energy security and resiliency for the State and public facilities;
(2) To fund, to the extent possible, the climate change mitigation and adaptation commission and the greenhouse gas sequestration task force;
(3) To support achieving the zero emissions clean economy target set forth in section 225P-5;
(4) To fund projects
and incentives to promote the adoption of clean transportation technologies,
develop clean vehicle charging infrastructure, and upgrade infrastructure to
support the development of clean vehicle charging infrastructure; [and]
(5) To fund, to the
extent possible, the duties of the state building code council in section
107-24, as they relate to the development of energy conservation codes[.];
and
(6) To support the Hawaii state energy office in administering variances under section 196- ."
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Rooftop Solar Installation; Rooftop Photovoltaic Energy Generating Systems; New Residential Construction Requirement
Description:
Beginning 1/1/2025, prohibits the issuance of building permits for new single-family dwellings that are part of a development of ten or more dwellings and do not include a rooftop photovoltaic energy generating system, under certain circumstances. Authorizes the Hawaii state energy office to use moneys from the energy security special fund to administer variances.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
