HI SB1529

Establishes the Hawaii State Energy Office as a public body and agency of the State to position Hawaii as a proving ground for clean energy technologies and accelerate transformation to a clean energy economy.

Creates the position of Deputy Director of Energy with expertise in clean energy activities, exempt from civil service requirements but eligible for state employee benefits.

Expands the Deputy Director's powers and duties to include formulating energy policies, providing technical assistance to state agencies, developing renewable energy incentives, maintaining energy data, and supporting workforce development initiatives.

Adds "distributed energy resources" definition including solar, wind, energy storage, electric vehicles, microgrids, and efficiency technologies; updates "energy resources" definition to include stored energy.

Redirects petroleum tax revenues by eliminating funding to the energy security special fund and increasing allocations to the energy systems development special fund (from 10 cents to 15 cents per barrel for petroleum; from 9.5% to 14.3% for fossil fuels).

Appropriates funds from general revenues for fiscal years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for the Hawaii State Energy Office operations.

Takes effect July 1, 2050.