Chapter Home

Every new house with solar (SB 644)
Fifteen gallons of gasoline. That’s roughly the energy equivalent of the amount of sunshine that falls on most homes each day in Hawai‘i. We shouldn’t waste a drop of that energy. Yet the vast majority of homes in Hawai‘i lack the most basic tool to capture that heat: a solar water heater. About 20% of existing homes have such solar devices and approximately 30% of new homes may have them (although that figure is in dispute). We think every new roof in the state should come equipped with this basic amenity. Senate Bill 644 requires that all new single family homes built in Hawai‘i starting January 1, 2010, have a solar water heater installed. The measure allows a home builder to request a waiver from the solar requirement for special cases, such as a location with poor solar resource, a substitute renewable energy device, or an on-demand gas heater in a home with another gas appliance. The measure also requires the public utilities commission to codify standards that govern the performance and quality of all solar water heater systems.

Solar water heating is the single best “clean” energy alternative for residences in Hawai‘i. A typical family home with solar water heating avoids over 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted annually (about 3000 kilowatt-hours avoided). Plus, it can save the average family between $600 and $1000 annually. While bold, this measure is not without precedent. Israel has mandated that all new homes in the country come equipped with solar water heaters and now they are standard on some 95% of homes. Since January, 2007, Spain has required solar water heaters on all new residential construction. Here in Hawai‘i, the Navy has been building all of its new residential units with solar thermal. (Click here for more information and images.) New homes, of course, are only part of the picture—hundreds of thousands of existing housing units in Hawai‘i need to be retrofit with solar water heaters as well. That’s why we want to make sure the 35% tax credit is continued (or increased) for existing homes. Hawai‘i is the Saudi Arabia of sun. Senate Bill 644 would put that hot energy to work, reducing fossil fuel use and the cost of living. We need to implement this policy today as a solid first step toward zero energy homes in the future.

Electronic waste recycling program (SB 2843)
This timely measure will establish an electronic waste (or e-waste) recycling program. The program, run by the manufacturers, will provide for collection, transportation, and recycling of electronic devices sold in the state. E-waste from computers, televisions, and other high-tech devices is an increasing problem. This type of waste frequently contains toxic materials, such as lead in the circuit board soldering or in the cathode ray tube. Moreover, with landfill issues on nearly every island, policies to divert waste from landfills should be encouraged. Starting the process to establish and fund a state e-waste recycling program is critical now as more and more residents purchase high definition televisions and decide to scrap their older sets.

Right to Dry Clothes (SB 2933)
This common sense legislation would help ensure that Hawai‘i homeowners have the choice to save money and save energy by using the hot sun and trade winds to dry their clothes. This may sound frivolous, but when you consider that the average family produces over one ton of greenhouse gas annually from typical electric clothes dryer usage, any restriction on clothesline use sounds criminal. Clotheslines also save money. A family switching to a clothesline on Kauai can expect to save about $450 annually, while a family on O‘ahu would save about $250. Yet many homeowner associations prohibit or restrict the use of clotheslines for aesthetic reasons. While this may have been acceptable 20 years ago, it makes no sense today to restrict smart energy-saving behavior given what we now know about global climate change. This bill would prohibit such sweeping restrictions on clothesline usage by only allowing clothesline rules that are not “unduly or unreasonably restrictive.”
Turtle Bay acquisition (SB 2423)
The Turtle Bay area contains breathtaking coastline, sensitive wetland environments, and endangered species habitats. It is a playground for Hawai‘i residents as well as visitors. It is also a good area for fishing on the North Shore—but accessibility through the existing “private property” has been raised as a concern. Protecting the Turtle Bay area in perpetuity would serve current and future generations well. We appreciate the multi-pronged approach to accomplishing this objective that this measure offers. Senate Bill 2423 provides $250,000 from the Special Land and Development Fund for the state to conduct negotiations with the landowners.

Expanding invasives fee to freight (HB 2843)
This measure increases funding for the prevention of invasive species. Invasive pests from the Asia and the US mainland wreck havoc on native ecosystems. The cost—both economic and environmental—of introduced species in Hawai`i is astronomical. Tourism, agriculture, native species, and citizens’ way of life are threatened with each new introduction. Sufficient funding to reduce introductions is clearly warranted; this is one are where an once of prevention is worth many pounds of cure. This bill expands the existing container fee to include cargo with a $1 per ton fee on freight brought into the state.

Photovoltaic rebate (SB 988)
While the price of fossil fuel-based electricity in Hawai‘i is increasing about 5.1% annually, the cost of residential photovoltaic power is decreasing about 5%. These two trends are quickly converging, making residential photovoltaic power a cost-effective solution for Hawai‘i residents. Senate Bill 988 hastens this transition to clean, decentralized power by directing the Public Utilities Commission to consider requiring a small, per-watt “buy down” or rebate for new photovoltaic systems.

Expanding opportunity for home-grown power (HB 2550)
After wisely being passed in 2001, net energy metering slowly began with a handful of renewable energy generators. As more homeowners learn about the program and its impacts on the payback period for renewable energy devices, the subscription rate will increase. In fact, we may be nearing a “tipping point” where many residential customers invest in renewable energy devices because of their relative cost and environmental advantages. Net metering provides numerous benefits, including reducing Hawaii’s dependency on imported oil, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, diversifying Hawaii’s economy, reducing the need for powerlines, and increasing Hawaii’s energy security. Hawaii’s clean energy future will be powered by solar rooftops statewide. While house bill 2550 does not change the allowable system size or amount of net metered energy on the grid, it does direct the Public Utilities Commission to ensure that a percentage of the total net metered energy on the grid come from small residential or commercial sources. This helps to decentralize the grid by retaining the benefits of net metering for distributed, small sources (instead of a few large, commercial applications).

Increasing penalties for conservation violations (HB 3177)
This good measure increases the maximum penalty that can be assessed for violations in the state conservation district and providing the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) flexibility in setting the penalties. The Sierra Club strongly supports efforts to increase penalties against those who violate laws intended to protect our fragile environment. These penalties serve both as a deterrent and as a means to provide resources to repair resource damage done by the violator. Penalties for violations in Hawaii’s most environmentally-sensitive lands—the conservation district—should not simply be part of ‘the cost of doing business.’ Strong, meaningful penalties are necessary to punish offenders and send a signal to potential offenders of the consequences of their actions. Increased pressure on conservation lands and habitat raises the need for strong deterrents to illegal activities on these lands. House Bill 3177 increases conservation penalties from the current $2000 to $15,000 per violation. Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to assess fines based on damages to natural resources within the Conservation District.