ABOUT
The Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative, a Hawaii-registered 421C non-profit cooperative association, was formed by community and business leaders on the island to explore and promote a comprehensive approach to develop an integrated, renewable and sustainable energy strategy for the Big Island of Hawaii.
The potential merits of a community-based, cooperative ownership structure for electric utility service on the island include:- Local, democratic control over the island’s energy infrastructure, providing greater benefits and retaining any excess over the cost of operations for island residents.
- Community-based and community-chosen strategic priorities under which the cooperative operates for the sustainable development of the island.
- Potentially lower electric costs through tax exempt status, lower cost of capital and no shareholder profits, greater efforts to develop less expensive island-based power sources, promotion of education, markedly improved energy efficiency, and the accelerated adoption of appropriate advanced technologies.
- Greater overall energy independence, higher renewable energy generation, and enhanced sustainability through a comprehensive and integrated approach to all energy-consuming sectors on the island.
- Developing and emphasizing island-produced fuels to provide an energy source for both electric generation and transportation sectors.
HIEC Directors
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Richard Ha, President
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Gerald DeMello, Vice President
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Wally Ishibashi, Vice President
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Marco Mangelsdorf, Secretary and Spokesperson
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Michelle Galimba
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Noe Kalipi
HIEC Advisory Board
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Greg Chun
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Donna Johnson
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Paul Ponthieux
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Russell Ruderman
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Eric Weinert
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