July 31, 2008 - Hawai`i is a Global Leader in Energy Independence

Click here to listen to this address.

"I recently returned from important conferences focused on increasing Hawai`i's energy independence. 

Representatives from island nations discussed our overdependence on imported oil and the urgent need for change. Our isolated locations make our island economies more susceptible to the extreme fluctuations of energy prices. 

Members of my Administration, chairs of the legislative energy committees, public utilities commissioners, private utilities and county energy commissioners also met at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado to focus on our united goal of transforming Hawai`i to renewable, indigenous sources of energy. 

This unprecedented collaboration will open many new possibilities as we move forward toward Hawai`i's clean energy future.