Read the full stored bill text
SB2255
THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
2255
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating
to BIODIESEL
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that Hawaii's
heavy dependence on imported petroleum threatens the State's energy security,
economic stability, and national security interests in the Pacific region.
�
Locally produced biodiesel provides an
immediately deployable, renewable, energy-dense fuel that reduces reliance on
foreign crude oil and increases the State's resilience against global supply
disruptions, both of which have strategic local community and military
importance.
�
Biodiesel production can
expand using locally sourced feedstocks from agriculture and recycled
materials, strengthening the State's circular economy and supporting
high-quality local jobs, regenerative farming, and food-security co-products.
����
The
legislature further finds that biodiesel is essential to Hawaii's clean energy
and transportation goals.
�
Biodiesel is
safe, biodegradable, and compatible with existing diesel engines and
infrastructure without equipment modifications.
�
It provides firm, dispatchable renewable
energy to support the electric grid when solar and wind resources are
unavailable and offers significant greenhouse gas reductions for expensive and
hard-to-electrify vehicles such as trucks, buses, and marine vessels.
�
Replacing even five per cent of the State's
transportation diesel with biodiesel would prevent significant carbon emissions
while keeping fuel dollars circulating within the State's economy.
�
In addition, this change would impact fuel
cost by fewer than 3 cents per retail gallon, which falls within the typical
weekly fluctuations of diesel fuel prices.
����
The
legislature additionally finds that a minimum biodiesel fuel requirement would
help reduce fossil diesel usage, support biodiesel production and agricultural
feedstocks, and help biodiesel become a critical component of the State's
energy portfolio.
����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to require the director of business, economic
development, and tourism to adopt rules to require that diesel fuel sold in the
State for use in on-highway diesel-powered motor vehicles contains no less than
five per cent biodiesel by volume.
����
SECTION
2.
�
As used in this Act, "biodiesel"
means liquid fuel produced from organic sources such as biomass crops;
agricultural residues; oil crops including sunflower oil, canola oil, and
soybean oil; food wastes such as cooking oil or grease; animal residues and
wastes; and sewage and landfill wastes that comply with ASTM International standard
D6751.
����
SECTION
3.
�
No later than
, the director of
business, economic development, and tourism shall adopt rules in accordance
with chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to require that diesel fuel sold in
the State for use in on-highway diesel-powered motor vehicles contains no less
than five per cent biodiesel by volume.
�
The amounts of diesel fuel sold in the State containing no less than
five per cent biodiesel shall be in accordance with rules as the director of
business, economic development, and tourism deems appropriate.
����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Biodiesel;
Minimum Fuel Requirement; Diesel-powered Motor Vehicles; DBEDT
Description:
Requires
the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to adopt rules to
require that diesel fuel sold in the State for use in on-highway diesel-powered
motor vehicles contains no less than five per cent biodiesel by volume.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.