Energy

Authorizes the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund to be used to provide financial assistance to underserved ratepayers, in addition to other eligible borrowers. Appropriates funds into and out of the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to establish a streamlined grid-ready homes interconnection process, including vehicle-to-grid compliance requirements, by 1/1/2026. Authorizes the use of the Hawaii electricity reliability surcharge for cost recovery of certain expenses of the Hawaii Electricity Reliability Administrator associated with the grid-ready homes interconnection process. Requires a report to the PUC on the grid-ready homes interconnection process. Effective 1/1/2050. (SD1)

Requires the Public Utilities Commission to consider whether approving a proposed merger or acquisition would or would not further the State's renewable energy goals. Prohibits the acquiring entity of an electric utility company from terminating or attempting to renegotiate any existing and valid power purchase agreements and requires the acquiring entity to assume and be bound by existing collective bargaining agreements and retain all covered employees. Establishes a process to ensure that when an electric utility is subject to an application for a proposed acquisition, merger, or consolidation by a potential acquiring entity that is an investor-owned utility and seeks approval of the application from the Public Utilities Commission, the electric utility shall demonstrate that it solicited bids from potential acquiring entities that operate under a non-investor-owned utility ownership model. Requires the electric utility to submit acceptable bids from a potential acquiring entity operating under a non-investor-owned utility ownership model concurrently with an application by a potential acquiring entity that is an investor-owned utility and the Public Utilities Commission to review those applications concurrently. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Authorizes state facilities to wheel electricity produced by their own facility from renewable energy sources to other state facilities pursuant to administrative rules or orders established by the Public Utilities Commission. Requires the Public Utilities Commission to submit a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

SB 1088 provides financial rebates to developers who install "EV-ready" parking stalls in new affordable housing construction. These stalls are pre-wired and prepared for future electric vehicle charging stations, though chargers themselves are not required at installation. The bill directly affects developers building new affordable housing units, making EV infrastructure part of the initial construction. It aims to integrate EV compatibility into affordable housing from the start, without mandating immediate charger installation.

Authorizes the Hawaii State Energy Office to establish a publicprivate partnership to develop a waste-to-energy generating facility in each county having a population below 800,000. (SD1)

Authorizes certain government entities to establish a self-certification process for behind-the-meter, customer-sited solar distributed energy resource systems and exempt the systems from the Federal Emergency Management Agency No-Rise/No-Impact declaration requirements under certain circumstances. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)