Governor Green Reinforces Commitment to Renewable Energy

Governor Josh Green, M.D., signed an executive order (EO) in late January to promote and expedite the development of renewable energy in the state of Hawai‘i.

In the face of federal uncertainty regarding renewable energy and concerns over grid stability across the state, the Governor is committed to expanding and accelerating Hawai‘i’s renewable resource development, and has outlined priorities to reduce energy costs, prevent blackouts and slash emissions for Hawai‘i residents and businesses.

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

In addition, the EO calls upon the Hawai‘i 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 Hawai‘i’s people. 

“Hawai‘i needs to take some drastic steps to reduce energy costs, which have continued to rise contributing to the high cost of living for our people,” said Governor Green. “We know that high energy costs in Hawai‘i are due to our reliance on burning oil for electricity and old infrastructure, which is really unacceptable. We can and must do more to get this under control.”

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.

“This EO represents the start of real action to lower costs, support a stable energy system, and reduce emissions,” said Chip Fletcher, the Governor’s climate advisor and interim dean of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. “Governor Green is cutting the red tape to realize our shared energy goals, including the first-ever push to get neighbor island communities to energy independence a decade sooner.”

With this EO, Hawai‘i is taking bold steps to secure an affordable, stable and sustainable energy future, ensuring that residents and businesses benefit from lower costs, cleaner power and a more resilient grid. By accelerating renewable energy adoption and cutting bureaucratic delays, Governor Green is reinforcing Hawai‘i’s leadership in energy innovation and climate action—proving that despite federal uncertainty, the state remains committed to a self-sufficient, renewable-powered future for generations to come.