Bill > SR84

This Resolution formally requests the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) to work with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a permanent office within Hawaii. This initiative builds upon a long-standing partnership between Hawaii and the DOE, highlighted by the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) established in 2008 and updated in 2014, which aimed to transform energy planning and delivery through renewable resources and efficiency, serving as a national model. Hawaii has since become a leader in clean energy policy, setting ambitious goals for renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction, and the HSEO, created in 2019, leads these efforts, including incorporating equity and justice into energy policy. The Resolution acknowledges Hawaii's strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific region and its alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration's national security and clean energy goals, particularly the Justice40 Initiative which aims to direct federal clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities, of which Hawaii has many. The HSEO is also asked to report to the Legislature on the progress of this engagement and any proposed agreements, and relevant state officials are requested to support this effort.