by HEC Team | Mar 2, 2018 | 2018, News
Alice Madden, Executive Director, Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources and former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
The Maui Energy Conference returns to the Maui Arts and Cultural Center on March 14-15, celebrating its Fifth Anniversary.
Alice Madden, Executive Director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment at Colorado Law and keynote speaker at the first Maui Energy Conference in 2014, will open this year’s second day with a reflection on the tremendous changes that have occurred in Hawaii and the nation’s energy landscape over the last five years.
Alice started her distinguished career as a lawyer, specializing in employment, civil rights and anti-discrimination law. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2000, she served as Majority Leader from 2005 – 2008. Her legislative priorities included helping build the foundation for a sustainable energy economy.
Subsequently, Alice served as Climate Change Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and later held the Timothy E. Wirth Chair in Sustainable Development at CU Denver. In 2013, she accepted an appointment to the U.S. Department of Energy where she served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental & External Affairs.
Her current priorities at the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy and the Environment include bridging the gap between research and practice by drawing on the perspectives of diverse stakeholders.
The Maui Energy Conference is presented by Maui Economic Development Board Inc. (MEDB) and supported by the Maui County Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. The in-depth conference sessions and ample networking opportunities aim to provide valuable resources for participants. As Hawaii’s leading homegrown energy conference, it attracts more than 300 energy industry leaders from Hawaii, the Continental U.S., Asia, and Europe.
The 2018 Conference theme is Decarbonization: A Business Opportunity for Innovative Communities.
Session topics include exploring technical innovations in energy storage, an economic analysis of utility PV customers as they respond to new policies on distributed energy, the future of ground and maritime transportation, and the potential of carbon farming techniques in agriculture.
“The challenges that increasing levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere present to our environment also provide innovative communities, from Hawaii to New York, with new business opportunities,” remarked Frank De Rego Jr, Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB and Vice-Chair of the Program Committee. “The key is to seize those opportunities and make them work.”
The 2018 Maui Energy Conference sponsors include Ulupono Initiative, a Hawaii-focused impact investing firm that uses investments to improve the quality of life for Island residents and Hitachi, Ltd., a company who has conducted important research in Hawaii to improve the stability of the electric grid through a system that employs electric vehicles.
The full list of conference sponsors include: Ulupono Initiative, Hitachi, County of Maui, Hawaii Energy/Leidos, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, Hawaii State Energy Office, Hawaiian Electric Companies, Sempra Renewables, Amber Kinetics, Ameresco, Gridworks, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Kevala, Ohm Energy Technologies, Steffes, and Tabuchi Electric.
by HEC Team | Feb 23, 2018 | 2018, News
In March, the Maui Energy Conference will be discussing the business opportunities created by efforts to decarbonize. An extraordinary decision on February 6, 2018 by the Hawai’i Public Utilities Commission (PUC) shows why you need to attend if you are interested in the Hawaii energy scene. According to the Hawaii PUC the issues relevant to a review of projects by the local gas utility now include:
…whether the commission should disallow as unreasonable…costs due to the effect …of imported LNG on the State’s reliance on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.” Docket No 2017-0150.
This looks like a fundamental shift in how the Commission assesses the environmental impacts of producing energy in Hawaii. According to Conference Chair Doug McLeod: “The question is now whether the traditional ‘reasonable and prudent standard’ drives one to the conclusion that prudent people don’t want to make electricity in ways that might speed up climate change”. Sea change, game change, whatever type of change analogy you like – from a regulatory standpoint this is very different than where we were a few years ago.
Don’t miss the first organized discussion of this important issue in Hawaii and its possible implications nationwide. The Maui Energy Conference, March 14-15th, will be held at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center.
The Maui Energy Conference is Hawaii’s leading energy conference featuring invited keynote speakers, panel sessions, case studies, exhibits and networking. It attracts more than 300 energy industry leaders from Hawaii, the Mainland, Japan and Europe to exchange ideas on how to better serve customers in today’s rapidly changing power generation and delivery environment.
by HEC Team | Jan 8, 2018 | 2018, News
Creating a Resilient Energy Economy Panel L to R Cheryl Roberto, Kush Patel, Aki Marceau and Moderator Luis Salaveria of DBEDT.
KIHEI, Maui, Hawaii – Jan 8, 2017 – The 2018 Maui Energy Conference returns to the Maui Arts Cultural Center March 14-15, celebrating its 5th Anniversary and the 10th Anniversary of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative. The event, presented by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and supported by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, is Hawaii’s leading energy conference and will explore the theme ‘Decarbonization: A Business Opportunity for Innovative Communities.’
“Hawaii led the way in setting a 100% Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) but did we set the right targets if we define renewable energy in a way that does not include carbon?” queries Conference Program Committee Chair Doug McLeod. “We will be looking at what we can learn from energy leaders across the nation and from around the globe.”
The Annual Maui Energy Conference attracts more than 300 energy industry leaders from Hawaii, the Mainland, Japan and Europe to exchange ideas on how to better serve customers in today’s rapidly changing power generation and delivery environment.
The conference program features invited Keynote speakers, panel sessions, case studies, exhibits and networking. With the 10-year anniversary of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI), speakers will be answering the questions on its limits. whether it addresses carbon and whether there is a worthy successor.
Ever heard of Carbon Farming? A panel will discuss what the Carbon Farming Task force has been up to and the implications for Maui and Hawaii.
“Decarbonization presents innovative communities, from Hawaii to New York, with new business opportunities,” added Frank De Rego Jr, Director of Business Development Projects at MEDB and Vice-Chair of the Program Committee. “We want to know if there is a viable market for carbon and how do we maximize innovation and investment in the pursuit of a carbon-free environment.”
Session topics explore the theme at a policy and regulatory level as well as business with a session on Convergence looking at how it all comes together for a shared solution that benefits all stakeholders. Other topics include: Decarbonizing Transportation; Regulating Carbon: The Best Solutions; Storage Technologies……and More.
The Program Committee includes energy experts from Maui, Oahu, Colorado, and California and welcomes new member Frederick Redell, Energy Commissioner, Maui County Office of Economic Development.
by HEC Team | Dec 20, 2017 | 2018, News
With the program for the 2018 Maui Energy Conference taking shape, we can share some more details with you.
Here are some of the topics to be explored at the 5th Annual Maui Energy Conference March 14 – 15, 2018 as we celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.
The Limits of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative
The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) has made claims to be a catalyst for significant strides in renewable energy, but there are lingering questions. What exactly is HCEI? What are its limits? Does it address carbon? Is there a worthy successor?
Business Opportunities Created by HCEI
What have we learned about nurturing business opportunities in the renewable energy sector? What are the hit and misses involving utility scale and distributed renewable resources? Is there a viable market for carbon?
The Entrepreneur Investor Relationship
How do we maximize innovation and investment in the pursuit of a carbon-free environment? What opportunities exist to connect investors and entrepreneurs in the pursuit of a common goal for decarbonization? What disruptive technologies are on the horizon that provide an opportunity for investment (e.g. data technology, hydrogen, storage technologies)?
And Much More!
The Maui Energy Conference provides an opportunity to learn from thought leaders about key issues in the energy industry and to connect, collaborate and forge new partnerships.
by HEC Team | Sep 8, 2017 | News
September 6, 2017
Press Release
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02)
Washington, DC—Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) recently introduced H.R. 3671, the Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act (OFF Act), which will put the United States on a pathway to replace fossil fuels with 100 percent clean energy generation and use by 2035. This legislation eliminates tax giveaways to the fossil fuel industry, and provides support to transitioning workers who will be impacted by this generational change.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s bill builds on progress made in Hawai‘i and other states that have committed to address the climate change crisis head on and do everything possible to transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy. The OFF Act continues this progress and sets an ambitious timeline to cut carbon emissions by ending America’s reliance on fossil fuels by 2035 in order to avert some of the most devastating impacts of climate change. Transitioning to clean energy will stimulate our economy, support our working men and women, and protect our environment. It will increase our competitiveness by investing in clean energy technologies, jobs, and training programs. Additionally, it will improve the health and well-being of the American people and our planet from toxic pollutants, asthma and respiratory illnesses, and environmental degradation.
Congresswoman Gabbard’s OFF Act is currently supported by environmental advocates and original co-sponsors including Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13), Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-33), Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), and Keith Ellison (MN-05) and has been endorsed by over 100 clean energy, climate change, and environmental justice organizations.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard Stated:
“Through extreme weather events, dramatically rising sea levels, negative impacts on our environment, and record high temperatures, we continue to see the devastating consequences of climate change. My home state of Hawai‘i has experienced this directly through record-breaking sea levels, high surf that has eroded land beneath homes and made roads impassable, and rising ocean temperatures that have dramatically altered marine life and destroyed our coral reefs. Hawai‘i has led by example as the first state in the nation to adopt a 100 percent clean energy goal. It’s long past time for the federal government to take action for the sake of our people, our planet, and our future.
“All across the country, industrial cities, coastal communities, and urban neighborhoods have been most impacted by the negative effects of years of pollution, stagnating wages, and unemployment. These communities are being hardest hit by increases in illness and disease, economic hardship, and food shortages. Twenty-first century problems demand twenty-first century solutions. By investing in green technologies and ending corporate hand outs to the fossil fuel industry, we can grow the economy, create good jobs, and protect our environment. The promise of a clean energy economy is one of skilled, good-paying jobs, advanced and sustainable infrastructure, and clean and safe neighborhoods.
“The transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy will not be easy. We must work together to address the challenges we face by listening to people in all sectors of the economy to build the path forward that will help our country end our dependence on fossil fuels and build a bridge to a clean energy future. It will take a commitment from both the public and private sector to work with energy companies, utilities, and transportation and industrial businesses to deploy the energy technologies that will transform our existing energy infrastructure today, while developing cutting edge solutions in the decades leading up to 2035. If the federal government does not act now and bring people together to solve this challenge, we will fail to protect future generations of Americans from the devastating economic and environmental consequences of climate change.
“We must do all we can to end our addiction to fossil fuels and deploy the technologies that will put America on the path toward a clean, sustainable energy future today and in the years to come. I call on my fellow lawmakers, and all Americans, to support the OFF Act to protect the people and our planet by committing to a 100 percent clean energy economy.”
State and national organizations supporting the OFF Act had the following to say:
“Rep. Gabbard is a leader in the environmental movement and we are grateful for her leadership on this important issue. Climate change disproportionately affects the poor and communities of color and we must fight for climate justice for all those who are harmed by fossil fuels and industrial pollution. We need every member of Congress to sign onto this, and all legislation, that seeks to protect our land, air, and water for generations yet unborn.” – Sen. Nina Turner, President, Our Revolution
Progressive Democrats of America is proud to strongly support Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s groundbreaking climate justice bill, the Off Fossil Fuels for a Healthy Future Act. As caretakers and protectors of our planet for future generations, we need standards that rise to the severity of the climate emergency. Rep. Gabbard’s bill moves us ever closer to the kind of climate justice that must be achieved with a sense of urgency and clarity.” – Donna Smith, Executive Director, Progressive Democrats of America
“Environmental Justice and Climate Justice communities and workers deserve better and more than an economy that continues to dig, burn, and dump in their backyard in spite of extreme climate threats. It is time to wake up as a nation and come together to set a visionary Just Transition away from fossil fuels that are polluting our neighborhoods, Tribal territories, and are leading to levels of CO2 that are already creating climate catastrophe for those at the frontlines in the US and the Global South. We need greater reinvestments and sustainable control of energy by communities, viable opportunities for workers, and a plan to move away from market-based solutions and corporate subsidies that reward dangerous behavior by the very industries that are suppose to meet our needs. We thank Rep. Gabbard for being a trailblazer in supporting a vision for a future we can all thrive in.” – Angela Adrar, Executive Director, The Climate Justice Alliance
“Firm science shows that to have any reasonable chance of avoiding climate chaos, we must transition away from fossil fuels immediately and aggressively. Much progress needs to be made in the next decade, and the transition must be complete by 2035. Congress Member Gabbard’s Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act would mandate this rapid energy revolution, and we’re proud to be working with her to move this critical legislation forward. This bill is the strongest, most ambitious climate and energy legislation ever introduced, but more importantly, it’s the only bill that sufficiently addresses the climate crisis we face.” – Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food and Water Watch
“The crises of climate change and economic inequality are intertwined, and must be solved in tandem. The Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act does just that, creating jobs, cleaning up the environment in the most impacted communities, and taking the bold action needed to avert climate catastrophe.” – Jordan Estevao, Senior Strategist, People’s Action Institute
“The Off Fossil Fuels for a Better Future Act is a bold and necessary federal action that rightly connects our nationwide dependence on dirty energy to economic stagnation, public health threats, and pointless environmental degradation. Climate change is here, and we simply can’t remain wedded to the old ways, ways that never worked for the most vulnerable among us. This bill puts justice at the center and provides a timely roadmap for an affordable, livable, and equitable future.” – Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, Executive Director, Maryland Environmental Health Network
“We are entering a climate emergency with grave effects on public health and safety and the future of society as a whole. The urgency of the need for this legislation couldn’t be more clear to direct care nurses who deal with the human fallout of fossil fuel pollution and its effects on the planet. NNU members stand united with our communities and the climate justice movement in support of this bill.” – Jean Ross, RN, Co-President, National Nurses United
“Many of the same activities which are a threat to the climate are also a threat to human health. Auto exhaust specifically has been identified by the Institute of Medicine and other groups as probably contributing to the increased risk of breast cancer. By requiring a shift to zero-emission vehicles and putting a moratorium on new major fracking and dangerous drilling projects, the OFF Act will help protect public health and reduce exposures to chemicals that may increase the risk of breast cancer.” – Karuna Jaggar, Executive Director, Breast Cancer Action
“The race to a 100 percent fossil fuel free existence is one that we cannot afford to lose. This race is further challenged by variables that contribute to and exacerbate climate disruption; racial, economic, ethnic and gender/gender ID injustice. The OFF act is a proactive tool to assist us in completing this race efficaciously, while removing insouciant approaches to uplifting and protecting our most marginalized communities and populations. Further, OFF’s approach to ensuring protection for workers who will be displaced as we rapidly wean ourselves off fossil fuels highlights the difference between a Just Transition and just a transition. We need to bust single issue silos and approach the climate crisis through an intersectional lens, OFF comprehends this idea and moves us in the right direction towards forging and sustaining a massive and inclusive movement.” – Anthony Rogers-Wright, US Coordinator, The Leap
“It is time for the United States to break free from its addiction to extreme energy. Science and traditional Indigenous knowledge knows that the only direct way to do that is a rapid just transition to sustainable, renewable energy. It’s time for us as human beings, to get back into balance with Mother Earth and Father Sky.” – Dallas Goldtooth, Campaigner, Keep It In The Ground Campaign, Indigenous Environmental Network
“The DER Council applauds Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s support for a clean energy economy and a fossil-free future for our Country. Once again, Hawaii leads the way for renewables.” – Leslie Cole-Brooks, Executive Director, Distributed Energy Resources Council of Hawaii
“Rep. Gabbard’s Energy proposal is an in-depth and comprehensive plan to move the US into an economically strong, culturally inclusive global leadership position on energy. This bill properly addresses Environmental Justice, sustainability, indigenous rights, and respect for other countries and people impacted by the fossil fuel appetite of the US. Now more than ever America needs to step up and again commit to the elimination of fossil fuels for the benefit of future generations. Mahalo Tulsi!” – Bob King, President, Pacific Biodiesel Technologies
“Clean energy is our future. Setting a 100% renewable energy policy ensures that America does not cede that future to other countries. When Hawaii set a goal for 100% renewable energy it was at first viewed as impossible and then accepted as aspirational. Today, the utility plans to achieve the goal five years ahead of schedule at a cost that is billions of dollars less than using fossil fuel energy. Building our clean energy future helps create an economy that supports us while protecting a planet that sustains us. Blue Planet Foundation applauds Congresswoman Gabbard’s leadership on this critical issue. Establishing a target for 100% clean energy for America is the vision we need today for a sustainable tomorrow. It’s time for America to make that commitment to future generations that we are serious about solving our climate crisis.” – Jeffrey Mikulina, Blue Planet Foundation
