Category: News Releases

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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For Immediate Release: June 13, 2013

HONOLULU — The State of Hawaii is presenting a bold energy efficiency plan at the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) meeting this week in Chicago. Hosted by President Bill Clinton, the annual event focuses on identifying solutions that promote economic recovery in the United States.

“It is an honor to be invited to participate in the CGI America meeting, especially as our state’s energy achievements continue to gain national and international attention,” said Richard Lim, director of the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

The state’s “Commitment to Action” plan to be presented at the CGI America meeting will outline specific and measurable steps to more than double energy efficiency in state and county buildings and further stimulate the clean energy industry. CGI supports the development of Commitment to Action plans for addressing significant global challenges by facilitating dialogue, providing opportunities to identify partners, showcasing the actions taken by commitment-makers and communicating results.

“This is a great opportunity for Hawaii to share our path to energy self-sufficiency and a clean energy economy, while also learning what others are doing to solve their energy issues,” added Hawaii State Energy Administrator Mark Glick, who is currently attending the meeting as part of the CGI America Renewable and Distributed Energy Working Group.

To meet this commitment, the state will implement additional energy savings performance contracting (ESPC) with the private sector. It is anticipated that more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs—from engineers to building operators to equipment installers—will be created. The State Energy Office will provide state and county agencies with technical assistance to review ESPC proposals as well as monitor and verify cost and energy savings.

The state already saves 48.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year through energy efficiencies achieved in contracts with private energy service companies that retrofit or outfit government buildings. These systems are paid for with the energy savings on the state’s energy bills.

About CGI America
The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. Established in June 2011 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) addresses economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting, CGI America participants have made more than 200 commitments valued at $13.4 billion when fully funded and implemented. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org.

CGI also convenes an Annual Meeting, which brings together global leaders to take action and create positive social change, CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world, and, this year, CGI Latin America, which will bring together Latin American leaders to identify, harness, and strengthen ways to improve the livelihoods of people in Latin America and around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,300 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 400 million people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $73.5 billion.

CGI also partners with APCO Worldwide to help members connect with media before and during CGI America. APCO Worldwide is a communication, stakeholder engagement and business strategy consultancy with more than 30 offices in major business, government, and media capitals around the world. APCO has made a commitment to provide media support services to CGI members during the meeting.

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For more information, contact:

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

For Immediate Release: April 26, 2013

HONOLULU — Four hotels, two restaurants, a fire station and a bike shop are among the 14 honorees of the state’s 2013 Hawaii Green Business Awards. Presented by Gov. Neil Abercrombie and hosted by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), Department of Health and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the annual awards ceremony recognizes achievements by Hawaii businesses and entities in the area of energy efficiency.

“It’s encouraging to see local businesses and government agencies continue to take the lead in incorporating energy efficiency in their own practices,” said Gov. Abercrombie. “These honorees complement the state’s efforts in reaching our Hawaii Clean Energy goals. Last year, the State Office Tower became Hawaii’s first large office building, public or private, to attain LEED Gold in its category, and there are 16 state public buildings with LEED certified projects, with 56 more in the process toward certification.”

The honorees of the 2013 Hawaii Green Business Awards are:
• Aqua Aloha Surf Waikiki Hotel
• Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa
• The Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas
• Wyndham at Waikiki Beach Walk
• Blue Hawaii Lifestyles
• Kona Brewing Company’s Koko Marina Pub and Brewery
• BOCA Hawaii
• KYA Design Group
• Hawaii Pacific University – Hawaii Loa Campus
• City and County of Honolulu’s Ewa Beach Fire Station
• Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS)
• Environmental Protection Agency – Pacific Island Office
• General Services Administration

The Hawaii Green Business Awards also honored five green events held in 2012:
• Hawaii Build and Buy Green Conference and Expo
• Lemongrass Café Geisha Event
• Sweetbreads
• Green Apple Day of Service
• Green Classroom Professional Certificate Toolkit and Workshop

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

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For more information, contact:

Noreen Kam
Communications Officer
DBEDT’s State Energy Office
Email: [email protected]

For Immediate Release: April 9, 2013

HONOLULU — The State of Hawaii has announced the opportunity for investment grade energy audits for Hawaii agricultural producers and rural small businesses interested in energy efficient practices.

Through a $100,000 federal grant via the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program, the energy audit initiative will provide approved farms, agricultural producers and other rural small businesses with an investment grade audit that will examine current energy usage, recommend actions and investments to reduce energy usage, and show associated energy savings and financial returns.

“The state is leveraging the USDA grant to provide interested farms and rural businesses with an investment grade energy audit that will help them in their efforts to seek financing for the recommended projects and save money over time,” said Richard Lim, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).

As part of USDA requirements, applicants will be responsible for paying upfront a small share of the audit cost, which will be calculated on a business-by-business basis. Upon completion of the audit, the applicant may be able to recoup the upfront cost of the audit through Hawaii Energy, the state’s energy conservation and efficiency program, which has augmented this federal grant with a $25,000 commitment through its existing Whole Building Assistance incentive offer. To learn more about the criteria and timeline for the audit and to download an application form, visit DBEDT’s website at energy.hawaii.gov/energy-audit-opportunities.

“From the outset, we expect to see recipients adopt the recommended efficiency measures from the energy audit,” explained Mark Glick, State Energy Administrator. “Not only will the audit supply recommendations that will be in the best interest of the individual business, but it will provide a proven example to other businesses of the economic return from energy savings investments that also support our overall clean energy mission.”

The energy audit program is a partnership between DBEDT, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Energy, and GDS Associates.

Hawaii Energy is a ratepayer-funded conservation and efficiency program administered by SAIC under contract with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, serving the islands of Hawaii, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu. Hawaii Energy offers cash rebates and other incentives to residents and businesses to help offset the cost of installing energy-efficient equipment. In addition to rebates, the program conducts education and training for residents, businesses and trade allies to encourage the adoption of energy conservation behaviors and efficiency measures. For more information, visit www.HawaiiEnergy.com.

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For more information, contact:

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

For Immediate Release: February 19, 2013

HONOLULU – As promised in his 2013 State of the State address, Gov. Neil Abercrombie today established by executive order the Hawaii Refinery Task Force to assess the impacts of Tesoro’s announcement to close its Hawaii refinery.

“I am tasking this group to investigate the impacts of Tesoro’s impending closure on Hawaii’s fuel supply and economy to ensure a reliable and competitive fuels market,” said Gov. Abercrombie.

“The purpose of the task force is to identify strategies and actions that the state should consider to promote a smooth and stable transition to meet Hawaii’s energy needs as our fuels market evolves,” said Richard Lim, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, who will lead the task force. “It is essential that we begin the process of planning for a future fuels ecosystem that best serves our state.”

Comprised of 29 members from the public and private sectors, the task force is charged with presenting short-term findings and recommendations to the Governor within 60 days of a refinery closure. The task force must also submit an interim and final written report of its activities and recommendations to the Governor by Sept. 30, 2013, and the final day of the 2014 legislative session, respectively.

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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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