Bill Text: HI HCR206 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Alternative Energy Task Force
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-20 - (H) Referred to EEP, FIN, referral sheet 50 [HCR206 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2012-HCR206-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
206 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
requesting the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to convene a sustainable and alternative energy assessment task force.
WHEREAS, Hawaii has significant alternative energy potential through wind, solar, ocean, and geothermal resources that are sustainable and productive; and
WHEREAS, the State depends on imported resources to meet its commercial, industrial, residential, and transportation needs, with over fifty million barrels of oil imported at a cost of more than $4,000,000,000 per year, all of which is paid to out-of-state interests; and
WHEREAS, replacing the State's dependence on out-of-state fuel with a modern and sustainable energy system will create a cleaner and more environmentally friendly Hawaii, keep valuable resources in the State, support local economic growth and local employment in well-paying jobs, mitigate climate change, and promote a sustainable energy export industry; and
WHEREAS, choosing the most beneficial course for a sustainable energy future requires knowing the actual costs and benefits of the various energy systems; and
WHEREAS, such a cost and benefit assessment should be objective, and not dominated or biased by the financial or political interests of the promoters of any one energy system; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to convene an alternative energy assessment task force to develop a verifiable methodology to perform an objective evaluation of sustainable and alternative energy and to compare and rank the leading alternative energy technologies; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the assessment methodology:
(1) Takes into account the:
(A) Initial installation costs, including the costs of land acquisition and materials;
(B) Operating costs over the expected lifetime of the system;
(C) Replacement costs of worn components, with an assessment of the impact of climate, weather, and geology on infrastructure;
(D) Decommissioning costs, including the cost of restoring land to its original state;
(E) Monies that may accrue from a synergistic combination of technologies;
(F) Monies that may accrue from applying and updating smart grid technology;
(G) Environmental and social impacts;
(H) Value of energy independence;
(I) Impact on employment and commerce;
(J) Funds required to initially finance a system; and
(K) Estimates of price increases for fuel, materials, and other such resources;
(2) Determines and utilizes for assessment purposes an alternative energy system's output in a quantifiable cost per unit energy over the lifetime of the installation; provided that the cost is expressed in economic, ecologic, or sociocultural terms, or in any other term deemed helpful for analysis; and
(3) Applies to small- and large-scale systems, subsystems, and technologies; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that practical demonstrations of an alternative energy system's efficacy for a single island be given preference over theoretical claims for systems that will provide inter-island energy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of nine individuals consisting of:
(1) Three representatives selected by the Governor;
(2) Three members of the Senate selected by the Senate President; and
(3) Three members of the House of Representatives selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
provided that at least one individual be selected from each of the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that selected members be able to offer insight on issues from an environmental, economic, social, and technical (pertaining to the physical sciences, engineering, or information technology) perspective with regard to alternative energy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force may solicit advice from government agencies and organizations from the energy industry, including but not limited to the Public Utilities Commission; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; University of Hawaii; and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force members may not be employed by or provide consulting services to an agency or organization if that employment or service may give rise to a conflict of interest; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the task force not receive compensation for their service but that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to reimburse the members for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group members not be considered employees for the purposes of chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, based solely upon their participation in the working group; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to report its findings, including a clearly explained assessment methodology for the evaluation, and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2013, and be dissolved on June 30, 2013; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Senate President; and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Alternative Energy Task Force
