HAWAII LEADS NATION IN ENERGY SAVINGS PERFORMANCE INVESTMENT PER CAPITA

For Immediate Release: December 29, 2011

HONOLULU – Hawaii is ranked No. 1 in the United States for investment in energy savings performance contracting (ESPC) for public buildings per capita, according to a ranking published by the Energy Services Coalition, a national nonprofit network working at the state and local level to increase energy efficiency through building upgrades. Hawaii’s overall conservation investment exceeds $150 million.

ESPC uses guaranteed future energy and water utility bill savings to pay for the up-front capital costs of facility improvements. In Hawaii, the State Energy Office has been providing technical assistance on performance contracting to state agencies and the counties, upon request, since 1996.

“This is exactly the type of investment what will propel the State of Hawaii toward our goal of 70 percent clean energy by 2030,” said Governor Neil Abercrombie. “Energy savings performance contracting projects combined with other ambitious clean energy programs – such as the aggressive expansion of photovoltaic use at public school facilities – will further our state’s energy independence and provide a strong catalyst for job growth.”

From 1996 to 2008, ESPC projects by the State of Hawaii Executive Branch, University of Hawaii at Hilo, state Judiciary, local hospitals, City and County of Honolulu, and the counties of Hawaii and Kauai totaled $68,218,183. In 2009, an additional investment exceeding $33,900,000 for Phase I of a state Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) ESPC project brought the total for Hawaii to over $100 million.

This year, the state Department of Public Safety (PSD), with DAGS as overall manager, and the University of Hawaii Community Colleges (UHCC) initiated projects of $25,511,264 and $32,802,833, respectively, bringing the total investment to more than $159 million (or $117 per capita).

The PSD project covers more than 569,000 square feet at the high and medium security sections at the Halawa Correctional Facility (HCF) and the Laumaka Work Furlough Center at the Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC). Work includes energy and water efficiency retrofits and improvements to operations and maintenance with annual savings of $2.3 million over the 20-year term of the project.

The UHCC project covers four campuses on Oahu with upgrades in lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment and is expected to generate savings of $4.5 million annually over the 20-year term of the project.

The state is moving forward on other Energy Savings Performance Contracting projects to further increase energy efficiency and reduce costs at state government buildings and facilities. DAGS issued an invitation for proposal (IFP) for a Phase II ESPC for 28 buildings; the Hawaii Public Housing Authority is finalizing agreements for a 789-building project; and the state Department of Transportation, with the Airports Division taking the lead, issued an IFP for ESPC for 15 airports, five harbors, and highways facilities throughout the state.

“We are growing a sustainable economy and transforming government through performance contracting and by mobilizing and leveraging investment in high-impact energy efficiency projects for public and private buildings,” said Mark Glick, administrator, DBEDT’s State Energy Office.

The State of Hawaii’s most important economic enterprise is to pursue energy independence by building a clean energy economy and reaching 70 percent clean energy by 2030. The DBEDT State Energy Office’s mission is to act as a catalyst for creating efficiency measures, renewable energy resources, transportation initiatives and progressive policy that lead to green jobs and investments in Hawaii’s economy. For more information, visit www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/energy.

###

For more information, contact:

Mark Glick
Energy Program Administrator
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3812

Lois Hamaguchi
Energy Analyst
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-9006

GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES PLANS TO POWER PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH SOLAR ENERGY

For Immediate Release: December 13, 2011

HONOLULU – Governor Neil Abercrombie and Schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi today announced that the state Department of Education (DOE) is working to significantly reduce the cost of school operations and, as a first step, has awarded a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) contract to install photovoltaic (PV) systems at 15 Kauai schools. Under the agreement, the installation of the PVs at the schools will be completed at no cost to the state.

“What better place to set the example of changing the way we approach our energy needs and usage than in our schools,” said Governor Abercrombie. “It demonstrates to the leaders of tomorrow that we are taking proactive steps now to address our state’s disproportionate dependence on oil.

“This administration will continue to streamline costs while staying on the path of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. By lowering operating costs such as energy, we can focus state resources on student achievement and effective teaching,” he said.

Superintendent Matayoshi added, “The state Department of Education is committed to utilizing clean, renewable energy sources and finding ways to strategically reduce the cost of school operations. Over the next decade, the DOE plans to aggressively expand its photovoltaic project statewide to all schools.”

DOE awarded a PPA contract to Hawaii Pacific Solar, LLC, for installation of PV systems at no cost to the following Kauai schools: Eleele Elementary; Hanalei Elementary; Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle; Kalaheo Elementary; Kapaa Elementary; Kapaa High; Kapaa Middle; Kauai High; Kekaha Elementary; Kilauea Elementary; King Kaumualii Elementary; Koloa Elementary; Waimea Canyon Elementary; Waimea High; and Wilcox Elementary.

The PV installation at these schools will begin in January and is expected to be completed by summer 2014. Once the solar panels are operational, the DOE will purchase power at a rate of about 16.9 cents per kilowatt hour. This rate will rise to 28 cents per kilowatt hour over the course of the 20-year contract period. The DOE will save an estimated $30 million over the life of the project, taking into account a projected 3 percent yearly increase in commercial electricity rates.

Based on current Kauai Island Utility Cooperative circuit capacity, the new 2.4 megawatt system will generate 4 million kilowatt hours of electrical power per year equal to 60 percent of the 6.6 million kilowatt hours used by Kauai DOE schools annually. The DOE will reduce its dependency on oil imports by more than 6,414 barrels and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 6,081,390 pounds annually.

By entering into a PPA, the state will receive solar power without any up-front costs, and the third-party providers will be afforded a mechanism to claim tax credits. In 1997, Act 96 established a photovoltaic pilot program to set up solar PV installations in each county. According to the act, solar PV installations would generate adequate energy savings to be self-sufficient. The DOE’s PPA agreement achieves the purpose and goals of Act 96.

The DOE also announced that a pilot PPA project on Oahu, involving four high schools (Aiea High, Kahuku High and Intermediate, Kaimuki High and Waianae High), is underway and expected to be completed in 2012.

The administration is working towards fulfilling Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative’s goal of 70 percent clean energy by 2030, through energy efficiency and the development and implementation of renewable energy sources.

###

For more information, contact:

Donalyn Dela Cruz
Deputy Director of Communications
(808) 586-0012
https://hawaii.gov/gov

HAWAII FIRST IN NATION TO RECEIVE MITSUBISHI’S FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC VEHICLE MADE FOR NORTH AMERICAN CONSUMERS

For Immediate Release: December 12, 2011

HONOLULU – Governor Neil Abercrombie, Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA), and Cutter Mitsubishi of Aiea hosted a ceremony today at the State Capitol whereby government and private sector leaders gathered as Bryson and Bridget Nishimura of Waipahu took delivery of Mitsubishi Motor’s first 100 percent electric vehicle made for North America, the 2012 Mitsubishi i. The ceremony was the culmination of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that Governor Abercrombie and MMNA President and CEO Yoichi Yokozawa signed on June 3, 2011 to formalize cooperation on statewide electric vehicle (EV) and EV infrastructure development and deployment. Delivery of the vehicle represents a critical leap forward as Hawaii works towards its goal of reducing petroleum use in ground vehicles by 70 percent within 19 years.

“With the cost of gas still on the rise, these vehicles offer our consumers an option that will be cost-effective in the long run, and at the same time allows our state to reach its energy independence goals,” Governor Neil Abercrombie stated. “In Hawaii, our climate and energy priorities make us best suited for these types of vehicles.”

As part of the agreement with MMNA, the State of Hawaii agreed to work towards improving its existing infrastructure in preparation for widespread conversion to EVs like the Japanese manufacturer’s all-electric Mitsubishi i. The state also agreed that it would pursue and implement strategies to support consumer incentives that aid in the purchase of EVs, and foster an ecosystem that includes deployment, marketing, promotion and sales of the vehicles.

“The State of Hawaii is definitely one of the leaders in North America when it comes to the acceptance of vehicles that are 100 percent electric,” stated MMNA Executive Vice President Masatoshi Hasegawa. “The state has taken its agreement with our company very seriously, and has made great strides in preparing its infrastructure so that businesses and consumers can enjoy these vehicles on a grand scale.”

Delivery of the first Mitsubishi i to a customer in Hawaii fulfills part of the company’s commitment to the state. Moving forward, Mitsubishi Motors will continue providing information and recommendations on strategies to support EV ownership in Hawaii, including standards for EV charging infrastructure.

“This day marks a significant milestone in our effort to attract emerging businesses and business models related to EV development and deployment,” said Richard Lim, Director, State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “As electric vehicles become more mainstream, so will technologies that accompany them, including those that aid in the storage of energy generated through renewable sources such as wind turbines, bioenergy or solar photovoltaic systems. All viable options are needed as we work towards our goal of 70 percent clean energy by 2030.”

Hawaii’s clean energy goal is one of the most aggressive in the world, and has become a major catalyst for new business growth and innovation in the state. With at least 66 renewable energy projects in various stages of development in the queue, Hawaii is fast becoming a major player in the global clean energy economy.

The City and County of Honolulu and Hawaii Electric are among the first fleet customers to take advantage of the reduced operating costs, high efficiency and environmental benefits provided by adding the Mitsubishi i to their respective fleets. Vehicle deliveries will occur later in the month.

For Hawaii residents interested in vehicles like the Mitsubishi i, the state is offering a clean energy rebate of $4,500 toward the purchase of such vehicles. That, coupled with a federal tax credit of $7,500, subject to availability of funding, reduces the i’s out-of-pocket cost to under $16,000 after rebates and credits.

###

For more information, contact:

Mark B. Glick
State Energy Administrator
Phone: (808) 587-3812

Lois Hamaguchi
Energy Analyst
Phone: (808) 587-9006

Christine Jew
Mitsubishi Motors
Phone: (714) 372-6326

>