HSEO GRANT WILL SUPPORT HAWAII’S CLEAN ENERGY GOALS, ECONOMIC RECOVERY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 23, 2020

HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Energy Office was awarded a $425,070 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) to pursue several strategic projects that advance Hawaii’s clean economy goals and support the state’s economic recovery, including job training for energy sector workers and an upgrade of web-based tools to assist in the permitting and appropriate siting of renewable energy projects.

Other HSEO initiatives that will be supported by the grant include programs addressing energy assurance — which is essential to keep Hawai‘i’s economy moving forward — energy education and community outreach, as well as analyses of carbon policy in Hawaii and the potential conversion of the state fleet to alternative fuel vehicles. The funds were awarded under the USDOE State Energy Program (SEP) Formula Grants for Program Year 2020. When combined with existing USDOE awards, funding for these projects totals $1.13 million.

“This federal funding for our clean energy and decarbonization programs comes at a critical time when state revenue growth is under pressure from the impact of COVID-19,” said Scott Glenn, chief energy officer for the State of Hawaii. “This grant provides key support that will help the Energy Office implement a range of initiatives over the short-, medium-, and long-term that will generate economic activity in Hawaii and help get people back to work,” Glenn said.

The USDOE awards SEP Formula Grants to states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia annually based on a formula that takes into account local factors such as population size and energy consumption. “We commend Hawaii for its strategic use of SEP funds, including leveraging with outside stakeholders to maximize program impacts and pursuing a comprehensive set of programs tailored to community goals,” said Kelsie Bell, the SEP program officer working with HSEO to implement projects.

The HSEO will use the funding to:

  • To collaboratively identify, develop and coordinate workforce training and apprenticeship opportunities to support energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment, energy resilience and clean transportation employment in Hawaii. Building a skilled Hawaii-based clean energy workforce will help diversify the local economy and provide opportunities for local workers.
  • Upgrade HSEO’s online renewable energy project siting tools such as Renewable EnerGIS and the Renewable Energy Permitting Wizard to improve facilitation of appropriate siting of renewable energy projects that will bring the benefits of clean energy to a broader group of Hawaii residents and businesses.
  • Undertake an expanded mission-driven clean energy education, community outreach and stakeholder engagement program to more effectively and consistently communicate Hawaii’s collective energy vision. Expanded outreach and input from stakeholders and the community at-large will improve energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation project development outcomes that contribute to the quality of life for everyone in Hawaii. The effort also includes website upgrades and support for clean energy public school education and professional development opportunities.
  • Conduct workshops supporting discussion-based exercises to increase energy assurance capabilities and resilience for Hawaii. Project goals include developing an energy security, resiliency, and emergency preparedness exercise strategy and work plan to strengthen energy system resiliency in response to a natural disaster, such as a hurricane.
  • Launch a pilot project using HSEO’s “engage” model for holistic planning and analysis of energy and carbon policy in Hawaii. The pilot will be used to demonstrate the versatility and applicability of the model to address pressing energy policy needs. It also will also serve as an education and training opportunity for stakeholders including the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and Division of Consumer Advocacy who can leverage engage to conduct their own energy sector analysis. Better planning can increase energy system efficiency and lower costs for both utilities and customers.
  • Develop a centralized “telematics” program for State of Hawaii fleet vehicles to collect data and perform analysis for the development of a fleet transition plan to renewable or carbon neutral fueled vehicles. HSEO will work with a contractor to install devices in 100 fleet vehicles and develop a centralized program to track vehicle miles traveled, fuel consumption and expenditures to help determine which vehicle are best suited for conversion to renewable or carbon neutral vehicles. Using the State of Hawaii fleet to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of alternative fuel vehicles could inspire greater consumer demand for the vehicles.
  • Participate in a contract with other agencies to procure an electric vehicle and charging equipment for the HSEO. The electric vehicle will be a shared mode of transportation used daily to transport employees and equipment to various destinations in order to perform official business. The goal of the project is to demonstrate a cost-effective means to transition fleet vehicles to electric vehicles.

###

About the Hawaii State Energy Office
The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) is an attached agency of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The HSEO’s mission is to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation to help achieve a resilient, clean energy, decarbonized economy. Toward this end, the HSEO is developing policies and programs to achieve our energy and climate change goals while identifying strategies that create jobs, lower costs, and improve quality of life in Hawaii. For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Alan Yonan Jr.
Communications Officer
Hawaii State Energy Office
(808) 291-3543
[email protected]

HAWAII JOINS WITH OTHER STATES IN COMMITMENT TO ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 14, 2020

HONOLULU — Hawaii joined a group of 15 states and the District of Columbia to announce a joint memorandum of understanding (MOU), pledging to expand the market for electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including large pickup trucks and vans, delivery trucks, box trucks, school and transit buses, and long-haul delivery trucks (big-rigs). The goal is to ensure that 100 percent of all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales be zero emission vehicles by 2050 with an interim target of 30 percent zero-emission vehicle sales by 2030.

States signing the MOU are California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

By promoting and investing in electric trucks and buses and the charging and fueling infrastructure needed to serve these vehicles, the signatory jurisdictions will support job creation, and help to build a resilient and clean economy.

“We welcome the opportunity to join this multi-state coalition to accelerate electrification of medium-and heavy-duty vehicles. The electrification of transportation is critical to achieving Hawaii’s zero emission clean economy goal and to reach the state’s 100 percent renewable energy target for electricity,” said Hawaii Gov. David Ige.

The Hawai‘i State Energy Office, which is charged with leading the state’s clean transportation efforts, represented Hawaii in the drafting of the MOU.

“Reducing petroleum use in the transportation sector is a top priority since transportation accounts for nearly two-thirds of fossil fuel use in Hawaii,” said Officer Scott Glenn, chief energy officer for the State of Hawaii. “The Energy Office is guiding the adoption of clean transportation across Hawaii, including the deployment of zero emissions vehicles and associated charging infrastructure that directly contribute to reduced petroleum consumption and emissions in the transportation sector,” Glenn said.

The MOU will go a long way toward slashing harmful diesel emissions and cutting carbon pollution. The transportation sector is the nation’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to unhealthy levels of smog in many of the signatory states. Accelerating the electrification of trucks and buses is an essential step to achieve the deep economy-wide emission reductions needed to avoid the worst consequences of climate change and protect the health of millions of Americans. While trucks and buses only account for 4 percent of vehicles on the road, they are responsible for nearly 25 percent of total transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, emissions from trucks are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases, and the number of truck miles traveled on the nation’s roads is forecast to continue to grow significantly in the coming decades.

Truck and bus electrification also promise to deliver widespread health benefits, particularly in communities with heavy truck traffic that are burdened with higher levels of air pollution. Medium- and heavy-duty trucks are a major source of harmful smog-forming pollution, particulate matter, and air toxics. These emissions disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color often located near major trucking corridors, ports, and distribution hubs.

The MOU comes at an important transition point for the industry as investment in zero emission vehicle technology for the medium- and heavy-duty sector continues to ramp up. Today, at least 70 electric truck and bus models are on the market, and manufacturers are expected to make many more new models commercially available over the next decade. Apart from the public health benefits and avoided health care costs zero emission trucks and buses provide, by 2030, the total cost of ownership for many common commercial vehicles is projected to reach parity with conventionally fueled vehicles.

To provide a framework and help coordinate state efforts to meet these goals, the signatory jurisdictions will work through the existing multi-state ZEV Task Force facilitated by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) to develop and implement a ZEV action plan for trucks and buses.

###

About the Hawaii State Energy Office
The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) is an attached agency of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The HSEO’s mission is to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation to help achieve a resilient, clean energy, decarbonized economy. Toward this end, the HSEO is developing policies and programs to achieve our energy and climate change goals while identifying strategies that create jobs, lower costs, and improve quality of life in Hawaii. For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Alan Yonan Jr.
Communications Officer
Hawaii State Energy Office
(808) 291-3543
[email protected]

Paul J. Miller
Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management
617-259-2016
[email protected]

>