Secretary Halaand’s Visit to Hawai‘i Will Spotlight Fast-Growing Clean Energy Capabilities in Island Communities

Honolulu, Hawai‘i  — Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland’s visit to Hawai‘i this week  will spotlight President Biden’s clean energy plan and how his administration’s agenda is benefitting island communities. Secretary Haaland will speak to federal, state, and local efforts that will create clean energy jobs and expand the state’s renewable capabilities.

The Biden administration’s affordable clean energy plan has invested in bold climate resiliency programs and cost-saving efficiency projects. Last year, the Department of Energy announced that Hawai‘i would be receiving $68,387,420 in home energy rebate funding to lower energy costs and make homes more energy efficient. 

Here are some examples of clean energy advancements made thanks to President Biden’s Clean Energy Plan: 

• $25 million in funding to the Office of Native Hawaiian Relations, to advance climate and clean energy initiatives in Native Hawaiian communities. 
• $3 million in funding to build clean energy economies across Hawai‘i.
• $26 million for projects in Hawai‘i to strengthen Climate-Ready Coasts.
• $23 million to buy a mix of zero-emission buses, battery electric buses, and fuel cell electric buses.
• $285 million invested by Clearway Energy Group in two utility-scale solar projects in Mililani and Wahiawā.

Hawai‘i, facing rising sea levels, has been leading the charge in the shift to clean energy, becoming the first state to declare a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045 back in 2014. Prioritizing clean energy growth is paying off. In 2022, roughly 29% of Hawai‘i’s total electricity was generated from renewable sources, of which 17% was attributed to solar – the 10th-highest in the nation.

###