BUSINESSES, EVENTS RECEIVE HAWAII GREEN BUSINESS AWARDS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS

For Immediate Release: July 17, 2015

HONOLULU — Businesses and event organizers across Hawaii have taken their commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle to a new level. From replacing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles with glass bottles to building bee colonies for honey to rewarding employees for carpooling, local enterprises are finding innovative ways to keep their utility costs down and preserve natural resources all while helping the state meet its clean energy goals.

Twenty-four of these renewable energy and efficiency stewards were honored today by the state for their outstanding clean energy efforts at the 2015 Hawaii Green Business Awards. The awards were presented by Gov. David Y. Ige and hosted by the Hawaii State Energy Office of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), Department of Health and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii. The annual awards program recognizes achievements by Hawaii businesses and entities in the area of energy efficiency.

“Today’s honorees have gone beyond environmental compliance. They’ve taken bold and creative steps to incorporate green practices into multiples aspects of their business operations and events. Collectively, they’re helping move Hawaii to the forefront of renewable energy efforts,” said Gov. Ige.

Luis Salaveria, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, praised the awardees for their commitment to sustainability.

“Not only are they operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, they are reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels, which helps with our economic and energy security,” Salaveria said.

Recognizing the state’s commitment to conservation and sustainable development, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Council selected Hawai’i as the venue for the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress – the world’s largest conservation event. This will be the first time the World Conservation Congress will be held in the United States. A number of this year’s Hawai’i Green Business awardees will host some of the8,000-10,000 delegates who will be in Honolulu next September for the conference.

The Hawai’i Green Business Program (HGBP) assists and recognizes businesses that strive to operate in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. When launched in 2002, the HGBP initially focused on Resorts & Hotels due to the large number of visitors in Hawaii, and the potential for significant resource reduction through conservation.

The program, with Green Interns funded in part by the federal Environmental Protection Agency Pacific Southwest Region IX, has expanded over the years and now includes four categories: Resorts & Hotels, Offices & Retail, Restaurant & Food Service Facilities, and Green Events. This year’s awards features a new category: Grocery Stores.

Businesses that have been recognized for their green practices can be viewed in an interactive map on the Hawaii State Energy Office’s Green Business Program website: https://energy.hawaii.gov/green-business-program.

The honorees of the 2015 Hawaii Green Business Awards are:

  • Hyatt Regency Waikiki
  • Kahala Resort and Spa
  • Turtle Bay Resort and Spa
  • Volcano House
  • Bills Sydney
  • Lanikai Juice
  • the nook neighborhood bistro
  • Whole Foods Market, Kahala Mall
  • Hawai’i Pacific University
  • Sustainable Island Products
  • Honeywell Energy Solutions
  • Kapolei Fire Station
  • KUPU/RISE
  • Patagonia, Honolulu
  • East-West Center

The Hawaii Green Business Awards also honored nine green events held in 2015:

  • Green Hotel Forum by Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
  • Concert on the Lawn by East-West Center
  • Sustainability Council Retreat by Kamehameha Schools
  • The Chaos of SustAINAbility by HISCI
  • Annual Sustainability Higher Education Summit – University of Hawaii
  • E-Drive Charrette by DBEDT
  • Pop-Up Pupus by Hawaii Theatre
  • Sustainability Unconference by Important Media
  • TEDx Paradigm Shift by TEDxHonolulu

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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:
MEDIA CONTACT:
Alan Yonan Jr.
Communications Officer
DBEDT State Energy Office
(808) 587-3860
[email protected]

 

SOLAR PLANE ARRIVES IN HAWAII, SYMBOLIZES STATE’S COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION AND CLEAN ENERGY

For Immediate Release: July 3, 2015

HONOLULU — Powered only by the sun’s rays, the Solar Impulse 2 airplane brought its messages of innovation and clean energy to Hawaii as it neared the halfway point of its around-the-world flight without using fossil fuel.

The Swiss-made aircraft landed safely at Kalaeloa Airport Friday, completing a five-day trans-Pacific crossing from Japan, the longest leg of the historic flight. Solar Impulse 2 incorporates a host of innovative solutions into its design that make it lighter and allow it to consume far less energy than a traditional airplane.

“It is fitting that Solar Impulse 2 made its first U.S. stop in Hawaii, which is becoming one of the world’s leading test beds for clean energy development,” said Mark Glick, Hawaii State Energy Office administrator. “We understand the value of the research and development that went into Solar Impulse 2 as we work to attract investment and create a clean energy sector that we believe has tremendous economic potential for Hawaii”

Solar Impulse 2 began its epic journey on March 9, 2015, departing from Abu Dhabi, where it will return. Over the course of its journey Solar Impulse 2 will fly for 500 hours, travel 19,000 nautical miles and cross two oceans and four continents. The highly efficient solar panels and lightweight lithium batteries developed specifically for the Solar Impulse 2 are examples of technological advances that can have a direct impact on efforts to reduce fossil fuel use in the electricity sector.

“Solar Impulse 2 utilizes pieces of technology that are a significant part of Hawaii’s energy portfolio,” Glick said. “The solar cells that cover the wings of the Solar Impulse 2 are a familiar sight  here in Hawaii, which leads the nation in installed PV capacity per person.”

The Solar Impulse project is supported by several global technology companies, including ABB Inc., a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility, industry and transport companies to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs about 140,000 people worldwide.

“ABB is pleased to join our technology and innovation partner, Solar Impulse, on this historic ‘around the world’ journey and extremely pleased to cross the Pacific Ocean and bring our message of building a better world to the United States,” said Greg Scheu, president, Americas region, ABB. “We’d like to say a special thank you to Hawaii, a state bursting with natural beauty and resources, for being an excellent example of why ABB’s focus on efficient and sustainable technologies is so important. We can power world the world without consuming the earth.”

The Solar Impulse 2 aircraft, a larger version of a single-seat prototype that first flew five years ago, has a wingspan of about 235 feet, larger than that of the Boeing 747. Built into the wings are 17,248 ultra-efficient solar cells that transfer solar energy to four electrical motors that power the plane’s propellers. The solar cells also recharge four lithium batteries that power the plane at night.

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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:

MEDIA CONTACT:
Alan Yonan Jr.
Communications Officer
DBEDT State Energy Office
(808) 587-3860
[email protected]

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