Bill > SB1342

This bill modifies Hawaii's Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) to address climate change and improve the state's clean energy goals by introducing several key provisions. The bill expands the definition of biofuels to include those with lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and introduces new terms like "decarbonized electrical energy" and "local renewable biofuels" to incentivize more environmentally friendly energy production. By 2045, the bill requires electric utilities to purchase at least 20 million gallons of renewable biofuels annually, secure 2,000 megawatts of dispatchable customer-sited grid generation, and establish demand response services. The legislation also creates a capacity market mechanism that provides financial incentives for generators using renewable or low-carbon energy sources, with a goal of maintaining an anticipated reserve margin of at least 15%. Additionally, the bill removes previous caps on customer-generated renewable energy, requires electric utilities to report renewable portfolio progress by island, and aims to support distributed solar development, particularly for low- and moderate-income households. The overall objective is to transform Hawaii's electricity system, reduce oil dependency, avoid high-carbon renewable energy, and support the state's ambitious climate goals by creating more flexible and environmentally conscious renewable energy policies.

Government Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1342&year=2025