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

 

HAWAII REFINERY TASK FORCE SUBMITS INTERIM REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR

For Immediate Release: November 19, 2013

HONOLULU — The Hawaii Refinery Task Force has submitted its Interim Report to Gov. Neil Abercrombie, assessing the impacts of potential refinery closures on Hawaii’s energy system and analyzing options for assuring the state’s energy security.

Prepared by consultant ICF International with input from task force members, the Interim Report found:
• Hawaii’s two refineries face significant economic challenges, driven by decreasing demand and the state’s desire for cleaner sources of energy, and one or both refineries are likely to close by 2020.
• To help ensure the stability of fuel supply and prices, critical infrastructure assets associated with the refineries must remain operational during this period of transition, even if the refineries must close.
• Over the long term, Hawaii’s progress in increasing energy efficiency and renewable generation has the potential to reduce fossil fuel needs for power generation by as much as 50 percent by 2020, thereby replacing a significant portion of refinery fuel oil supply.
• Finally, the transition to Hawaii’s clean energy ecosystem will take time, and the transition period must be managed carefully to ensure stability of supply and prices.

“The work of the task force is critical to enabling the state to bridge the period to a new energy ecosystem and helping to ensure stable refinery supply during the transition,” said Richard Lim, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director, who oversees the task force. “This joint effort of public and private parties demonstrates a cohesive collaboration in addressing current and future challenges to Hawaii’s fuels ecosystem.”

On Nov. 12, the task force met at its third of four scheduled meetings to adopt the Interim Report, which can be viewed on the Hawaii State Energy Office’s website at energy.hawaii.gov (in the EnergyBUZZ and Publication sections). The task force will convene in early 2014 to review the Final Report, which must be submitted to the Governor by the last day of the 2014 State Legislative Session.

Gov. Abercrombie established the task force in February 2013 by Executive Order to assess the impacts to changes in Hawaii’s refining capacity and to advise him on Hawaii’s future fuels ecosystem.

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

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