Author: Amanda Ho

For immediate release: May 17, 2017

HONOLULU — A hotel that diverts up to 30 percent of its waste from the landfill and saves more than 10 million gallons of water annually is among the recipients of this year’s Hawaii Green Business Program awards. A total of 13 businesses and eight events were recognized today for pursuing energy efficiency and sustainable business practices that will help their bottom line while advancing Hawaii’s clean energy goals.

“These businesses and events have gone the extra mile to demonstrate their exemplary stewardship of the environment and strong commitment to helping Hawaii achieve energy independence,” said Gov. David Ige. “The State of Hawaii has an ambitious goal to reach 100 percent clean energy by the year 2045. This is a tall order, but with the commitment of local businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations we can make Hawaii’s clean energy future a reality.”

The businesses and events were recognized during the Hawaii Green Business Program (HGBP) awards ceremony. HGBP provides assistance to businesses committed to operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The awards were presented by Gov. Ige and hosted by the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), Department of Health and the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association.

“The exceptional efforts by this year’s Hawaii Green Business Program awardees to save energy and reduce waste show what can be achieved when government and the private sector work together,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria. “By improving operational efficiency, procurement procedures, regulatory compliance and community relations, HGBP members are able to earn a return on their investment while supporting a more sustainable Hawaii.”

From 2009 through 2016 HGBP has assisted and recognized more than 100 businesses and government entities, from the hospitality, commercial office, retail, restaurant and food service sectors, resulting in the following savings:

• 18.9 million kilowatt hours of energy (equivalent to powering 2,940 homes for one year in Hawaii)
• 136.8 million gallons of water
• $5.7 million in electricity costs

The honorees of this year’s Hawaii Green Business Awards are:

• Ala Moana Hotel
• Aqua Pacific Monarch
• The Equus
• Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
• Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa
• The Kahala Hotel and Resort
• The Modern Honolulu
• Ohana Waikiki Malia by Outrigger
• Artizen by MW
• Bills Sydney
• HDR, Inc.
• Honeywell Smart Energy
• Ibis Networks

The Hawaii Green Business Awards also honored eight green events:

• HTA 2016 Annual Tourism Conference
• IUCN 2016 World Conservation Congress
• German-Hawaii Clean Energy Symposium 2016
• Kona Brewers Festival 2017
• Sony Open in Hawaii 2017
• TEDx Honolulu 2016
• University of Hawaii Sustainability in Higher Education 2017
• VERGE Hawaii 2016

For a description of the awardees and their energy efficiency efforts, please see the separate awardee accomplishments document. For more information on the Hawaii Green Business Program, visit greenbusiness.hawaii.gov

Awardee Accomplishments (PDF)

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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

For more information, contact:

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

For immediate release: May 10, 2017

HONOLULU – The State of Hawaii signed $345.9 million in performance contracts for energy efficiency improvements for state and county facilities, exceeding a commitment made to the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE). In 2013 the state committed to the USDOE’s Better Buildings Initiative, Performance Contracting Accelerator Program, with a goal of $300 million in performance contracts. Performance contracting is an innovative approach to implement energy and water efficiency projects using guaranteed energy savings to pay for the projects.

USDOE recognized Hawaii as the state that met the highest goal under the Accelerator Program. Hawaii’s milestone not only exceeded the state’s goal but also put the USDOE’s Accelerator Program over the top to surpass its $2 billion national goal for performance contracting.

Hawaii’s $345.9 million total is the result of contracts signed by the City and County of Honolulu for the Kailua Wastewater Treatment Plant, the City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply, and all three Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) divisions: Highways, Harbors, and Airports. The projects cover more than 24.4 million square feet of building space and include installation of more than 136,000 lighting retrofits, 13 megawatts of photovoltaic power, and other energy efficiency improvements. Energy savings from the projects are estimated at $866.1 million over the life of the contracts. The energy savings are equivalent to powering 20,464 homes for one year and 389,381 homes over the life of the contracts.

The Hawaii State Energy Office, a division of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), has been providing technical assistance for performance contracting to state agencies and counties since 1996.

“Energy efficiency upgrades like these are essential to the success of Hawaii’s clean energy transformation along with deployment of renewable energy technologies,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria. “We are proud to have done our part to help push the USDOE over its $2 billion goal for performance contracting.”

Hawaii’s progress in energy performance contracting prompted a letter of congratulations to Governor Ige from the USDOE in October 2016. The letter recognized the success of Hawaii’s programs for “driving greater energy efficiency” and thanked the governor for his leadership.

“Congratulations to our state partners on their impressive investment in energy efficiency,” said Kathleen Hogan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency at the US Department of Energy. “By accelerating the use of Energy Service Performance contracting, Hawaii has led by example and demonstrated how to save money for taxpayers and create well-paid jobs, through energy efficiency.”

The activities under the Performance Contracting Accelerator Program are part of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership initiated in 2008 between the USDOE and the State of Hawaii to achieve 70 percent clean energy by 2030, with 40 percent coming from renewable energy and 30 percent from energy efficiency. In 2015 the goal for electricity generation from renewable sources was increased to 100 percent by 2045.

For five consecutive years from 2012 through 2016 Hawaii garnered national recognition with the “Race to the Top” award from the Energy Services Coalition (ESC), a national nonprofit organization of experts working together to increase energy efficiency and building upgrades through energy performance contracting. The award is given to the state with the highest per capital investment in performance contracting projects. With the HDOT Airports Division performance contract totaling $212.4 million, ESC recognized Hawaii with the distinction of signing the single largest performance contract by a state agency. In 2016 ESC also recognized the State of Hawaii as an “Energy Stewardship Champion” for outstanding accomplishments leveraging performance contracting to achieve infrastructure modernization, environmental stewardship, and economic development. With the completion of the USDOE’s Performance Contracting Accelerator Program, Hawaii has a per capita investment of $370.74.The second-ranked state has a per capita investment of $172.84.

“The State of Hawaii has shown great leadership not only in this contract, but also in their overall program that promotes the use of guaranteed energy savings performance contracting in public facilities,” said Jim Arwood, ESC executive director. “They are a great example for other states to follow.”

The greatest contributor to Hawaii exceeding its $300 million goal was the HDOT contracts, which totaled $306.7million. The $212.4million contract executed by the Airports Division for improvements at 12 airports includes air conditioning upgrades, more than 98,000 light fixtures, and more than 24,400 photovoltaic panels with 7.9 megawatts of generating capacity. Contracts were also executed by the Highways Division for $68.1million and by the Harbor’s Division for $26.2 million. The work will be done by Johnson Controls, an energy service company.

DBEDT estimates that over the life of HDOT’s airport’s contract, which ends in 2034, the economic impacts will be $27.3 million in tax revenues (in 2016 dollars), $186.6 million in income to households (in 2016 dollars), and 867 jobs generated or supported each year during the first two years of construction in Phase I. The contract will generate or support an estimated 257 jobs supported each year during the two-year Phase II construction and installation. In addition, an average of 63 jobs will be generated or supported each year during the 15-year performance period. The energy savings is equivalent to powering approximately 9,264 homes a year. Over the life of the project the energy saved could power about 175,267 homes.

Performance contracting allows energy efficiency retrofits to be installed in a timely manner, providing savings more rapidly than would otherwise be possible.  Retrofits can take less than one year to up to three years to install. Capital improvement projects can take from six to 10 years, resulting in missed opportunities for annual energy savings. Accelerating the process is important for state and county agencies, which face increasing energy costs and the need to upgrade aging, inefficient, and obsolete energy- and water-consuming equipment.

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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 25, 2017

HONOLULU – The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) is announcing the last call to apply for up to $10,000 in fiscal year 2017 sponsorship funding for events which assist in the efforts to raise awareness and garner support of Hawaii’s clean energy goals.

Proposals must be received no later than February 1, 2017, at 4:30 p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time).

In order to qualify for sponsorship funding, events should align with HSEO’s overall objectives, which include the following:

• Increasing awareness and support for the state’s goal in the electricity sector of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2045;
• Promoting various HSEO programs; delivering HSEO’s message to a clean energy audience;
• Forming partnerships with organizations that support HSEO’s mission; and
• Leveraging funds for a broader reach to a clean energy audience

Sponsored events must be completed by June 30, 2017.

HSEO follows five energy policy goals as it leads the state’s clean energy transformation: (1) diversifying Hawaii’s energy portfolio; (2) connecting and modernizing electric utility grids; (3) balancing technical, economic, environmental, and cultural considerations; (4) leveraging the state’s position as an innovation test bed; and (5) creating an efficient marketplace that benefits producers and consumers.

For additional details regarding evaluation criteria, general responsibilities and requirements, please visit https://spo3.hawaii.gov/notices/notices/rfp-17-019-sid.

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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: Jan. 11, 2017

HONOLULU —  The  Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) is now accepting notifications from renewable fuels producers planning to pursue Hawaii’s new renewable fuels tax credit.

Taxpayers wishing to claim the credit are required, among other things, to provide written notification to DBEDT of their intent to begin production of renewable fuels. Additionally, they are required to file a notification 30 days before the start of production. Notification forms and instructions can be downloaded at: https://energy.hawaii.gov/developer-investor. For a full listing of renewable fuels tax credit requirements taxpayers should review Section 235-110.31 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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 for a period of up to five consecutive years.

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.

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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: Dec. 27, 2016

HONOLULU – The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) has released its 2016 Energy Resources Coordinator’s Annual Report, which highlights the policies and activities that have advanced the state approximately a quarter of the way toward its target of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

The report details the state’s progress toward meeting its goals of energy self-sufficiency, economic growth and carbon reduction.  At the heart of this effort is the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI), which brings together stakeholders and provides a framework for realizing the goals through various clean energy programs, regulatory advancements, industry partnerships and policies.

The report documents significant progress statewide toward meeting the 100 percent renewable energy goal in the electricity sector. The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) experienced the largest jump, with its renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) increasing from 17.5 percent in 2014 to 27.3 percent in 2015. Hawaii achieved a statewide RPS of 23.4 percent in 2015, up from 21.1 percent in 2014, with notable advances in solar and wind energy. The RPS is currently estimated at about 25 percent, thanks to renewable energy resources added to the grids in 2016.

“Hawaii’s push to create a clean energy future is becoming a reality,” said Luis P. Salaveria, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. “The state made tremendous strides to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, with about 25 percent of all electricity sales coming from renewable sources. We will continue to work toward our 100 percent renewable energy goal by engaging all stakeholders with collaboration, innovative thinking and a strong entrepreneurial drive.”

There is also good news to report in the effort to reduce petroleum use in the transportation sector. The popularity of electric vehicles (EV) continues to grow, with EV registrations accelerating at a double-digit pace in 2016. By year’s end there were more than 5,000 EVs registered in Hawaii, a 26 percent increase over the same period a year earlier. Hawaii is second in the nation (after California) in per capita EV registrations and a leader in charging facilities.

Hawaii also experienced significant gains in energy efficiency. In addition to progress in the private sector, state and county agencies contributed to the gains by participating in the state’s Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) program, which is coordinated by HSEO. To date, state and local government agencies have signed a total of more than $442.4 million in performance contracts that will save an estimated $1.1 billion over the lifetime of those contracts. These savings are the equivalent to powering 368,426 homes for one year. The projects comprise of more than 96 million square feet in 225 buildings or facilities.

ENERGY STAR certification for public and private buildings throughout Hawaii remained strong in 2016. Honolulu ranked among the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR Top 25 Cities rankings. A total of 69 buildings became certified, which encompassed 9.6 million square feet with an energy savings equivalent to $23 million a year.

The Energy Resources Coordinator’s Annual Report 2016 is available at https://energy.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-ERC.pdf

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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: Oct. 25, 2016

HONOLULU — GreenBiz Group and the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) have announced the formation of an advisory board for the  VERGE Hawaii 2017: Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit, returning to Honolulu June 20-22.

VERGE Hawaii explores the innovative clean energy policies, models, technologies and infrastructure that will enable the state to achieve its ambitious goal of 100 percent renewable powered energy in the electricity sector by 2045.

The 15-member VERGE Hawaii advisory board includes a diverse group of influential, engaged leaders across a range of industries and sectors to provide strategic direction on program content and the overarching conference framework.

VERGE Hawaii, produced by GreenBiz Group in partnership with HSEO, convenes nearly 1,000 leaders from the government, military, utilities, solution providers and energy producers to drive Hawaii’s renewable energy transformation and reinforce its position as a model for others in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

“VERGE uniquely brings together the key stakeholders who are building Hawaii’s clean economy,” said Eric Faurot, CEO, GreenBiz Group. “We are thrilled to work with this group of clean-energy leaders and the State of Hawaii to help deliver on the Aloha State’s bold energy goals.”

VERGE Hawaii 2017 advisors include:

• Catherine Awakuni Colon, Director, Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;
• Joseph Boivin, Jr., Senior Vice President of Business Development and Corporate Affairs, Hawaii Gas;
• Colton Ching, Vice President of Energy Delivery, Hawaiian Electric Company;
• Celeste Connors, Executive Director, Hawaii Green Growth;
• Kyle Datta, General Partner, Ulupono Initiative;
• Brandon Hayashi, Regional Manager, OpTerra Energy Services;
• Brian Kealoha, Executive Director, Hawaii Energy;
• Neil “Dutch” Kuyper, President and CEO, Parker Ranch;
• Sherry Menor-McNamara, President and CEO, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii;
• Jeff Mikulina, Executive Director, Blue Planet Foundation;
• Edmund C. Olson, Edmund C. Olson Trust II;
• Rick Rocheleau, Director, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute;
• Neil Sheehan, CEO, Sheehan Group-Pacific, LLC; and
• Jill Sims, Co-Founder & Demonstration Track, Energy Excelerator.

“Grid parity is driving technological innovation and lowers costs that are accelerating the rate of renewable deployment to almost unimaginable levels. We need to act now to ensure Hawaii’s clean energy future,” said Mark Glick, Administrator, Hawaii State Energy Office. “We look forward to welcoming VERGE back to Hawaii and working with these industry leaders to achieve our ambitious mandate.”

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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

ABOUT GREENBIZ GROUP
GreenBiz Group’s mission is to define and accelerate the business of sustainability. It does this through a wide range of products and services, including its acclaimed website GreenBiz.com and e-newsletters, GreenBuzz and VERGE; webcasts on topics of importance to sustainability and energy executives; research reports, including the annual State of Green Business; the GreenBiz Executive Network, a membership-based, peer-to-peer learning forum for sustainability executives; and conferences: the annual GreenBiz forum and VERGE. www.greenbiz.com
For more information, contact:

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

Becky Dempsey
Marketing Programs Manager
GreenBiz Group
510-740-2358

For Immediate Release: Sept. 29, 2016

HONOLULU — Hawaii was recognized for the fifth consecutive year by the Energy Services Coalition as the nation’s leader for per capita investment in energy performance contracting (EPC), an innovative financing tool that allows government buildings to achieve significant energy efficiency savings without having to pay capital expenses up front.

“It is an honor to be acknowledged for this achievement, which highlights the innovative work being done to transition Hawaii to a clean energy future,” said Gov. David Ige. “Reducing energy use by making our buildings more efficient will help us meet the challenges of energy security and climate change that we face in Hawaii. I’d like to thank the Energy Services Coalition for this recognition, and for its work in championing energy performance contracting,” Ige said.

EPC uses the savings from upgrades such as digital controls for energy systems, and lighting, plumbing and air conditioning improvements to repay the cost of the equipment. The costs are borne by the performance contractor and paid back out of the energy savings. The nonprofit Energy Services Coalition in its annual “Race to the Top” program ranks the 50 states based on the per capita amount invested in performance contracts for government buildings. Hawaii’s investment of $325.25 per capita in 2016 earned the state a fifth consecutive No. 1 ranking.

“Investing in energy efficiency not only lowers harmful carbon emissions, it reduces home and business energy costs, stimulates economic growth, and improves energy system reliability,” said Luis Salaveria, director of the State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). “By reducing government spending on energy we are able to free up valuable taxpayer dollars for other essential programs.”

The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO), a division of DBEDT, provides technical assistance to state and county agencies entering into energy performance contracts. The EPC projects vary widely and include courthouses, community colleges, airports and prisons. HSEO Administrator Mark Glick noted that the $442.4 million of energy performance contracts put in place since 1996 will save the state an estimated $1.1 billion in electricity costs over the life of the contracts.

“It’s gratifying that among Hawaii’s largest energy consumers, state and county agencies have helped drive Hawaii’s No. 1 per capita ranking in EPC contract value for each of the five years I have been energy administrator,” Glick said. “Efficiency gains from these major projects are playing a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while providing a healthy return on investment.” Glick cited the $158 million energy performance contract recently undertaken by the State Department of Transportation (DOT) at 12 of Hawaii’s 15 airports, which will cut energy use in half and save the state about $500 million over 20 years. The project, being carried out under the leadership of DOT Director Ford Fuchigami, is the largest single EPC in the nation.

Hawaii’s EPC performance in 2016 was well ahead of second place Kentucky with investment of $172.48 per capita and third place Delaware at $154.47 per capita. The national EPC average is $53.93 per capita. Performance contracts signed by state and local government agencies in Hawaii since 1996 include 225 buildings and facilities covering 96 million square feet. The savings are the equivalent of powering 368,426 homes for one year.

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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

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

For Immediate Release: Aug. 30, 2016

HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) has been selected to receive a competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to create a data visualization tool that will help stakeholders better understand the policy choices needed to move toward a 100 percent renewable energy system.

HSEO sought the $225,000 grant under the DOE’s State Energy Program to develop the Hawaii Advanced Visualization Environment Nexus, or HAVEN, which is being undertaken in partnership with the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Laboratory for Advanced Visualization & Applications (LAVA), and the Hawaiian Electric Companies.

“HAVEN represents the kind of innovative thinking we will need to become energy independent,” said Luis P. Salaveria, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, which oversees HSEO. “Through pioneering programs and effective policies, Hawaii is a leader in clean energy innovation, which will generate quality jobs, attract investment opportunities, and diversify our economy.”

The HAVEN project will create a platform to help policymakers analyze and make informed decisions regarding Hawaii’s clean energy transformation. The HAVEN platform coordinates environmental, reliability, resiliency and economic goals using data visualization tools to clarify complex problems.

“Planning to achieve a 100 percent renewable portfolio standard is a complex and iterative process. Understanding the economic, environmental and energy security impacts of the key decision points in various planning scenarios is essential for decision makers to have a complete picture of the energy landscape proposed in each scenario,” said Mark Glick, HSEO administrator. “With the issues in the energy sector becoming increasingly complicated and impactful to customers, it is critical that stakeholders are engaged and informed on the impacts of significant decisions that must be made to transform the energy sector.”

HAVEN will foster a new level of collaboration, bringing together HSEO, HECO, LAVA, and key external stakeholders. Collaboration with LAVA provides HSEO with access to advanced computing infrastructure and state-of-the-art visualization cyber-infrastructure such as LAVA’s Cyber-enabled Collaboration Analysis Navigation and Observation Environment (CyberCANOE). HAVEN will use high-resolution visual imagery of the CyberCANOE and large-scale simulation data to visually illustrate the interrelationship of renewable energy penetration, energy efficiency measures, electricity demand and consumption, distributed energy resources (DER), demand response (DR) programs, and electricity generation in Hawaii’s complex energy ecosystem.

The collaboration with HECO offers access to HECO’s complex, integrated data sets for joint planning exercises for future utility investments toward achievement of Hawaii’s energy policy agenda.

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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

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

For Immediate Release: April 22, 2016

HONOLULU — The state honored 16 businesses and five events today for their innovative work to conserve energy and implement sustainable practices that will protect the environment and help Hawaii meet its clean energy goals.

“These businesses are demonstrating that you can improve your bottom line while supporting the transformation to a more sustainable Hawaii,” Gov. David Ige said. “Through a host of innovative measures, such as installing high-efficiency lighting systems and utilizing rain catchment systems, these businesses are doing their part to reduce our impact on the environment and help end our reliance on imported fossil fuels.”

The businesses and events were recognized during the 2016 Hawaii Green Business Program (HGBP) awards ceremony. HGBP provides assistance to businesses committed to operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The awards were presented by Gov. Ige and hosted by the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), Department of Health and the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association.

“We commend the leadership shown by these businesses to reduce their impact on our environment and energy systems,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria. “In Hawaii, the continued push for sustainability and carbon reduction are widely embraced across the state from the smallest towns to the urban core of Honolulu.”

Recognizing the state’s commitment to conservation and sustainable development, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Council selected Hawaii 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 Hawaii Green Business awardees will host some of the 6,000-8,000 delegates who will be in Honolulu this September for the conference.

The businesses and events honored at this year’s HGBP awards ceremony undertook a wide array of green initiatives that included installing LED and CFL lighting, recycling food scraps, growing their own organic produce, taking steps to reduce water use, and equipping dishwashers with heat recovery units. The businesses can be viewed in an interactive map on HSEO’s Green Business Program website: energy.hawaii.gov/green-business-program

The honorees of the 2016 Hawaii Green Business Awards are:

• Ala Moana Hotel
• Aqua Palms Waikiki
• DoubleTree by Hilton Alana-Waikiki
• Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki
• Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki
• OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger
• OHANA Waikiki Malia by Outrigger
• Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort
• Trump International Hotel Waikiki
• The Kahala Hotel and Resort
• Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa
• Mariott’s Maui Ocean Club
• The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua
• Valley Isle Excursions
• Lanikai Juice – Kakaako
• Honeywell Energy Solutions

The Hawaii Green Business Awards also honored five green events:

• Honolulu Museum of Art – Plastic Fantastic?
• UH Manoa – 4^th Annual Sustainability in Higher Education Conference
• Hawaii Tourism Authority – 2016 Hawaii Tourism Conference
• HPU – Presidential Lecture Series on Global Leadership and Sustainability
• Sony – 2016 Sony Open in Hawaii

For a description of the awardees and their energy efficiency accomplishments, please see separate Awardee Accomplishments document.
Awardee Accomplishments (PDF)

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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

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

For Immediate Release: Dec. 14, 2015

HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) has released its “Energy Resources Coordinator’s Annual Report 2015” documenting Hawaii’s progress and leadership on its clean energy objectives.

The report details Hawaii’s new energy policies, including the nation’s first-ever landmark goal of reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, and numerous clean energy initiatives in various areas such as renewable energy, efficiency, transportation, grid modernization, utility reform and innovative programs.

Since the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) was established in 2008 Hawaii has significantly increased both its renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) levels and its energy efficiency portfolio standard (EEPS) levels. Under the RPS, renewable energy accounted for 21.1 percent of utility electricity sales in 2014, up from 9.4 percent in 2008. Over the same period the amount of electricity saved from efficiency measures under the EEPS increased to 1,575 gigawatt-hours from 870 gigawatt-hours.

“Hawaii is at the forefront of a growing national and global clean energy movement,” said Luis P. Salaveria, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. “Our 100 percent renewable energy goal and clean energy initiatives allow Hawaii to serve as a model for the rest of the world.”

The report also details the renewed effort to reduce petroleum use in transportation, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of Hawaii’s energy mix. A recent transportation energy analysis done for HSEO included nearly two dozen tactics to be tackled now, as well as enabling actions and further analysis to develop additional petroleum-reducing tactics to be pursued in the long term. The next step will feature a reconvening of stakeholders to collaborate on the development of an energy in transportation roadmap that will most certainly be a major focus of HCEI for many years to come.

“In the past few years Hawaii’s has made substantial progress in deploying low-cost renewable energy and efficiency solutions that match or exceed our energy policy objectives,” said Mark B. Glick, administrator of the Hawaii State Energy Office. “With Hawaii driving towards the ultimate limits on energy self-sufficiency, the ERC report accounts for how the Hawaii State Energy Office and other energy stakeholders are faring in making the necessary changes to our regulatory and planning framework to achieve an optimal pathway to meet our lofty policy objectives.”

In addition to the 100 percent RPS by 2045 target (Act 97), 2015 marked other notable developments in clean energy policy that included:

• Community-Based Renewable Energy Program (Act 100) – Helps democratize renewable energy by allowing renters, condo owners and others who have been shut out of Hawaii’s clean energy transformation to purchase electricity generated at an off-site renewable energy facility.
• University of Hawaii Net Zero Goal (Act 99) – Requires the University of Hawaii to become a net zero user of energy (total amount of energy used being the equivalent to the amount of renewable energy created) across all campuses by Jan. 1, 2035.
• Hydrogen Energy Infrastructure (Act 98) – The Legislature designated the director of the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies as the state hydrogen implementation coordinator to establish infrastructure across state agencies to promote the expansion of hydrogen-based energy.
• Ethanol Repeal (Act 161) – Removed the state’s mandate that required transportation fuels sold in the state to include ethanol.
• Charging Multi-Unit Dwellings (Act 164) – Establishes a working group to examine issues regarding the installation of EV charging systems at multi-unit dwellings, which includes condominiums, cooperative housing and community associations that account for an estimated 38 percent of Hawaii’s housing units.

The Energy Resources Coordinator’s Annual Report 2015 is available to download at energy.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/DBEDT_2015ERC-Report_Nov2015.pdf

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The Hawaii State Energy Office 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 as a leader in 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.

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