Senator Gabbard Joins Other Advocates to Protest Clean Energy Moratorium

Recently the Hawaiian Electric Co. (HECO) proposed a moratorium in an ongoing case before the state Public Utilities Commission on “feed-in tariffs”, an innovative program that would allow homes and businesses to get paid for power fed into the grid. The action by HECO, if successful, would bar homes and businesses that buy their electricity from installing renewable energy systems like solar panels on the islands of Hawai‘i, Maui, Lana‘i, and Moloka‘i. The proposal would halt ongoing progress towards reducing dependence on imported oil and curbing greenhouse gas pollution. It could cause devastating harm to Hawai‘i’s growing indigenous solar industry.

Sen. Mike Gabbard joined with state and national clean energy organizations, including Blue Planet Foundation, Sierra Club, Hawai‘i Chapter, and Earthjustice, and others involved in Hawai‘i’s renewable energy industry in protesting HECO's proposal. Gabbard said, "Today's solar and other types of renewable energy systems being installed directly on homes and businesses are a glimpse into a future that is not far off. These efforts by thousands of individuals committing to a clean energy future are a crucial part of the solution to Hawai'i's energy problems and should not be discouraged by our utilities."

He also said, "Hawai'i's energy security situation is dire--we are incredibly vulnerable to oil price spikes and supply disruptions that are charged to utility customers, who must simply pay their bill no matter how high it rises...Meanwhile, in these challenging economic times when Hawai'i needs jobs more than ever, the solar industry is creating green jobs for working families."

Sen. Gabbard concluded by saying, "The Hawaiian Electric companies must begin living up to their responsibilities as public utilities and stop acting in opposition to the interests of the citizens of our state."

This is an awesome statement and I hope that HECO won't be successful in their efforts to "black-out" our clean energy efforts.