Author: Amanda Ho

For Immediate Release: December 18, 2013

HONOLULU — Under the leadership of Gov. Neil Abercrombie, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism’s (DBEDT) State Energy Office is providing technical assistance and guidance for the Department of Transportation’s newly announced energy efficiency program.

Using Energy Performance Contracting (EPC), the state’s 12 airports will be modernized with the latest in energy efficient and green technology. The project will cut energy use by 49 percent, create hundreds of local jobs, and save at least $518 million in energy costs over the next 20 years. Improvements will include the replacement of transformers, light fixtures and chilled water and air conditioning systems, as well as the addition of solar photovoltaic panels, installation of smart controls, and deferred maintenance.

“This energy savings agreement is further testimony of the leadership of Gov. Abercrombie, who constantly challenges all state agencies to lead by example and walk the walk,” said Mark Glick, State Energy Administrator. “This project reflects our focus on high impact solutions to meet our efficiency and renewable energy portfolio targets.”

EPC is an innovative approach to implementing energy and water efficiency measures using guaranteed energy savings to pay for projects. Hawaii leads the nation in EPC per capita investment and was recently honored with its second consecutive national Race to the Top award.

The project has garnered national praise from multiple energy organizations. Dan Crippen, Executive Director of the National Governors Association, noted that, “This announcement is a great example of how energy performance contracts can help governors and states achieve cost-effective energy savings in public facilities. “I am happy NGA was able to support Hawaii’s work to set the stage for significant energy savings at state airports.”

Added David Terry, Executive Director of the National Association of State Energy Officials, “This is the largest performance contract investment by a single state agency that we are aware of, and we commend the Governor and the State of Hawaii for this outstanding achievement.”

According to the Energy Savings Coalition (ESC), which tracks EPC nationwide, Hawaii will now hold the largest single EPC agreement by a state agency, with the previous contract being the Alabama prison system for $90 million. “Clean energy efforts like this demonstrate great leadership on the part of Hawaii state government,” said ESC Executive Director Jim Arwood.

A division of DBEDT, the Hawaii State Energy Office (SEO) is providing key advice and technical assistance to DOT for this program. With a successful track record of assisting government agencies with EPCs since 1996, SEO has provided technical assistance to such entities as the University of Hawaii, City & County of Honolulu, and Counties of Hawaii and Kauai.

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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:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

For Immediate Release: November 22, 2013

HONOLULU — At the inaugural 2013 Hawaii Technology Excellence Awards held on Thursday, the Hawaii State Energy Office took top honors for two of its innovative online programs:
• Hawaii Renewable Energy Permitting Wizard in the Cross-Boundary Collaboration and Partnerships category
• Hawaii Renewable EnerGIS Energy Resource Mapping Application in the Fast Track Solutions category

These online tools are part of the State Energy Office’s suite of self-help applications available at energy.hawaii.gov.

“These programs are the result of Gov. Abercrombie’s directive to work collaboratively across departments and leverage technology to achieve our state’s clean energy goals. The State Energy Office’s use of technology to provide developers and investors with important technical assistance is accelerating projects’ journey to the marketplace,” said Richard Lim, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). “The Self-Help Suite of tools plays a significant role in advancing high impact projects that are positively transforming our clean energy economy.”

Launched in August 2012, the Hawaii Renewable Energy Permitting Wizard is an interactive online permitting tool that allows users to identify the federal, state and county permits required for a specific renewable energy project in Hawaii based on information provided by the user. The Wizard also produces a Permit Plan with expected issuance sequencing and timelines for each identified permit. In the coming months, the Wizard will undergo upgrades to its functionality and content, making it an even more robust, accurate and user friendly tool. The program will remain functional during the update period.

Launched in December 2012, the Hawaii Renewable EnerGIS Energy Resource Mapping Application allows users to identify the renewable energy resources and related attributes, such as zoning, slope and rainfall, for specific land parcels throughout the state. The program uses available data from the Office of Planning’s Statewide GIS (Geographic Information Systems) files, also known as “layers.”

“Both tools simplify the planning process by providing developers and investors with critical data, as well as informing policy development,” added State Energy Administrator Mark Glick. “Ultimately, these will help the state maximize our renewable resources to meet our clean energy goals.”

The State Energy Office also partnered with the Department of Health on its e-Permitting Portal, which was recognized in the Digital Government: Government to Business category.

The 2013 Hawaii Technology Excellence Awards was part of the Hawaii Digital Government Summit 2013, organized by the state’s Office of Information Management and Technology.

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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:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

For Immediate Release: November 19, 2013

HONOLULU — The Hawaii Refinery Task Force has submitted its Interim Report to Gov. Neil Abercrombie, assessing the impacts of potential refinery closures on Hawaii’s energy system and analyzing options for assuring the state’s energy security.

Prepared by consultant ICF International with input from task force members, the Interim Report found:
• Hawaii’s two refineries face significant economic challenges, driven by decreasing demand and the state’s desire for cleaner sources of energy, and one or both refineries are likely to close by 2020.
• To help ensure the stability of fuel supply and prices, critical infrastructure assets associated with the refineries must remain operational during this period of transition, even if the refineries must close.
• Over the long term, Hawaii’s progress in increasing energy efficiency and renewable generation has the potential to reduce fossil fuel needs for power generation by as much as 50 percent by 2020, thereby replacing a significant portion of refinery fuel oil supply.
• Finally, the transition to Hawaii’s clean energy ecosystem will take time, and the transition period must be managed carefully to ensure stability of supply and prices.

“The work of the task force is critical to enabling the state to bridge the period to a new energy ecosystem and helping to ensure stable refinery supply during the transition,” said Richard Lim, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director, who oversees the task force. “This joint effort of public and private parties demonstrates a cohesive collaboration in addressing current and future challenges to Hawaii’s fuels ecosystem.”

On Nov. 12, the task force met at its third of four scheduled meetings to adopt the Interim Report, which can be viewed on the Hawaii State Energy Office’s website at energy.hawaii.gov (in the EnergyBUZZ and Publication sections). The task force will convene in early 2014 to review the Final Report, which must be submitted to the Governor by the last day of the 2014 State Legislative Session.

Gov. Abercrombie established the task force in February 2013 by Executive Order to assess the impacts to changes in Hawaii’s refining capacity and to advise him on Hawaii’s future fuels ecosystem.

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

For Immediate Release: October 31, 2013

HONOLULU —GreenSun Hawaii, a loan program administered by the Hawaii Community Reinvestment Corporation (HCRC), has reached the $2 million milestone of loans issued. The initiative was launched in 2011 to increase energy efficiency in Hawaii by providing residential, multi-family projects, nonprofits and businesses with affordable means of financing the installation of energy efficient and renewable energy systems.

Annually, the program calculates an estimated savings of 556,000 kilowatt hours and a combined savings in the participants’ electric bills in excess of $221,000.

“GreenSun Hawaii is a model example of how innovative financing programs play a key role in transitioning Hawaii to a clean energy economy,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “As Hawaii advances toward energy independence, clean energy is the driver that powers our economic growth and creates new clean energy industries.”

In addition to reaching the $2 million milestone for financing residential installations, GreenSun Hawaii also completed the funding of its first commercial installation: a $300,000 project for a nonprofit. The organization will save about 193,000 kilowatt hours, equivalent to a utility savings of approximately $62,000 annually.

“Gov. Abercrombie’s New Day plan proclaims energy to be the state’s most important economic enterprise,” said Richard Lim, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). “GreenSun Hawaii’s financing infrastructure helps the state grow its clean energy economy and meet its clean energy goals.”

Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (Recovery Act Funds), the program is a public-private partnership that has leveraged $3.75 million in federal funds to support $75 million in energy financing statewide. The funds were made available through DBEDT to increase the use of solar energy, decrease the state’s independence on imported fossil fuel and lower overall energy costs throughout the islands.

“This innovative loan program makes energy-savings systems accessible to more residents, nonprofits and businesses,” said State Energy Administrator Mark Glick. “Innovative financing, like the GreenSun Hawaii program, plays a critical role in ensuring the broadest possible segment of our population is included.”

For more information about GreenSun Hawaii, including lists of participating lenders and authorized contractors, and an online loan application, visit www.greensunhawaii.com.

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For more information, contact:

Kathy Yim
Marketing/Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-9003

For Immediate Release: October 14, 2013

HONOLULU — The State Energy Office commends a new fuel contract between Hawaiian Electric Company (Hawaiian Electric) and Hawaii BioEnergy (HBE) recently approved by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The agreement calls for Hawaiian Electric to purchase approximately 10 million gallons of locally produced biofuels annually from HBE over 20 years for the utility’s Kahe Power Plant in Kapolei.

“The PUC’s approval of this agreement sets a clear path for achieving the state’s long-term economic and clean energy interests,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “This agreement will contribute to Hawaii’s green job growth, which is a key part of Hawaii’s economic transformation through the expanding clean energy sector.”

HBE is a consortium of three of Hawaii’s largest landowners and three venture capital companies that plan to use locally grown feedstocks to produce biofuels. The agreement allows HBE to provide Hawaiian Electric with biofuels produced from dedicated local sustainable energy crops on Kauai to offset and reduce imported fossil fuels.

“Having a diverse renewable energy portfolio that includes renewable biofuels for the electricity sector will also help the state achieve a clean energy transformation that may benefit the transportation sector in the long term,” said PUC Chair Hermina Morita.

The agreement comes three months after HBE announced an agreement with Alaska Airlines to supply the carrier with sustainable biofuels. HBE has also entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Boeing Company to evaluate opportunities to develop renewable aviation fuels in Hawaii.

“As Hawaii emerges as a global clean energy leader, this is an example of how technologies developed and deployed here can have a significant impact worldwide,” said Richard Lim, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. “Hawaii BioEnergy’s strategy to also target the aviation market reinforces the state’s energy policy to develop locally produced renewable biofuels production through long-term contracts and move into higher value markets such as jet fuel.”

“The PUC’s decision to approve this long-term contract for the production of locally produced biofuels is supportive of the state’s quest for a diverse portfolio of clean energy solutions and greater price stability for our energy consumers,” added State Energy Administrator Mark Glick. “This agreement sets the stage for locally produced biofuels to play a more meaningful role in helping achieve the state’s renewable portfolio standard.”

The state’s energy policy may be found on the State Energy Office’s website at energy.hawaii.gov. The PUC’s decision may be found on its website at https://dms.puc.hawaii.gov/dms/ (Docket No. 2011-0369).

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

For Immediate Release: September 6, 2013

HONOLULU — Hawaii ranks first in the nation for energy savings performance contracting (ESPC) investment per capita, a distinction acknowledged last month when the state accepted the Energy Services Coalition’s prestigious Race to the Top award for the second year in a row.

“Energy remains a priority of this administration, and Hawaii’s top national ranking affirms the significant progress we are making in the area of energy efficiency,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “Our investments in energy savings performance contracting will not only reduce costs at state facilities, it is also expected to create several thousand jobs.”

ESPC is an innovative approach to implement energy and water efficiency retrofits in buildings using guaranteed energy savings to pay for projects. Race to the Top ranks states by investment per capita in energy savings performance contracting. Hawaii leads with an investment of $132.25 per capita, with Ohio coming in second with $108.58 and Kansas in third with $97.77.

In August, the Hawaii State Energy Office accepted the Race to the Top award at the annual Energy Services Coalition Conference in Denver, Colo. At the event, the coalition recognized Hawaii for its outstanding commitment to energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, and economic development through ESPC.

“Through performance contracting, we are saving $14.2 million and 60.9 million kilowatt hours per year,” said Richard Lim, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT). “Over 20 years, these energy savings will be equivalent to powering an estimated 171,623 households for one year.”

The State Energy Office has been providing technical assistance for performance contracting to state agencies and counties since 1996. Entities which have performance contracts counted in this year’s ranking include the University of Hawaii at Hilo, University of Hawaii Community Colleges, Judiciary, Hawaii Healthcare Services Corporation, Department of Accounting and General Services, and Public Safety Department, as well as the County of Hawaii, County of Kauai, City and County of Honolulu.

At the Clinton Global Initiative America meeting in June, the state committed to achieving another $300 million investment in performance contracting for state and county facilities over the next three years as part of its mission to achieve 70 percent clean energy by 2030. This investment will not only reduce energy costs at state facilities, but it is also expected to create several thousand jobs.

For more information on Hawaii’s ESPC projects, visit https://energy.hawaii.gov/energy-performance-contracting. To see the complete Race to the Top list, visit https://www.energyservicescoalition.org/espc/table.aspx.

About the Energy Services Coalition
ESC is a national nonprofit organization, composed of a network of experts from a wide range of organizations, working together at the state and local levels to increase energy efficiency and building upgrades through energy savings performance contracting.

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

Ashley L. Kierkiewicz
Hastings & Pleadwell
Phone: (808) 443-2455
[email protected]

For Immediate Release: August 1, 2013

HONOLULU — Aligning Abercrombie Administration initiatives to enhance public access to state government resources, streamline information and promote alternative energy, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Hawaii State Energy Office today launched an improved website (energy.hawaii.gov) along with new accounts for Twitter (@EnergyHawaiiGov) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/HawaiiStateEnergyOffice).

“In recent years, the State Energy Office has produced and provided an abundance of online resources and self-help tools,” said DBEDT Director Richard Lim. “The revamped website is designed to help potential investors, developers, stakeholders and policy makers, and the public easily navigate and locate key information on Hawaii’s clean energy portfolio.”

With the URL remaining at energy.hawaii.gov, the upgraded website features improved site navigation of the Hawaii State Energy Office’s top programs, including GEMS (Green Energy Market Securitization), Energy Savings Performance Contracting in the Efficiency section, and Project Permitting Assistance. Users will also be able to access the online suite of self-help tools such as the Renewable EnerGIS Map for analyzing the renewable energy potential of sites statewide and the Renewable Energy Permitting Wizard that helps proposed projects understand the various required permits.

“Our intent is for the energy industry, media and community to view the updated energy.hawaii.gov website as their primary resource for Hawaii-focused clean energy solutions and opportunities,” added State Energy Administrator Mark Glick. “It’s a great way to stay connected with what’s happening in Hawaii’s fast-moving clean energy landscape.”

The revamped website is maintained by the state’s Information and Communication Services Division (ICSD) of the Department of Accounting and General Services. The Twitter and Facebook accounts are managed by the division’s communications staff.

“As demonstrated by the State Energy Office’s site, the state’s online transformation will provide increased transparency and a better flow of information for the public,” said State of Hawaii Chief Information Officer Sonny Bhagowalia. “This builds on the website modernization project completed earlier this year that included the redesign of all state department websites. Over the next six months, all state-attached agency websites will be redesigned to this new format.”

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

For Immediate Release: July 12, 2013

HONOLULU — The State of Hawaii has launched a new mobile application (app) designed to help drivers locate publicly available electric vehicle (EV) charging stations statewide. The free “EV Stations Hawaii” app is available for Apple and Android smartphones and mobile devices.

“The EV Stations Hawaii app is a great example of our state using new technology to advance the widespread use of electric vehicles in Hawaii,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “Convenience is key to further the adoption of EVs, which are part of Hawaii’s clean transportation future and move us toward reducing our dependency on imported oil.”

The app provides drivers with EV charging station locations and mapping directions for all four counties. Users can use the app to search for EV stations across Hawaii or for EV stations closest to their current location.

“The app is part of a collection of self-help tools our State Energy Office has created to enhance the overall EV experience in Hawaii,” said Richard Lim, director of Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).

“The adoption of electric vehicles is a key component in the state’s aggressive pursuit of 70 percent clean energy by the year 2030,” explained State Energy Administrator Mark Glick. “We hope the user-friendly app will help to deflate any range anxiety EV drivers may have by conveniently providing them with public charging station locations on-the-go.”

The EV Stations Hawaii app is a partnership between DBEDT, Hawaii Information Consortium (HIC) and Honolulu Clean Cities. It is part of the state Office of Information Management and Technology’s open data movement.

“Being able to locate a good charging spot for your EV is very important,” said Russell Castagnaro, General Manager of HIC (NASDAQ:EGOV). “No matter how adventurous you are, the last thing you want is to run your battery down to empty. This new app will make sure that drivers are always finding the nearest charger.”

The State Energy Office’s database of public EV charging stations is also available online at electricvehicle.hawaii.gov. Property owners or managers with an EV charging station can complete the form found on this site to add their charging station details to the database.

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Phone: (808) 587-3860

Ashley L. Kierkiewicz
Hastings & Pleadwell
Phone: (808) 443-2455
[email protected]

For Immediate Release: July 10, 2013

(Honolulu, Hawaii) – The Hawaiian Electric Companies have gained approval from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission for two new electric vehicle (EV) pilot charging rates. The rates are designed to encourage ownership of plug-in electric vehicles in Hawaii by easing “range anxiety.”

The new Commercial Public Electric Vehicle Charging Facility Service rate (Schedule EV-F) will make it financially attractive for business customers to open new public EV charging facilities metered separately from other uses.

Businesses can now take advantage of EV time-of-use rates without a “demand charge” typically assessed to commercial customers. This new rate will encourage businesses to provide direct current (DC) fast charging, which delivers a quicker charge but at a higher demand. A DC fast charging station can bring an “empty” EV battery to an 80 percent charge in about 30 minutes. (Demand charge represents the electric utility’s cost to maintain the capacity to meet a commercial customer’s highest demand for a fixed period.)

The second new rate, Commercial Public Electric Vehicle Charging Service (Schedule EV-U), allows the Hawaiian Electric Companies to operate up to 25 publicly accessible DC fast charging facilities across Oahu, Maui County and Hawaii Island where drivers could quickly recharge their vehicles for a per-session fee. It also allows the Hawaiian Electric utilities to work with the EV industry to manage electric vehicle EV charging more effectively and do research on load control and demand response.

“Plug-in electric vehicles continue to increase and we want to make it easier for our customers to own and use them,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president for customer service. “While most electric vehicle owners will continue to charge overnight at home, more charge spots across the islands will provide assurance to EV drivers that they won’t ‘run out of juice’ while away from home.”

Increased use of EVs can reduce Hawaii’s dependency on imported oil and encourage use of electricity from indigenous renewable resources, such as wind and solar. Fueling a vehicle with electricity, even from conventional generation, is cleaner and costs the customer less per mile than using gasoline in an internal combustion engine.

“The Hawaii State Energy Office supports widespread deployment of EV DC fast charging infrastructure, which will help promote EV adoption and ease range anxiety,” said State Energy Administrator Mark Glick. “These new EV rates are a novel approach in dealing with demand charges and a positive step in meeting the state’s clean energy objectives and in proving Hawaii as a leader of EV deployment in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Hawaiian Electric Companies worked with the Hawaii State Energy Office, Hawaii Consumer Advocate, and OpConnect LLC to develop the new tariffs.

According to the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, as of May 2013, there were a total of 1,437 plug-in electric vehicles registered in the state (Oahu – 1,093; Maui – 210; Hawaii Island – 90).

More information on electric vehicle ownership is available from Hawaiian Electric at goev.heco.com or by calling 808-543-GOEV (4638). For information on the State Energy Office’s EV program, visit electricvehicle.hawaii.gov.

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Noreen Kam, State Energy Office
808-587-3860
[email protected]

Peter Rosegg, Hawaiian Electric Companies
808-543-7780
[email protected]

For Immediate Release: June 27, 2013

HONOLULU — As outlined in the 2013 State of the State address, Gov. Neil Abercrombie today signed Senate Bill 1087, which establishes a green infrastructure financing program for Hawaii. The Green Energy Market Securitization (GEMS) program is an innovative financing model that is designed to make clean energy improvements more affordable and accessible to underserved community members.

“This new measure allows us to bring clean energy improvements within reach for a broader segment of the community,” said Gov. Abercrombie. “More of Hawaii’s residents will be able to take advantage of green devices that will ultimately lower electricity bills and contribute to the state’s clean energy growth.”

Senate Bill 1087 creates the framework for a financing structure that will fund this clean energy financing program. Under GEMS, Hawaii’s underserved markets, including low- and moderate-income homeowners, renters and non-profits will be able to finance the purchase and installation of energy saving devices without the typically high upfront costs. Payment for the devices would be made over time through one’s electricity bill and paid for with the energy savings. The state’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) will facilitate the GEMS financing program via the Hawaii State Energy Office.

“GEMS promotes the democratization of clean energy,” explained DBEDT Director Richard Lim, who was the legislation’s architect. “We are taking a proven rate-reduction bond structure and using it in an innovative way to provide low-cost financing to utility customers.”

The next step for GEMS is for DBEDT to file financing order and program order applications for review by the Public Utilities Commission. GEMS is targeted for implementation in 2014.

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam, Communications Officer, State Energy Office, (808) 587-3860

Louise Kim McCoy, Director of Communications / Press Secretary, (808) 586-0012

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