STATE ENERGY OFFICE HONORED IN TWO CATEGORIES AT 2013 HAWAII TECHNOLOGY EXCELLENCE AWARDS
For Immediate Release: November 22, 2013
HONOLULU — At the inaugural 2013 Hawaii Technology Excellence Awards held on Thursday, the Hawaii State Energy Office took top honors for two of its innovative online programs:
• Hawaii Renewable Energy Permitting Wizard in the Cross-Boundary Collaboration and Partnerships category
• Hawaii Renewable EnerGIS Energy Resource Mapping Application in the Fast Track Solutions category
These online tools are part of the State Energy Office’s suite of self-help applications available at energy.hawaii.gov.
“These programs are the result of Gov. Abercrombie’s directive to work collaboratively across departments and leverage technology to achieve our state’s clean energy goals. The State Energy Office’s use of technology to provide developers and investors with important technical assistance is accelerating projects’ journey to the marketplace,” said Richard Lim, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). “The Self-Help Suite of tools plays a significant role in advancing high impact projects that are positively transforming our clean energy economy.”
Launched in August 2012, the Hawaii Renewable Energy Permitting Wizard is an interactive online permitting tool that allows users to identify the federal, state and county permits required for a specific renewable energy project in Hawaii based on information provided by the user. The Wizard also produces a Permit Plan with expected issuance sequencing and timelines for each identified permit. In the coming months, the Wizard will undergo upgrades to its functionality and content, making it an even more robust, accurate and user friendly tool. The program will remain functional during the update period.
Launched in December 2012, the Hawaii Renewable EnerGIS Energy Resource Mapping Application allows users to identify the renewable energy resources and related attributes, such as zoning, slope and rainfall, for specific land parcels throughout the state. The program uses available data from the Office of Planning’s Statewide GIS (Geographic Information Systems) files, also known as “layers.”
“Both tools simplify the planning process by providing developers and investors with critical data, as well as informing policy development,” added State Energy Administrator Mark Glick. “Ultimately, these will help the state maximize our renewable resources to meet our clean energy goals.”
The State Energy Office also partnered with the Department of Health on its e-Permitting Portal, which was recognized in the Digital Government: Government to Business category.
The 2013 Hawaii Technology Excellence Awards was part of the Hawaii Digital Government Summit 2013, organized by the state’s Office of Information Management and Technology.
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The Hawaii State Energy Office is leading the state’s charge toward clean energy independence. With a goal to meet and exceed Hawaii’s 70 percent clean energy targets by 2030, the State Energy Office is committed to developing and deploying high impact solutions that will maximize Hawaii’s renewable energy resources and improve efficiency and transportation standards. Through effective policies and innovative programs, the State Energy Office has positioned Hawaii as a leading proving ground for clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities and accelerate economic growth. The State Energy Office is a division of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. For more information, visit www.energy.hawaii.gov.
For more information, contact:
Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860