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H_ENE_2023A 02/09/2023 01:34:23 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Date 02/09/2023
Attendance
DeGraaf X
Dickson X
Evans X
Froelich X
Valdez X
Velasco X
Vigil X
Weissman X
Winter T. X
Willford *
Kipp X
Time 01:34:23 PM to 05:14:05 PM
Place LSB A
This Meeting was called to order by Kipp
This Report was prepared by Samantha Falco
Hearing Items Action Taken
Presentation from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) Committee Discussion Only
HB23-1127 Postponed Indefinitely
HB23-1137 Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole

HB23-1127 - Committee Discussion Only
01:36:45 PM  
Josh Schaidle with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Rudy Kashar with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) presented to the committee on carbon capture. Their presentation is included as Attachment A. Their presentation gave an overview of carbon dioxide removal and carbon capture, utilization, and storage.
01:58:03 PM  
The committee asked
questions regarding industrial carbon capture, how many gigatons of carbon
exist in the world overall, capacity for carbon capture having a large
increase projected for 2024, minerals used to naturally react with CO2,
the cost benefit of removing one gigaton of carbon, the environmental impact
of  gigatons of carbon being removed, emissions leaking from plugged
wells, policy to address carbon, and carbon dioxide in limestone.



Presentation from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) - Committee Discussion Only
02:27:00 PM  
Nathan Iyer and TJ Kirk with RMI gave a presentation to the committee on hydrogen. The presentation is included as Attachment B.
02:37:57 PM  
The committee asked questions about electrolyzers. The presentation continued.
02:44:14 PM  
The committee asked questions about storing ammonia, who is consuming the most hydrogen, hydrogen for machines, energy produced by hydrogen, rates of geothermal and wind production for hydrogen, transporting hydrogen, tax credits from the federal government, industries that will be impacted by hydrogen, rates of capturing versus using hydrogen, and how much energy is lost with grey hydrogen.



HB23-1127 - Postponed Indefinitely
03:15:20 PM  
Sponsor of the bill,
Representative Winter, gave an overview of House Bill 23-1127 Consumers
Right to Use Energy. The bill protects the customer's right to use natural
gas, propane, solar photovoltaics, micro wind turbines, or micro hydroelctricity.
The committee asked questions about how many localities have these regulations
in place.
03:27:20 PM  
Ruth Hund, representing
themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Meghan MacKillop, representing
Colorado Municipal League, testified in opposition to the bill. Susan Nedell,
representing Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), testified in opposition
to the bill. Ron Bennett, representing 350 Colorado, testified in opposition
to the bill. Sarah Snead, representing Sierra Club, testified in opposition
to the bill.



The committee asked questions about what would happen if net zero carbon
was reached.
03:43:13 PM  
Mr. Daniel Binning,
representing Colorado Propane Gas Associations, testified in support of
the bill. Cory Gaines, representing themself, testified in support of the
bill. Mr. Nathan Nicholson, representing Colorado Propane Gas Association
, testified in support of the bill. Dan Haley, representing Colorado Oil
& Gas Association, testified in support of the bill. Alejandra Major,
representing American Petroleum Institute, testified in support of the
bill.



The committee asked questions regarding propane tanks versus natural gas
in neighborhoods, propane efficiency, impact on the grid if dependent on
renewable energy, the cost difference between electric only homes versus
other methods, carbon dioxide implications, and natural gas heating.




Additional written testimony is included as Attachment C.
04:07:17 PM  
The sponsor of the bill gave closing comments.

The committee gave closing comments.


04:37:35 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1127 to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Winter T.
Seconded DeGraaf
DeGraaf Yes
Dickson No
Evans Yes
Froelich No
Valdez No
Velasco No
Vigil No
Weissman No
Winter T. Yes
Willford No
Kipp No
YES: 3   NO: 8   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  FAIL


04:37:53 PM
 Motion Postpone House Bill 23-1127 indefinitely using a reversal of the previous roll call. There was no objection to the use of the reverse roll call, therefore, the bill was postponed indefinitely.
Moved Weissman
Seconded Willford
DeGraaf No
Dickson Yes
Evans No
Froelich Yes
Valdez Yes
Velasco Yes
Vigil Yes
Weissman Yes
Winter T. No
Willford Yes
Kipp Yes
Final YES: 8   NO: 3   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1137 - Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole

04:38:08 PM  
Co-sponsors of the
bill, Representatives Lukens and Valdez, gave an overview of House Bill
23-1137 Solar Garden Net Metering Credits Stabilization. The bill addresses
measures to stabilize net metering credits calculated for an electric retail
utility's purchase of electric output from a community solar garden.



The committee asked if it is zero-emission or displaced-emission and about
utilities valuing energy in the future,
04:49:51 PM  
Mr. John Bernhardt, representing Pivot Energy, testified in support of the bill. Kevin Cray, representing Coalition for Community Solar Access, testified in support of the bill. Ron Bennett, representing 350 Colorado, testified in support of the bill.
04:55:49 PM  
The committee asked questions about fixed rates adjusting for inflation and discretion of the Public Utilities Commission.
04:58:00 PM  
Representative Lukens
introduced Amendment L.001 (Attachment D).
04:59:04 PM  
The committee asked
questions about cost recovery, Xcel Energy's support of the bill, and the
extent of the costs. Michael Sap, representing Xcel Energy, answered questions
from the committee.
05:06:39 PM  
The committee made comments on amendment L.001.


05:08:02 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.001
Moved Weissman
Seconded Froelich
DeGraaf No
Dickson No
Evans Yes
Froelich No
Valdez Excused
Velasco Yes
Vigil Yes
Weissman Yes
Winter T. Yes
Willford No
Kipp No
YES: 5   NO: 5   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  FAIL
05:08:05 PM  
Representative Lukens
introduced Amendment L.002 (Attachment E).
05:09:54 PM  
The committee made comments on the bill.


05:10:11 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.002
Moved Froelich
Seconded Weissman
DeGraaf
Dickson
Evans
Froelich
Valdez Excused
Velasco
Vigil
Weissman
Winter T.
Willford
Kipp
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:10:14 PM  
Co-sponsors of the bill gave closing comments on the bill.

The committee gave closing comments on the bill.



05:13:16 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1137, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Valdez
Seconded DeGraaf
DeGraaf Yes
Dickson Yes
Evans Yes
Froelich Yes
Valdez Yes
Velasco Yes
Vigil Yes
Weissman Yes
Winter T. Yes
Willford Yes
Kipp Yes
Final YES: 11   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


05:14:05 PM   The committee adjourned.






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