Lingle
Announces Sustainable Energy Plan
Comprehensive
plan expected to bolster economy and save millions of dollars.
Governor Linda Lingle has announced that she will be seeking to
implement a new strategic energy plan that if all goes well, will
be fully in effect by the year 2020.
The plan encourages and supports market-based development of reliable,
cost-effective, and self-reliant energy for Hawai‘i.
Lingle feels that once initiated, that the plan will bring Hawai‘i
to the forefront of the sustainable energy stage.
“This comprehensive and timely energy plan provides ‘homegrown’
energy solutions today, which will create a secure energy and
economic future for the people of Hawai`i,” said Lingle.
“It seeks to establish Hawai`i as a leader in the global,
hydrogen economy by accelerating the development of the state’s
own indigenous, renewable energy resources.”
When fully implemented, the conservation, renewable energy and
alternative transportation fuels components of this plan will
displace the importation of 110 million barrels of crude oil,
retain $6.32 billion in our economy that would have gone to purchase
oil, and eliminate 49 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Drawing on ideas put forth by the Hawai`i Energy Policy Forum,
the Economic Momentum Commission (EMC) and others, the plan is
expected to address Hawai`i's long-standing dependence on imported
crude oil for its energy source.
Components of the plan include:
• "Savings through Efficiency”
• “Independence through Renewable Energy”
• “Fuels through Farming”
• “Security through Technology”
• “Empowering Hawai`i’s Consumers”
DBEDT Director Ted Liu praises the plan. “By attracting
considerable investments of capital and expertise to Hawai`i,
we will be investing wisely for our future needs,” he said.
 |
| Thomas
Dorr, Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture discusses the merits of Governor Lingle's energy
plan |
Hawai`i,
like much of the world, is competing with the strong demand for
increasing imports from the oil-producing countries. Nations that
used to be net exporters of petroleum to Hawai`i, like China,
have become major importers. This intense competition for the
same diminishing energy resource – crude oil – has
led to a significantly higher new "plateau price", from
which experts have concluded historical low price trends will
not return.
Unlike other parts of the world, however, Hawai`i has abundant
natural assets and competitive advantages which can be turned
into renewable energy for electricity and transportation fuels
– year-round sunlight, wind, geothermal, and untapped ocean
and agricultural resources.
“These are our resources that should be used to secure our
energy future and stimulate our economy,” said Liu.
A 2003 study by Stillwater Associates projected that an ethanol
industry of 90,000,000 gallons per year "could add as much
as $300,000,000 to Hawai`i's economy in direct and indirect value."
In addition, emerging energy technologies can increase the use
of Hawai`i’s renewable resources through their conversion
to hydrogen-rich fuels as energy carriers, stimulating more economic
growth and making the state more self-reliant. With advanced hydrogen
technologies, renewable resources not only can be stored, distributed,
and used in a variety of clean, efficient power and transportation
applications state-wide, but can be exported as well.
Lui says that he expects such initiatives will reduce future dependency
and ultimately lower consumer costs.
“The bottom line is the status quo is unacceptable,”
Liu finalized. “After decades without a meaningful plan,
it’s time we established these bold, integrated energy policies.
