Yesterday, Governor Green unveiled an executive order to promote and expedite the development of renewable energy in the state of Hawaiʻi.

The executive order, developed with the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office and the input of various energy stakeholders across the state over the last year, outlines new policy objectives and directives for the state of Hawaiʻi, including accelerating renewable development for neighbor island communities to hit 100% renewable portfolio standards from 2045 to 2035, setting a statewide goal of 50,000 distributed renewable energy installations (such as rooftop solar and battery systems) by 2030, and directing state departments to streamline and accelerate the permitting of renewable developments to reduce energy costs and project development timelines.

In addition, the order calls upon the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission and Hawaiian Electric Company for support in reducing redundancies and inefficiencies in energy permitting and to prioritize reduced energy costs and energy stability for Hawaiʻi’s people.

Despite the federal administration signaling a turn away from renewables, Governor Green is doubling-down on a diversified, renewable-centered approach to cut costs and emissions.

Energy costs have risen starkly in Hawaiʻi, which has the highest average residential energy rate of any state in the U.S.