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Energy Agreement Highlights Progress

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Oct 20, 2008 03:55 PM - Building on the progress of the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative, the Lingle-Aiona Administration - including the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the State Consumer Advocate - and the Hawaiian Electric companies announced a major agreement.

Energy Agreement Highlights Progress

Governor Lingle discusses the agreement. From left: Connie Lau, chairperson, Hawaiian Electric Company; Bill Parks, U.S. Department of Energy; Catherine Awakuni, consumer advocate; Robbie Alm, senior vice president, HECO and Ted Liu, director, DBEDT.

"This agreement is historic, it's transformational and it will make Hawai`i a world leader and a model for energy independence," said Governor Lingle.

The agreement is the result of months of discussions and will secure a sustainable energy and economic future for the State of Hawai`i. 

Highlights of the agreement include:

• A commitment to integrate as much as 1100 megawatts (MW) of already identified additional renewable energy on the Hawaiian Electric companies’ grids (700 MW to be implemented within five years).

• The construction of an undersea cable connecting Maui, Moloka`i and Lāna`i into one electrical grid to allow the integration of an additional 400 MW of renewable wind power generated in Maui County for transmission to O`ahu.

• A requirement that 40 percent of electric power come from renewable resources by 2030, doubling the current Renewable Portfolio Standard requirement law.

From left: State Consumer Advocate Catherine Awakuni, Hawaiian Electric Chairperson Connie Lau and Governor Lingle sign the agreement.

"With this agreement, Hawai`i moves to the forefront in energy leadership in the nation," said Kevin Kolevar, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, whose office helped negotiate the agreement. "I applaud Governor Lingle for her commitment to pursuing the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative. She has made it a personal priority, kept everyone's feet to the fire and made sure that the final result is in the public's best interest. Without her leadership none of this would be possible."

U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye also focused on the collaborative spirit demonstrated by Governor Lingle and business leaders.

"It took much political courage and much business courage to do this," he said.

The announcement builds on the Lingle-Aiona Administration's pursuit of collaborative partnerships and aggressive actions to build a clean energy economy.

A cornerstone of this progress is the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative, an unprecedented partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy that seeks to supply 70 percent of Hawai`i's energy needs from clean or renewable sources by 2030.

U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye and Governor Lingle listen during the news conference. Also pictured in second row: Ted Peck, state energy administrator and Catherine Awakuni, state consumer advocate.

 

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