Legislature(2021 - 2022)ADAMS 519
05/03/2022 09:00 AM House FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB283 | |
| HB413 | |
| HB358 | |
| SB201 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 413 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 358 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 201 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 283 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HOUSE BILL NO. 358
"An Act relating to the renewable energy grant fund
and recommendation program; and providing for an
effective date."
10:27:15 AM
LAIB ALLENSWORTH, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE BRYCE EDGMON,
thanked the committee for hearing the bill. He explained
that the bill extended the renewable energy grant program
by ten years. The program was established in 2008 and
received a previous ten-year extension in 2012. Since its
inception, the program had distributed over $275 million in
grants and over $300 million in matching federal and local
grants. He read the sectional analysis (copy on file):
Sec 1. Amends Section 5, Ch. 31, SLA 2008, as
previously amended, to extend the repeal date of the
fund to June 30, 2033.
Sec 2. Establishes an immediate effective date under
AS 01.10.070(c).
Co-Chair Merrick indicated there were two testifiers
online.
10:28:57 AM
CHRIS ROSE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RENEWABLE ENERGY ALASKA
PROJECT, SUTTON (via teleconference), relayed that the
Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) was involved in the
program's inception and strongly supported the bill. He
explained that the program had particularly helped develop
projects in rural communities in the state that suffered
from high diesel fuel costs. It would be much smoother for
REAP to develop grant proposals if the program was extended
as soon as possible rather than putting it off for another
year.
T.W. PATCH, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, ALASKA ENERGY AUTHORITY,
ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), was available for questions
and indicated that Mr. Curtis Thayer was available as well.
10:30:51 AM
Co-Chair Merrick OPENED public testimony.
Co-Chair Merrick CLOSED public testimony.
10:31:10 AM
Representative LeBon asked Mr. Rose if Alaska gas was the
most common fuel source in the conversion process from
heating oil to other fuel sources.
Mr. Rose responded that the type of projects mentioned by
Representative LeBon had not been an emphasis for the grant
fund in the past. There had been some focus on heating
projects, but the projects had been mostly community-based.
The program prioritized communities in rural Alaska that
did not have access to natural gas.
Representative LeBon understood that the focus of the
program was renewable energy. He wondered if he could
assume that the program covered changes like decreasing a
community's reliance on diesel fuel in favor of wind
turbines.
Mr. Rose responded in the affirmative. In recent years
there had also been discussion on generating electricity
through renewable energy. There was also the opportunity
for communities to consider heating projects that would
allow them to move to biomass heating in order to reduce
the reliance on heating oil. Technology had advanced
significantly, and air source heat pumps were now viable
alternatives for heating. He hoped that heat pump projects
in rural Alaska could be grant-funded through the program.
Representative LeBon understood that although natural gas
would not be excluded from eligibility, it was not a common
energy source alternative.
Mr. Rose replied that Representative LeBon was correct.
10:34:19 AM
Representative Carpenter wanted to know why both a
renewable energy fund and a green bank were needed.
Representative Wool indicated that the short answer was
that one was a grant and one was a loan.
Co-Chair Merrick would follow up to obtain more
information.
Co-Chair Merrick reviewed the amendment deadline.
HB 358 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
10:34:58 AM
AT EASE
10:35:31 AM
RECONVENED