The 2020 夏威夷的能量 Conference (HEC), postponed in March due to Covid-19, aired in July as a live-stream online event. Presented by the 皇冠体育经济发展局 (皇冠体育官网) and supported by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, the virtual conference explored the theme Imagining a Just Recovery: What would that look like for the Grid? The free event included industry experts discussing how the energy sector can and should respond to our current challenges by creating a ‘just’ electrical grid.
“随着HEC走向虚拟化, it attracted a bigger and broader audience than its traditional base of energy leaders from Hawaii, 美国大陆.S., Japan, and Europe,” said Leslie Wilkins, 皇冠体育官网 President and CEO. “The conference welcomed over 600 participants from 24 different states and Puerto Rico. An exciting feature this year was our international participation. Six countries joined us, spanning time zones from Europe to Asia.”
One of the nation’s leading energy conferences, HEC brought together professionals on energy policy, 策略, 领导, and innovation to focus on how the energy sector should respond to the challenges imposed by the pandemic. The program included four panels plus brief video presentations with information related to the theme. Hawaii Clean Power Alliance presented 变化的宏观经济学 and Ulupono Initiative’s video presentation was on Why We Should All be Talking More About Performance Based Regulation.
“The HEC provides a vital service to our state by convening policy-makers and stakeholders to discuss our energy future,默里·克莱说, 乌鲁波诺倡议主席. “As we all work together to help Hawaii stabilize and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, it is especially important to embrace innovative technology, policies and regulation within the renewable energy sector, which will help protect our natural environment, shielding our island state from volatile world fossil fuel markets, strengthening its overall resilience, and aid in its economic recovery.”
Given the importance of these issues across the globe, HEC recognized that Covid-19 has laid bare the stark reality of pre-existing inequalities in society. The elderly, the poor, and minorities have suffered tremendously in the pandemic’s wake. An equitable or ‘just’ recovery is the only path forward to heal communities. Participants discussed what 策略 policy-makers and regulators will use to achieve results that benefit broad sectors of society. Also, how will utilities and companies in the energy sector contribute?
在他的主题演讲中， Why Energy Equity Matters, Especially to the Electric Company, 斯科特建, President and CEO of 夏威夷电力 Company explained, “Fairly serving all customers is essential to how we run our 项目 and offer just and reasonable rates. As we transform our energy system to one that is decarbonized, 分散的, 更有弹性, 公平的要素, 机会, and participation are as important as any field source or technology for our successful transition to renewable energy. Working our way through this crisis, I challenge our 夏威夷电力 team to lead with empathy and to consider the level of anxiety and even hopelessness that a lot of people are experiencing.”
Seu继续, “It is not enough anymore to simply say we will all benefit from cleaner, 总有一天，更便宜的可再生能源. The duration and the depth of our current economic downturn is unlike anything we have ever experienced; so someday is not soon enough. The leaders of 夏威夷电力 are looking at what bold 策略 we can use to benefit the most people, 最快的.”
Seu added, “The renewable energy transformation must include everyone. That is what equity looks like to me. 这样，就不会有人掉队了. Working our way through this crisis, I have challenged myself and our team to think outside our traditional role of keeping the lights on; to be bold, 有创意的, 然后想出一些点子, such as a 社区 solar program, that will strengthen our economy; to be the better Hawaii we can all imagine.”
The 夏威夷的能量 Conference serves to exchange ideas on how to better serve customers in the Islands’ rapidly changing energy environment. This unique opportinuity to hear from industry leaders and innovators attracted keen interest nationally and internationally. Attendees were able to network with each other through a conference browser app, and to access resources provided by sponsors through the virtual Exhibit Hall and digital swag bag.
Participating sponsors were: Hawaii Clean Power Alliance, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI), Ulupono Initiative, 夏威夷的能量, 夏威夷电力, Powin能源, 发展能源, 174 Power Global, 伯恩斯 & 麦克唐奈, 杜德克, 元素加速器, Greenlots, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, OpusOne解决方案, Par夏威夷.
Read the full story including summary of the panel discussions.