For Immediate Release: September 24, 2009
DBEDT Release News 09-26

HONOLULU—The State of Hawai‘i today was awarded more than $9.5 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Energy. This is part of the economic stimulus American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) passed by Congress.

"This is good news for the State of Hawai‘i," said Governor Linda Lingle. "These additional stimulus funds will help improve the energy efficiency of our buildings and homes. The block grant award integrates well with our Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative to meet 70 percent of our energy needs with clean energy by the year 2030. These funds will help increase Hawai‘i's energy security and independence by deploying energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies throughout the state."

The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism applied for the grant in June. It is partnering with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Department of Accounting and General Services to conduct energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

DHHL, through its Ho‘omaluo Energy Policy, plans to upgrade the energy efficiency of about 400 homestead homes with solar water heaters and compact fluorescent lamps. This will help reduce household electricity bills by about 30 percent per year, or 5 barrels of oil per year per household. The DHHL project is also expected to create about 35 jobs and retain about 65 jobs in Hawai‘i.

DAGS plans to install photovoltaics on state buildings as part of its long-range, statewide energy savings performance contract. DAGS estimates that each 100 kW photovoltaic system will generate about 167,446 kWh of electricity, and a cumulative reduction of green house gas emissions of at least 320,120 pounds in carbon dioxide equivalents per year. The DAGS project expects to create about 33 local jobs.

DBEDT's Energy Efficient Buildings Program for Government and Non-Profits is proposing to work with the Hawai‘i Energy Efficiency Program for O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai‘i, and the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative to identify state and local government and nonprofit buildings for energy efficiency improvements. This program will ease the budgetary pressure on non-profit organizations, and state and local government agencies on a competitive basis. The funding opportunity information will be posted at http://hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/eecbg.

Using DBEDT's latest job multiplier, the total energy and conservation block grant for Hawai‘i will generate about 124 direct and indirect local construction jobs, and add $5,756,100 in direct and indirect income to Hawai‘i's economy.

ARRA was signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009, to stimulate the country's economy and to create and retain jobs. The purpose of the EECBG is to assist eligible government and tribal entities to create and implement strategies to:

• Reduce fossil fuel emissions in an environmentally sustainable manner and maximize benefits for local and regional communities;
• Reduce the total energy use of the eligible entities; and
• Improve energy efficiency in the buildings and other appropriate sectors.

For more information, contact:
Dave Young, DBEDT Communications
Phone: (808) 587-1212
Email: dyoung@dbedt.hawaii.gov