Bill Text: HI HB557 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Energy Efficiency.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-11 - This measure has been deleted from the meeting scheduled on Wednesday 02-13-19 3:00PM in conference room 325. [HB557 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2019-HB557-Amended.html
|
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
557 |
|
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 |
H.D. 1 |
|
|
STATE OF HAWAII |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Act 204, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, was enacted to increase the use of renewable energy to protect the environment, reduce pollution, make housing more affordable, and enhance Hawaii's local economy. Act 204 added a new provision, codified as section 196-6.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, that required new homes built after January 1, 2010, to utilize solar water heating systems except in limited circumstances. This provision is commonly known as the solar water heater mandate.
The legislature finds that the variance provision currently utilized in the solar water heater mandate is being misused to circumvent the objectives of Act 204, to the detriment of consumers and to the State's progress toward its renewable energy goals. A gas-tankless demand water heater that provides hot water only as needed is one of the allowable variances to the mandate and is by far the most requested type of variance. In Hawaii, the gas used for this type of tankless water heater is typically derived from fossil fuels.
The purpose of this Act is to protect consumers by ensuring that the variance for a demand water heater may only be granted if solar water heating is impracticable and cost-prohibitive, and if no renewable energy technology system can be substituted for use as the primary energy source for heating water.
SECTION 2. Section 196-6.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) through (c) to read as follows:
"(a)
On or after January 1, 2010, no building permit shall be issued for a
new single-family dwelling that does not include a solar water heater system
that meets the standards established pursuant to section 269-44,
unless the coordinator
approves a variance. A variance
application shall only be accepted if [submitted] signed by an
architect or mechanical engineer licensed under chapter 464, who attests and
demonstrates that:
(1) Installation
is impracticable due to poor solar resource;
(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 solar
water heater system with a life cycle that does not exceed fifteen years;
(3) A
renewable energy technology system, as defined in section 235-12.5, is
substituted for use as the primary energy source for heating water; or
(4) A
demand water heater device [approved by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.,]
is installed; provided that at least one other gas appliance is installed in
the dwelling[.] and the life cycle cost for the device is less than a
solar water heater system based on the analysis in paragraph (2). For the purposes of this paragraph,
"demand water heater" means a gas-tankless instantaneous water heater
that provides hot water only as it is needed.
(b)
A request for a variance shall be submitted to the coordinator on an
application prescribed by the coordinator 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). The coordinator may exercise discretion in
denying any variance application deemed to be incomplete or insufficient
pursuant to the requirements in subsection (a). A variance shall be deemed approved if not
denied within [thirty] sixty working days after receipt of the
variance application. The coordinator
shall publicize:
(1) All
applications for a variance within seven days after receipt of the variance
application; and
(2) The
disposition of all applications for a variance within seven days of the
determination of the variance application.
(c) The director of business, economic
development, and tourism may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to impose and
collect fees to cover the costs of administering variances under this section[.],
and to impose fines or penalties for false attestations in variance
applications. The fees, fines, or
penalties if any, shall be deposited into the energy security special fund
established under section 201-12.8."
SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2100.
Report Title:
Solar Water Heaters; DBEDT; Energy Conservation
Description:
Amends the criteria for granting a solar water heater system variance. Authorizes the Director of DBEDT to impose penalties and fines for false statements on variance applications. (HB557 HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
