Hawaii Community Engagement
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) are hosting community-based listening sessions across the Hawaiian islands.
This project is focused on empowering communities to make decisions and choices that support local needs. Join a listening session to share your perspectives on community energy needs—including costs, resilience, energy independence, air quality, and renewable sources (e.g., geothermal, wind). Learn more about the listening sessions below.
Community Council
As part of this initiative, the project team has established a Community Council with members of more than a dozen Hawaiian utilities and industry, community organizations, academia, state agencies, and nonprofits. Council members will help develop the project’s engagement strategy to ensure community selection and key topics are thoughtfully incorporated into chosen locations for listening sessions, dates, agendas, outreach, and educational materials.
GTO, NREL, and the Community Council are collaborating to host listening sessions in the spring and summer of 2024 on Hawaiian islands. These listening sessions are paramount to ensuring diverse local voices are part of the conversation on Hawaii’s clean energy future and that GTO and NREL understand interests in and barriers to different renewable energy technologies from a variety of unique perspectives.
Listening Sessions
Listening sessions were held on Oahu and Maui in March 2024. Thank you to those who attended! The next listening sessions will be held on the Big Island in May; see below for details.
Join us for a listening session to share your perspectives on energy in Hawaii. The goal of the listening sessions is to bring community members interested in energy together and connect communities with informational resources so they can play a role in their energy futures.
These listening sessions are meant for Hawaiian communities only. Registration is required; sign up for our mailing list below for more details once released.
Big Island Listening Sessions
Kailua-Kona
May 16, 2024, 2–4 p.m.
Waimea
May 16, 2024, 2–4 p.m.
Additional listening sessions for the Big Island will be announced at a later date.
This effort is focused on community engagement—neither development of energy resources nor funding for any energy development are a part of this initiative.
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