ALOHA!

The State of Hawai‘i has a bold energy agenda — to achieve 100 percent clean energy by the year 2045.

Along with reducing our islands’ dependency on fossil fuels and increasing efficiency measures, the energy plan also contributes to the state’s economic growth. Because Hawai‘i is committed to repowering the clean energy economy, we have embraced bold solutions that will help develop a competitive market for utility-scale and distributed energy resources, making Hawai‘i a leader in the clean energy transition.

In the aftermath of the deadly Lahaina wildfires of 2023, the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office (HSEO) was tasked by Governor Josh Green, M.D. to develop a new energy strategy to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions in the electricity sector, and achieve three key objectives:

Evaluate options to replace residual fuel oil for power generation.

Create opportunities for capital investment in grid infrastructure and power generation to ensure and enhance energy system reliability and resilience.

Accelerate Hawai‘i’s energy transition to renewable and carbon-free energy.

Hawai‘i’s ENERGY Story

Life on the Hawaiian archipelago has been shaped by elemental energy sources — wind, water, earth, sun, moon, and sky. The Hawaiian creation story told through the Kumulipo tells of the interconnected relationship between humankind and nature. An ancestral link to nature’s life-giving and life-sustaining energy is a core feature of the Hawaiian cultural value system. We often see it expressed through mālama ‘āina: the care and stewardship of the environment and natural resources. Energy is a shared natural resource that connects us to the past and provides our foundation for the future.

HSEO fulfills its mission to residents through strategy and thought leadership; program design and implementation; analysis, reporting, and data collection and sharing; regulatory support; and education, outreach, and community/public engagement.