For Immediate Release: August 20, 2010

HONOLULU—U.S. and Japanese energy experts from the national and local governments will visit Okinawa and Hawai‘i from August 22-September 4. The experts on this technical mission are expected to exchange views and offer recommendations on future cooperative activities that the United States and Japan can carry out to support the "Hawai‘i-Okinawa Partnership on Clean and Efficient Energy Development and Deployment" signed by the U.S. Department of Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, State of Hawai‘i, and Prefecture of Okinawa in Tokyo on June 17, 2010.

That partnership is part of an agreement that the President of the United States and Prime Minister of Japan reached in November 2009, as the two largest funders of science and technology research, to join forces to develop transformative clean and efficient energy technologies needed to solve global energy security and climate change challenges, including technologies and public policies that can assist the State of Hawai‘i and the Prefecture of Okinawa to develop sustainable clean energy economies.

The energy experts are expected to tour existing energy efficient facilities, renewable energy installations and demonstrations, and smart grid /city demonstration projects and facilities; exchange information on energy policy; review research being carried out at universities and relevant facilities; and meet with industry and academic representatives working to increase the use of cutting edge technologies (such as energy efficient building technology and electric vehicle infrastructure technology) in both Okinawa and Hawai‘i.

Due to Hawai‘i and Okinawa's demonstrated leadership and experience in energy technologies such as solar, wind, bioenergy, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, and regulatory and policy planning, Japan and the United States have designated Hawai‘i and Okinawa as the representatives for this groundbreaking partnership.

As part of the 2010 Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo in Honolulu, a Hawai‘i-Okinawa Study Team Panel presentation will be held on Thursday, Sept. 2. Panel speakers include Dr. Phyllis Yoshida, deputy assistant secretary for Asia, Europe and the Americas, U.S. Department of Energy; Yasushi Akahoshi, director, Americas Division, Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Hajime Asato, director, Dept. of Tourism, Commerce and Industry; Tomoya Ichimura, director general, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO); Maria Tome, renewable energy program manager, Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) State Energy Office; and panel moderator M.R.C. Greenwood, president, University of Hawai‘i.

"Hawai‘i will continue to strengthen our government partnerships with Okinawa, and support the structural transformation that needs to occur to help transition Hawai‘i and Okinawa to sustainable, clean energy economies," said Governor Linda Lingle. "In addition, we look forward to hosting the Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit in Hawai‘i as it will give us the opportunity to share best practices, learn about cutting edge technologies, and continue to promote research and demonstration projects that move our islands and our nations toward a clean energy future."

In 2008, Hawai‘i created a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy that launched the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative with the goal of achieving 70 percent Clean Energy in Hawai‘i by 2030. Similarly, Okinawa has announced plans to formulate an "Okinawa Energy Vision" to achieve both energy security and low-carbon goals by 2030. This common background forms the basis for future cooperation between the two islands.

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