Author: Amanda Ho

For Immediate Release: March 27, 2018

KAILUA-KONA – The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has designated two more Hawaii highways as alternative fuel corridors, clearing the way for the installation of signage that will alert drivers to locations with electric vehicle chargers or hydrogen fuel stations.

The nomination of two Hawaii Island corridors was coordinated by the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO), a division of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, in cooperation with the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) and a host of other local partners. The two new corridors are in addition to seven other alternate fuel corridors on Maui and Oahu approved by the FHWA in 2016.

“We are very proud that two of our corridors on Hawaii Island have been selected as alternative fuel corridors,” said HDOT Director Jade Butay. “Moving away from fossil fuel use in transportation plays a critical part in meeting Governor Ige’s clean energy goals and we are grateful to the Hawaii State Energy Office for their guidance in sustainable transportation initiatives.”

DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria said ongoing efforts to decarbonize Hawaii’s transportation sector are an essential part of the state’s clean energy transformation. “Ground transportation constitutes one of the largest uses of petroleum in Hawaii,” Salaveria said. “Increasing the number of EVs and other alternative fuel vehicles will go a long way toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening our energy security.”

Highway 19 from Kailua-Kona to Hilo (Queen Kaahumanu Highway/ Kawaiahae Road/ Hawaii Belt Road) and Highway 190 from Kailua-Kona to Waimea (Mamalahoa Highway) received the alternative fuel corridor designation because they meet the FHWA’s criteria for placement of EV charging and hydrogen fueling stations along major highways.

Hawaii Island’s alternative fuel corridors have EV charging stations that are no further than 50 miles from each other and no more than 1 mile from the highway. There are also plans for a hydrogen fueling station that will be located at the National Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority campus at Keahole Point just off Highway 19.

These designated highways are in addition to Hawaii’s existing alternative fuel corridors, which include I-H1/Hwy 72, I-H2/Hwy 99, and I-H3 on Oahu and Highway 30, Highway 311, Highway 31, Highway 32, Highway 36, and a portion of Highway 37 on Maui.

Other partners in the Hawaii Island corridor solicitation with the FHWA include the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, County of Hawaii, the Hawaiian Electric Companies, and EV charging network provider, Greenlots.

Corridors from across the country were nominated as part of FHWA’s Alternative Fuel Corridor (AFC) program. For more information on the program and to view a map of designated and pending corridors, visit the AFC website and the GIS map.

For locations and other information on EV charging stations in Hawaii, download the HSEO “EV Stations Hawaii” app on your mobile device or visit https://energy.hawaii.gov/what-we-do/transportation/#ev-charging

###

ABOUT HAWAII STATE ENERGY OFFICE
The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) is a division of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. With the state’s goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy generation by 2045, HSEO is leading the state’s charge toward clean energy independence. HSEO 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, HSEO has positioned Hawaii port as a leader in clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities and accelerate economic growth.
For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov

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

For Immediate Release: February 20, 2018

HONOLULU — Qualifying renewable fuels producers planning to claim Hawaii’s new renewable fuels production tax credit (RFPTC) for the 2017 tax year must submit a “RFPTC – Credit Certificate” form now available online.

Forms and instructions can be downloaded at: https://energy.hawaii.gov/developer-investor

Once completed, taxpayers can remit the forms and required documentation to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT). DBEDT will verify and/or certify the information contained in the forms and provide taxpayers a “Credit Certificate” they can file with their state tax return.

Similar to 2017, taxpayers planning to claim the RFPTC for the 2018 tax year must first file written notification to DBEDT of their intent to begin production of renewable fuels. Additionally, taxpayers are required to file a notification with DBEDT within 30 days following the start of production. The Notice of Intent/Notice to Start Production forms are is also available at the above link.

For a full listing of renewable fuels tax credit requirements for the 2017 tax year, Taxpayers should review Act 202 of 2016. The Legislature amended the act in 2017 with revisions that go into effect starting with the 2018 calendar year. Taxpayers filing for the 2018 tax year and later should refer to Act 142 of 2017. In addition, the Hawaii Department of Taxation has issued a Tax Information Release that defines certain terms related to the RFPTC that are not defined in statute: https://tax.hawaii.gov/legal/tir/

Gov. David Ige signed into law Act 202 in July 2016 establishing a renewable fuels production tax credit that allows producers of renewable fuels from a variety of feedstocks to claim the credit through the 2021 tax year.

To qualify for the credit taxpayers must produce at least 15 billion British thermal units (Btu) of renewable fuels per year. The credit is equal to 20 cents per 76,000 Btu of renewable fuels. The credit is capped annually at $3 million per taxpayer, and $3 million in the aggregate. Tax credits will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

###

ABOUT HAWAII STATE ENERGY OFFICE
The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) is a division of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. With the state’s goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy generation by 2045, HSEO is leading the state’s charge toward clean energy independence. HSEO 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, HSEO has positioned Hawaii port as a leader in clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities and accelerate economic growth.
For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov

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

For Immediate Release: February 20, 2018

HONOLULU — The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) is seeking public input as it develops a non-binding plan to spend up to $8.125 million from a settlement with German automaker Volkswagen to promote the reduction of vehicle emissions in Hawaii.

The funds represent Hawaii’s share of a $2.925 billion Environmental Mitigation Trust established as part of two Partial Consent Decrees between the federal government and Volkswagen (VW) to settle allegations that the automaker cheated emissions tests and deceived customers. DBEDT is the lead agency for purposes of the state’s participation in the Trust.

The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO), a division of DBEDT, has developed a questionnaire to solicit and consider public input as it develops the state’s mitigation plan. The eligible actions as outlined in Appendix D-2 of the settlement focus on activities that support nitrogen oxide emission reductions. Public input, which eligible action items should be pursued will be considered and incorporated into the plan as practicable. The public comment period runs through March 20. The questionnaire, along with information about the VW settlement may be found at: Volkswagen Settlement – Hawai‘i State Energy Office (hawaii.gov).

The Environmental Mitigation Trust fund is being distributed among states, territories and federally recognized Indian Tribes based on the proportion of affected VW diesel vehicles in each jurisdiction. The settlement requires Trust funds to be used for projects that replace or retrofit medium- and heavy-duty vehicles or equipment with cleaner options. Additionally, up to 15 percent of the funds allocated to Hawaii can be used to install electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state.

The Environmental Mitigation Trust is part of a larger Volkswagen settlement intended to mitigate the environmental damage caused by emissions from the non-compliant Volkswagen vehicles. In addition to the Trust, Volkswagen will pay billions of dollars in civil penalties and customer buyback and modification programs. Volkswagen also must invest $2 billion over the next 10 years in zero emission vehicle infrastructure and education projects across the United State through its Electrify America subsidiary, possibly including Hawaii.

###

ABOUT HAWAII STATE ENERGY OFFICE
The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) is a division of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. With the state’s goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy generation by 2045, HSEO is leading the state’s charge toward clean energy independence. HSEO 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, HSEO has positioned Hawaii port as a leader in clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities and accelerate economic growth.
For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov

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

For Immediate Release: January 11, 2018

HONOLULU — The State of Hawaii has unveiled an updated version of its Renewable EnerGIS online mapping tool that will make it easier for land owners, developers, residents and policy makers to assess the renewable energy potential of sites statewide as Hawaii moves ahead with its clean energy transformation.

The new Renewable EnerGIS tool may be found at: energy.hawaii.gov/resources/renewable-energis-map

The new tool was developed by the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) and the Hawaii Statewide Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program in the Hawaii Office of Planning. It includes a number of improvements over the original platform launched in 2012 by HSEO, a division of the State Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT). EnerGIS helps users make “first cut” site decisions to determine whether a particular site may be suitable for a renewable energy project. Based on available data in the Hawaii Statewide GIS Program files, also known as “layers,” the new Renewable EnerGIS tool allows users at a glance to compare sites based on criteria such as energy resources, rainfall, slope, soil characteristics, land use classification, zoning and critical habitats.

“Reaching our ambitious renewable energy goals will require a considerable amount of additional generating capacity from solar, wind and other renewable energy sources,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria. “Finding suitable sites for these projects is critical, and the new Renewable EnerGIS tool will help immensely in that process.”

Leo Asuncion, Director of the Office of Planning, added: “This tool can be used by developers and the general public alike for energy planning purposes. Users can have confidence in the results because the Renewable EnerGIS tool utilizes the State’s authoritative data layers.”

Renewable EnerGIS is designed to be user-friendly without the need for special skills, software or experience. A key feature of the upgrade is a new “attribute query” search function that allows users to enter up to 10 criteria to fine tune their search. Users also can research specific sites by entering a tax map key or site address or by selecting sites from a map.

“The Renewable EnerGIS tool is part of our suite of self-help applications the Hawaii State Energy Office offers renewable energy developers and other energy stakeholders that can be found at energy.hawaii.gov,” said Carilyn O. Shon, HSEO administrator. “Renewable EnerGIS allows for more appropriate renewable energy project siting and informed project planning and permitting, thereby decreasing project development timelines, costs and impacts.”

The new Renewable EnerGIS tool was developed by The Onyx Group under a contract with DBEDT. The Onyx Group has developed several custom GIS website tools for the State, including Flood Hazard Assessment Tool and the Public Land Trust Information System.

###

About the Hawaii State Energy Office
The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) is a division of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. With the state’s goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy generation by 2045, HSEO is leading the state’s charge toward clean energy independence. HSEO 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, HSEO has positioned Hawaii port as a leader in clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities and accelerate economic growth. For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov.

About the Hawaii Statewide GIS Program
Authorized under Chapter 225M-2(b)(4)(B), Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), as amended, the Hawaii Statewide GIS Program within the Office of Planning leads a multi-agency effort to establish, promote and coordinate the use of GIS data and technology among Hawaii state agencies. The program is critical to more than 150 state GIS data and system users across more than a dozen state departments that develop and maintain a wide variety of data, maps and applications — many of which are available to the public and/or relied upon by state personnel.

For more information, visit the Hawaii Statewide GIS Program main webpage at: https://planning.hawaii.gov/gis or visit the State’s Geospatial Data Portal at: https://geoportal.hawaii.gov.

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

For Immediate Release: January 9, 2018

HONOLULU — Hawaii celebrated a milestone today by marking the 10th anniversary of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI).

Since its launch a decade ago, HCEI has proven to be an invaluable resource in advancing Hawaii’s ongoing effort to achieve energy self-sufficiency.

Today’s event, held at Washington Place, brought together a wide range of energy stakeholders, including representatives from government, energy companies, non-profits, and special interests groups. Participants recognized the contributions of HCEI, which is widely recognized for establishing the most aggressive clean energy goals in the nation.

“For the past 10 years the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative has been instrumental in Hawaii’s bold pursuit of a clean energy future that benefits all of the state’s residents,” said Gov. David Ige. “Built of the foundation of our invaluable relationship with the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) and other key stakeholders, HCEI will continue to serve as a guiding force as we face the challenges of transitioning to a 100 percent clean energy future,” Ige said.

HCEI traces its roots to a 2008 memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the State of Hawaii and the USDOE. The overarching goal of this unprecedented collaboration was to transform the energy foundation of Hawaii’s entire economy to clean energy, using Hawaii’s indigenous renewable energy resources. The State of Hawaii and the USDOE reaffirmed their commitment to Hawaii’s clean energy future in an updated MOU signed in 2014. A critical component of the MOU is the technical assistance provided to Hawaii by the USDOE through its network of national labs.

“Hawaii is a leader in the global energy transformation, and NREL is proud to contribute to the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative’s success,” said Martin Keller, Director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

HCEI has provided the impetus for a host of statues and regulations aimed at reducing Hawaii’s dependency on fossil fuels, including historic Act 97, which made Hawaii the first state to set a target of generating 100 percent of its electricity sales from renewable resources. At the heart of HCEI is the diverse group of stakeholders who have joined together to deliver Hawaii’s clean energy future. Thanks to this broad based support from this stakeholder alliance HCEI has grown stronger during the course of three gubernatorial administrations and five biennial legislative sessions.

“On the 10-year anniversary of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, it’s important to reflect on how this pioneering effort has established Hawaii as a leader in energy policy and deployment of energy efficiency measures and renewable generation,” said Luis P. Salaveria, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “As the state’s blueprint for energy transformation and independence, HCEI is helping stimulate economic growth in an innovation economy by elevating Hawaii’s job growth prospects and business opportunities.”

Hawaii has made significant progress in its clean energy transformation since the launch of HCEI. Renewable energy now accounts for about 27 percent of utility electricity sales, and carbon emissions from power plants are down by more than 750,000 metric tons. In addition, the state is ahead of its interim target for reducing energy demand through efficiency and conservation measures. Clean energy also has become an important source of job growth in Hawaii, with 5,100 people employed in energy efficiency and 4,900 in the solar industry, according to a recent report from the USDOE.

###

About the Hawaii State Energy Office
The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) is a division of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. With the state’s goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy generation by 2045, HSEO is leading the state’s charge toward clean energy independence. HSEO 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, HSEO has positioned Hawaii port as a leader in clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities and accelerate economic growth.

For more information, visit energy.hawaii.gov.

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