Author: Melissa

WiRE Breakfast: Legislative Session Recap and Looking Ahead to 2024

On July 25th, WiRE hosted a breakfast conversation exploring recent trends in state energy policy in Hawaii. Attendees learned about energy policies passed during the 2023 legislative session and what’s on the horizon for the 2024 session.

Panelists:

  • Senator Lynn DeCoite, Chair, Senate Committee on Energy, Economic Development and Tourism
  • Representative Nicole Lowen, Chair, House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection

 

Moderated by Melissa Miyashiro, Executive Director, Blue Planet Foundation

WiRE Pau Hana – Hawaii Energy Conference (Maui)

Please join us in-person for a closing reception on May 25, 2023 following the 10th Hawaii Energy Conference* at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

  • Light pupus and cash bar
  • Current WiRE members who register for the closing reception in advance will receive one complimentary drink ticket.

*All are welcome but you must be registered to attend the conference, for more information or to register for the conference visit www.hawaiienergyconference.com

  • Location: Maui Arts & Cultural Center, 1 Cameron Way, Kahului, HI 96732
  • Date: May 25, 2023
  • Time: 5 – 6:30pm

Looking forward to seeing you there.

RSVP here!

WiRE Breakfast: What’s happening with Time of Use rates?

On May 8th, WiRE hosted a timely conversation about Hawaiian Electric’s Shift and Save time-of-use (TOU) pilot set to launch July 1, 2023. Attendees learned about how this initiative was developed collaboratively with stakeholders and the PUC. The panelists discusses what this means for customers and how they can shift consumption away from the most expensive hours into cheaper, cleaner hours for the grid.

 

  • Location: The Pacific Club, 1451 Queen Emma St, Honolulu, HI 96813
  • Date: March 10, 2023 8AM – 9:30AM
  • Members: $35
  • Non-members: $50

 

Panelists:
  • Jim Kelly – Vice President, Government and Community Relations and Corporate Communications at Hawaiian Electric
  • Rocky Mould – Executive Director, Hawaii Solar Energy Association

 

Moderated by Caroline Carl – Hawaii Energy

WiRE Breakfast: Electric Transportation in Hawaii

On March 10, 2023, WiRE hosted a breakfast panel discussion focused on electric transportation in Hawaii. Grace Relf, Chief of Policy & Research at the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, provided opening remarks about the energy industry.

Attendees learned about the State’s plan to deploy $6.1 million in charging stations as part of their NEVI Plan, heard about Hawaiian Electric’s $4.8 million Charge Up Commercial make ready infrastructure pilot, and found out how the US Postal service is electrifying their fleet, thanks to analyses by ICF International.

Opening Remarks, Energy Industry Insights & Vision: Grace Relf, Chief of Policy & Research, Public Utilities Commission

Moderator: Tabatha Knudson, Mobility & Equity Coordinator, Blue Planet

Panelists:

  1. Dre Kalili, Deputy Director, Hawaii Department of Transportation – Harbors
  2. Ida Taylor, Product Manager, Charge Up Commercial, Hawaiian Electric
  3. Susan Asam, Vice President, Climate Planning + ICF Climate Center Senior Fellow, ICF International

WiRE Tour & Talk Story with Mayor Blangiardi

On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, WiRE participated in a site tour of the Honouliuli Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) plant and talk story with Mayor Rick Blangiardi.  Commissioned in 2018, the RNG plant, made possible through a partnership between the City & County of Honolulu and Hawaii Gas, upgrades raw biogas from the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ewa Beach, to pipeline ready RNG for use by utility gas customers on Oahu.

Mahalo to the Department of Environmental Services and Hawaii Gas for hosting the tour, and to Mayor Blangiardi and Nicola Hedge (Resilience Office), for engaging with us!

 

 

WiRE Holiday Pau Hana

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry with WiRE!
Join us for the annual WiRE Holiday Party on December 17 at 5:00 PM at Gordon Biersch.  Join us to network with fellow WiRE members, as we come together to reflect on 2019 and look ahead to 2020. All attending will also receive a special holiday gift.
Tuesday, December 17 at 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Gordon Biersch, Aloha Tower Marketplace

 

  • WiRE Members: $25
  • Non-members: $35

 

No host bar. Heavy pupu included.

Climate Reality Through the Lens of Al Gore’s Trained Leaders

On September 25, 2019, WiRE hosted a lunch and a panel discussion with local leaders trained by Former U.S. Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore on the reality of our climate crisis and related solutions pertaining to clean energy, resilience, emergency response, and climate equity. Continue reading “Climate Reality Through the Lens of Al Gore’s Trained Leaders”

Hawaii’s EoT – How far have we come and where are we headed?

On July 19, WiRE heard from local experts about how Hawaii is electrifying transportation. Over breakfast, we took a deep dive into Hawaiian Electric’s Electrification of Transportation (EoT) Strategic Roadmap. We also found out more about how the Hawaii State Energy Office is utilizing funds from the Volkswagen settlement to facilitate public transit or school bus electrification projects and got insight into how Hawaii’s market for EV charging infrastructure is expanding. Panelists included:

  • Amber Stone, Vice President of Business Development, Aloha Charge
  • Margaret Larson, Transportation Energy Analyst, Hawaii State Energy Office, DBEDT
  • Tandy Tabata, Senior Program Manager for Electrification of Transportation, Hawaiian Electric