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

GOVERNOR LINGLE SIGNS BILL TO INCREASE SOLAR ENERGY

For Immediate Release: June 26, 2008

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today signed into law a bill to increase the use of one of Hawaii’s most abundant renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on imported oil. With the Governor’s signature, Hawaii becomes the first state in the nation to require the installation of solar water heating systems on new single-family homes.

“This solar power legislation is another important step in our long-term plan for energy independence in Hawaii,” said Governor Lingle. “In addition to solar, it is critical that we continue to develop innovative energy solutions that capitalize on our natural renewable resource advantages in order to achieve our goal of having 70 percent clean energy in Hawaii by 2030.”

The measure, SB644 SD3 HD3 CD1, prohibits the issuing of building permits for single-family homes that do not have solar water heaters starting January 1, 2010. Exceptions will be allowed in cases where homes are built in locations with low rates of sunshine such as forested areas, where the life cycle analysis of the solar system proves to be cost-prohibitive, or if the dwelling uses a substitute renewable energy source.

The bill, which becomes Act 204, would also allow home builders to use gas-demand-water heaters, which use a small tank to heat up water quickly when the faucet is turned on, if the home includes another gas appliance.

Under the measure, the Public Utilities Commission is tasked with setting standards for the water heaters, and the counties would establish implementation procedures.

There are certain provisions and language in the bill that are of concern, including eliminating the existing 35 percent tax credit for solar water installations for residential developers of single-family residences starting January 1, 2009.

The bill also appears to eliminate the tax credit for owners of existing residential single-family homes after January 1, 2010. While this may not have been the intent of the bill, the language implies that existing homeowners would have had to seek a building permit to install a solar water heater prior to January 1, 2010 to claim the tax credit.

The bill also clouds whether existing single-family residences can obtain a 20 percent wind-power tax credit and a 35 percent photovoltaic tax credit for new single-family structures built in 2009 and for existing single-family residences after January 1, 2010.

The Lingle-Aiona Administration will introduce legislation in the next legislative session to clarify this language and ensure the tax credits for solar water, wind and photovoltaic systems for new single-family homes built in 2009 continue as well as ensuring access to this important tax credit for existing residences after January 1, 2010.

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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

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