Panelists provide energizing discussions on Day 1 of the 2021 Hawaii Energy Conference

Jun 24, 2021

The annual Hawaii Energy Conference, kicked off on June 22 with energy industry leaders from Hawaii, the continental United States, Japan, and Europe. This year’s theme is The Energy Transition in Hawaii: Lessons learned from our investments in people and projects.

As with many public events, the 2021 Hawaii Energy Conference continued with its all-virtual format this year. This allowed attendees to participate in discussions with energy industry leaders from the safety and comfort of their living rooms and socially distanced workspaces. Attendees were able to build their own schedule for the day, network with leaders, and even interact via virtual booths.

The conference opened with keynote speaker Suleman Khan, chief executive officer at Swell Energy. Khan discussed the benefits of virtual powerplants, which help decarbonize, decentralize, and digitize the energy grid.

As one of this year’s champion sponsors and exhibitors, Ulupono Initiative supports conversations that promote renewable energy projects and the mass adoption of electric vehicles, in addition to investing in opportunities that help move Hawaii towards its renewable energy goals.

Panel discussions throughout the event allowed for free-flowing conversation between the panelists and attendees covering a broad range of topics, including the electrification of transportation, alternative fuel sources, carbon emissions concerning tourism, and more. 

A highlight of Day 1 was the panel on Possible Federal Decarbonization Standards — How Could That Change Policies, Plans, Rules, and Regulation in Hawaii. Moderated by Colton Ching, Hawaiian Electric’s senior vice president of planning and technology, the robust discussion included Murray Clay, president of Ulupono Initiative; Scott Glenn, chief energy officer at the Hawaii State Energy Office; Josh Zawislak, senior advisor at Hawaii Green Growth; and Ed Sniffen, the deputy director for highways with the Hawaii Department of Transportation.

Clay recognized Hawaii’s ambitious goals, stating that the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) we have in Hawaii is “already a higher standard than the federal standard proposed by the Biden Administration.” Hawaii also enjoys a broad range of renewable energy resources, including wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy sources. Clay stressed the importance of advancing renewable energy and electrification of transportation in Hawaii, not only from an environmental perspective, but also from an economic one. He also emphasized that, even at the current percentage of renewable energy production in the islands, EVs are more efficient and produce significantly fewer greenhouse gases than internal combustion engine vehicles.

“Anything we can do to protect the environment will benefit tourism and our local economy,” Clay said as the discussion moved to the state’s carbon footprint and tourism. For example, many visitors travel to Hawaii for its scenery and pristine coastlines. There is a disconnect when they do not see the presence of renewables and cleaner transportation options to protect those things. “As the state shifts to renewable energy, we will no longer need unsightly fossil fuel powerplants. This will benefit not only the environment but also the tourism industry and local economy.”

Following the panel discussion, Ulupono Initiative sponsored a video updating conference-goers on progress in the electrification of our state’s ground transportation. The video provided critical insight from local leaders and advocates, including Ulupono’s own Greg Gaug, on how EVs play a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions and how their adoption can be accelerated. Watch the video here.

Throughout the conference, several other notable panel discussions covered topics such as investing respectfully in Hawaii, how ESG will affect energy investment in Hawaii, and distributed energy resources as clean, affordable, and resilient power for a carbon-free energy future. There was also a special interview with Hawaii Public Utilities Commissioner Jennifer Potter regarding the state’s performance-based regulation framework that went into effect this month.

The conference concludes to today. For more information, visit https://hawaiienergyconference.com/.

Photo by Hawaii Energy Conference