HAWAII WINS NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY GRANT
For Immediate Release: June 30, 2008
HONOLULU – Hawaii has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices to support the State’s clean energy initiative. The funds will be used by the State to analyze the costs and benefits of electric vehicles as well as the infrastructure needed to support their large-scale use in Hawaii.
Hawaii is one of 12 states to receive a grant through the Clean Energy States Grants Program, which is part of the NGA’s Securing a Clean Energy Future initiative. The grants are awarded to states to help overcome obstacles to achieving greater energy efficiency and conservation, and to foster the use of clean energy resources. Grant assistance will go towards research, analysis, meetings, training, outreach or other efforts necessary to develop and advance clean energy efforts by the states.
“An important component of securing our economic future requires that we develop a variety of innovative solutions to reduce our over dependence on imported fuel,” said Governor Lingle. “This grant will help Hawaii build the foundation needed to transition to electric vehicles and help reduce the need for expensive gasoline. We appreciate NGA’s recognition of Hawaii as a leader in clean energy development.”
The grant supports the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership between the State and the U.S. Department of Energy to have 70 percent of the state’s energy come from clean, renewable energy sources.
“We are pleased that Hawaii’s commitment to clean energy is being recognized and encouraged at the national level. Electric vehicles are an important part of our goal of reducing greenhouse gases,” said Theodore E. Liu, director of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, which applied for and will implement the grant.
Twenty-six states competed for the grants, which are made possible by support from American Electric Power, Dominion Resources, The Ford Motor Company, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the NGA Center for Best Practices. Additional funding from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation will help support a technical assistance workshop for the states to be held in Washington, D.C. this fall.
Earlier this year, Governor Lingle participated in the NGA’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., as part of a year-long initiative to enlist the efforts of all governors to move the United States toward a cleaner, more independent and more secure energy future. NGA’s Securing a Clean Energy Future initiative seeks to make the U.S. a global leader in energy efficiency, clean technology, energy research and alternative fuels.
Governor Lingle serves on the NGA’s eight-member energy task force, which is co-chaired by Governors Tim Pawlenty (Minnesota) and Kathleen Sebelius (Kansas). Other energy task force members include Governors Jodi Rell (Connecticut), Charlie Crist (Florida), Brian Schweitzer (Montana), Ed Rendell (Pennsylvania) and Chris Gregoire (Washington).
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For more information, contact:
Ted Liu
Director, DBEDT
Phone: (808) 586-2355
Lenny Klompus
Senior Advisor – Communications
Phone: (808) 586-7708
Russell Pang
Chief of Media Relations
Phone: (808) 586-0043