Email: "Experts Predict Bright Future"
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It’s possible that a few eyebrows furrowed in curiosity as a caravan of electric and hybrid vehicles pulled into the plumeria-lined driveway of the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa on Thursday, Sept. 10, and Friday, Sept. 11, for the second Maui County Energy Expo. Following an impressive turnout in 2007, the Maui County Energy Expo 2009 drew more than 300 attendees for an examination of “Our Energy Future: From Concept to Reality.”

Hosted by the Office of the Mayor and the Office of Economic Development, in partnership with the Maui Economic Development Board, the two-day conference included a series of panel discussions, a presentation of the recommendations of the Maui County Energy Alliance Working Groups and informative displays and demonstrations by local, state and national exhibitors. The event provided a thorough summary of the most prevalent energy issues facing Maui County—and the rest of the world—today, and how we can move towards a clean and green tomorrow.

On Thursday morning, hundreds of attendees piled into the Grand Wailea’s regal Haleakalä Ballroom, including Maui County Councilmembers, state senators and representatives eager to hear a panel of experts share their thoughts about the prospects of securing a sustainable future for Maui County.

In his keynote address on Thursday morning, Henk Rogers, an entrepreneur, philanthropist and founder of Blue Planet Foundation, presented “Hawai‘i at the Crossroads: The Path to Sustainability,” focusing on the challenges the state will face in moving towards a more sustainable, renewable future and his own personal mission to end the use of carbon-based fuels.

Rogers set the tone for the day, as his address was followed by a panel discussion featuring Mayor Charmaine Tavares, Jeanne Skog of the Maui Economic Development Board, Chris Lovvorn from Läna‘i Solar Farm, Robert Hoonan from Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, Kimberly Svetin from Moloka‘i Drugs and Kula resident Warren Shibuya. The discussion focused on the ongoing sustainable efforts within the sectors of government, nonprofits, renewable energy development, hotel and tourism, small business and residential areas.

The underlying objective became patently clear, as Mayor Tavares immediately assured, “My No. 1 priority is getting us into a sustainable economy.” In addition, responding to a question about the licensing and registration of electric vehicles, the mayor emphatically said, “If anyone is having problems getting an electric car licensed, contact me… just make sure you have all of the facts.”

The afternoon also featured a much-anticipated presentation of recommendations compiled by the Maui County Energy Alliance Working Groups, followed by moderated discussions open to members the public. The working groups discussed a variety of topics, and according to the county, the input provided during these discussions will be considered for integration into the final document prepared by the Maui County Energy Alliance.

The afternoon yielded a flurry of questions regarding energy use and efficiency, but the predominant inquiries revealed that residents desired an opportunity to take part in the planning process.

“It’s very clear that people really want to become involved in the process,” said Upcountry resident Melanie Stephens. “And they want to get started now.”

Another attendee asked if locally owned businesses would be given priority for implementing sustainable initiatives within Maui County. According to Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism Director Theodore Liu, “It’s state law.” The State Legislature mandated that the county is required to give priority consideration to local businesses, he said, before bidding projects out to Mainland or international companies.

As the conference reconvened on Friday morning, Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission Chairman Carlito Caliboso, state Rep. Hermina Morita, Ha‘ikü Design and Analysis Consultant Carl Freedman and county Planning Director Jeff Hunt took the stage to tackle the vital topics of meeting Hawai‘i’s clean energy goal (70 percent by 2030), legislative efforts to ensure energy security for the state, challenges in reaching a “renewable generation” and implementing a lasting energy infrastructure that will meet the community’s needs.

Rounding out the morning session, Maui Planning Commission Member Jonathan Starr, Hawai‘i Energy Efficiency Program Manager Michael Chang, Paul Norton from the National Renewable Energy Lab and state Energy Analyst Howard Wiig covered the issues of energy efficiency and conservation, focusing on sustaining energy efficiency and down-side management, advanced building energy codes and the impact of technology and economics on energy efficiency and conservation.

And in the final panel discussion of the conference, three energy experts shed some light on the subject of energy storage systems and integration—a significant roadblock to implementing an energy infrastructure for renewable energy integration. Panelists included General Electric Engineer Devon Manz, Dr. Terrence Surles from the Hawai‘i Natural Energy Institute Program and Maui Electric Company (MECO) President Ed Reinhardt.

Attendees had several questions for the panel; specifically, how to better manage the flow of electricity and what kind of vision is attached to creating a “smart grid” for Maui County. Surles admitted that the concept of a smart grid is not fully developed or defined, and that it will continue to be developed in an incremental process. “If anyone says they can define a smart grid, they are either lying or delusional,” he said. “But we’re working on it.”

According to Reinhardt, “The No. 1 challenge is the integration of a smart grid.” He said MECO will continue to work towards stabilizing available resources and assured that his company “will continue to work with and partner with renewable energy providers… we are in a good position to accomplish this.”

In her closing statements, Mayor Tavares applauded the contributions of the panelists, presenters, community members and youth leaders who shared their wisdom and vision during the conference. “I feel good about our future… I believe we now have a handle on the concept and a little reality, but we still have a long way to go to fully understand the reality,” she said. “Our work has to continue—it won’t happen overnight. We have to crawl before we walk, and we are now in the crawling stage.” With a confident smile, she said, “Our future looks bright [and] we will get there. I’m looking forward to the next Energy Expo, where we’ll see another huge leap forward.”

Although it was a positive outlook on the future, one lasting impression of the conference was an urgent desire to carry out the steps necessary to reach these sustainable goals.

“What I want to know is, what next?” asked one attendee, as she waited for the valet to retrieve her Toyota Prius. “We have all of the facts, now we just need to make a plan and make it happen.”

For more information on the Maui County Energy Expo 2009, visit the county Website at www.mauicounty.gov. To view the full Maui County Energy Alliance report, visit www.co.maui.hi.us/index.aspx?nid=1439 and click on “Maui County Energy Alliance.”

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