As local, national and international communities navigate a changing energy landscape, the 12th annual Hawaii Energy Conference brings industry leaders together to offer solutions addressing the most pressing energy challenges of today.
Featuring ten dynamic panels and one Deep Dive session over two days, the program will cover topics ranging from utility-scale renewable energy deployment to community-based initiatives, and the economics and advancements of grid independence. Discussions will also tackle energy efficiency, sustainable financing strategies, alternative energy sources, job creation, training, and more.
Complementing the main stage discussions, the new Deep Dive session provides an intimate setting for up to 40 participants to engage directly with experts and explore complex issues like time-of-use rates.
The Hawaii Energy Conference offers networking and exhibiting opportunities to connect with key stakeholders, industry experts, innovators, policymakers and more. Join us on Maui to gain insights, share ideas, and collaborate on actionable solutions to building a sustainable future for Hawaii and beyond.
We are honored to have Governor Green join us as the keynote speaker at this year’s Hawaii Energy Conference.
Jacqui Hoover, Conference Chair and Executive Director and COO Hawaii Island Economic Development Board (HIEDB); and President Hawaii Leeward Planning
Olena Alec is the Executive Director of the Haleakalā Conservancy, the philanthropic partner to Haleakalā National Park. Alec leads the Conservancy’s efforts to provide funding for projects of critical importance to the park and its unique and endangered resources.
“Started in 2019, our nonprofit raises money for projects the park cannot fund,” Alec explained at a recent Kihei-Wailea Rotary meeting. “Conservation, preservation, and education are our main goals to help support our incredibly unique national park.”
Born and raised on Maui, Alec came to the Conservancy from The Climate Reality Project where she served as Director of Engagement. She also sits on the board of Students for Climate Action. She holds a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from University of Southern California.
“It has been my lifelong goal to be back on Maui contributing to the community and landscape that is home,” Alec said. “The Conservancy, dedicated to raising funds specifically for the park’s initiatives, goes beyond what government funding and entrance fees can provide. Haleakalā National Park faces perennial challenges: invasive species, climate change, and a lack of sufficient government funding.”
Saving Haleakalā’s forest birds such as the kiwikiu, which is on the brink of extinction, is a current concern of the park. Extra funding supports programs that buy tools for forest biologists protecting the birds. The Conservancy also works to preserve trail space to keep people safe and on the correct paths. Alec added, “The need to provide school buses, especially for the Hawaiian immersion schools, is very important. We want the students to know that this is their park, in their backyard. We hope to continue having all Maui students visit and learn from our programs. With community support, the Conservancy’s efforts will ensure Haleakalā National Park thrives.”
For members of the public looking to support the Park, there are several options, including monetary donations and purchasing a Haleakalā specialty license plate. More info can be found online at https://www.haleakalaconservancy.org/support.
As the park’s philanthropic partner, we support programs that preserve wildlife, ecosystems, history, and culture, and we appreciate the community’s support to ensure the continued success of our conservation efforts.
Olena Alec, Executive Director, Haleakalā Conservancy
As a local non-profit organization, Ka Hale A Ke Ola (KHAKO), “The House of Life,” has been breaking the cycle of homelessness on the island of Maui for over 30 years. KHAKO, dedicated to serving the needs of the homeless and disadvantaged on Maui, is a housing-focused, comprehensive resource center that provides emergency shelter, life skills training, case management, a primary-care medical clinic, and affordable housing facilities for families with children.
KHAKO’s Executive Director Sue R. Sadecki said, “In light of losing one of our two shelters in the August 8, 2023, Lahaina fire, we remain committed to working tirelessly to expand our programs and services as we continue to advocate for policies that address the root causes of homelessness in our community. Our properties consist of a homeless shelter on one side and affordable housing units on the other side. As the wildfire engulfed Lahaina town and destroyed our 78-unit shelter complex, our agency employees displayed acts of heroism by helping approximately 220 Lahaina shelter residents evacuate and move into our Wailuku site.”
As KHAKO continues to rebuild in Lahaina, they are grateful for the help offered by FEMA, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, numerous community organizations, and individuals. “Many people are not aware of the amazing services we provide,” Sadecki noted. “For example, the KHAKO case management team assists guests in finding immediate and permanent affordable housing. Childcare is provided for the benefit of the parent to seek employment and go to work. The Children’s Services Coordinator assists families with resources they may need in the community, offers events and programs that delight the keiki who live on-site, and high school volunteers visit to provide tutoring to all the school age children.”
County, state, and federal grants are helping KHAKO move forward to rebuild; however, there is still a long road ahead. Now that the debris removal is finished, they need additional funds to complete the rebuilding. “We provide essential services that need to happen in Lahaina as soon as possible,” Sadecki added. “One of my favorite quotes is by Coretta Scott King, ‘The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.’”
KHAKO makes a difference in the community. We give people support and stability when they most need it to rebuild their lives and get back on the path to success.
Sue R. Sadecki, Executive Director, Ka Hale A Ke Ola
A new manufacturing center in Pāʻia was the topic of discussion at a recent Maui TechOhana meeting. Presented by Maui Economic Development Board Inc. (MEDB), and supported by the County of Maui, TechOhana meetings provide an informal networking opportunity open to anyone interested in business and technology topics. The Pāʻia Village Company, established in August 2020, is committed to transforming the historic Pāʻia Sugar Mill into a state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing village. The idea to purchase the mill and restore it to a manufacturing center was the brainchild of Dan Ellis, managing partner of Pāʻia Village Company. Ellis and his business partner, Wayne Thibaudeau, presented key aspects of the project during the meeting.
“The Pāʻia Village Company is dedicated to addressing Hawaiʻi’s core needs through the development of a new manufacturing village,” said Thibaudeau. “By integrating modern industry with community values, we aim to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for all. We hope the community will join us in revitalizing Pāʻia and setting a benchmark for responsible development.”
Ellis explained, “Our vision is to support livable wages, build affordable housing, and revive community spirit, continuing the sugar mill’s 150-year legacy of responsible industry. Some key aspects of the project include developing a cutting-edge manufacturing hub that fosters innovation and provides high-quality employment opportunities…and promoting sustainable agriculture to enhance food security and economic resilience. The Village Center will be a community hub to enrich the lives of residents.”
Jerry Isdale, founder of Maui Makers LLC and long-time TechOhana attendee, said, “This is the beginning of an exciting new era for Pāʻia. Highly skilled workers will have a wonderful place to develop their craft and talents. Ultimately the thing that binds it all together is the communal aspect, a community working together again.”
TechOhana attendee Rachel Campbell shared, “The history of the sugar mill was interesting to learn about. The new Pāʻia Village Center will bring back the culture and traditions of village life. It’s a possibility to return to a more sustainable way of life.”
An Economic Development Administration grant was recently awarded to the non-profit, Maui Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (MAMA), in partnership with MEDB to support this project. The grant will be used for non-construction activities that will pave the way for a successful manufacturing center, including training and apprenticeships, manufacturing sector organizing, and business sustainability planning.
Pāʻia was a company town with a village lifestyle that we hope to re-invent for the future of our families and our community.
Dan Ellis and Wayne Thibaudeau, Managing Partners, Pāʻia Village Company
Remembering Lahaina, a touching, nostalgic, and beautiful coffee table art book compiled by the Maui Arts League, is a collection of high resolution photographs of original artwork from the Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational events from 2006 to 2020 and 2023. It is a tribute to the places, people, and culture of the historic town as well as to the galleries that lost thousands of pieces of artwork due to the August 2023 wildfire.
“Measuring 10 by 12 inches, this 208-page full-color hardcover book contains 251 images of paintings created by acclaimed professional plein air artists,” said Lois Reising, President of the Maui Arts League, art collector, community volunteer, and publisher of Remembering Lahaina. “Plein air artists paint outside, not in their studios, creating works that document a point in time under natural atmospheric conditions. The book also shares messages from the artists, which include what neighborhood their scene is from, why they were drawn to the scene they painted, as well as the Hawaiian names of the locations.”
The collection offered in Remembering Lahaina documents not only Lahaina’s historic architecture, but also its rich multicultural community and endearing charm. Some of the 87 plein air artists who contributed to this book lost their homes, studios, and art inventories in the fire that destroyed Lahaina town. The dust cover features “Lahainaluna View” by Ronaldo Macedo. A prolific local artist, Macedo also recently won the 2024 Lahaina poster contest with his artwork, “I will always remember you this way,” a piece featuring Lahaina’s iconic harbor.
“Each section of the book – Places, Harbor, Culture, Lifestyle, ʻOhana, and Around the Island – offers readers a look back at the historical town of Lahaina, memorializing the town we once knew,” Reising added. “Net proceeds from sales of the first release of Remembering Lahaina will be used to benefit Maui artists, their families, and staff who were impacted by the Lahaina fires. This limited-run, first-edition, and one-of-a-kind commemoration of the Lahaina we love enriches lives and supports artists in need.” The book can be preordered at mauiartsleague.org/book.
Founded in 1975, the Maui Arts League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Lahaina that showcases and builds appreciation for visual fine arts through a variety of community activities. They are most well-known for their Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational, first organized in 2006, which brings both local and visiting painters together on Maui to produce artworks that feature the unique landscapes and communities of the island.
We hope to encourage these artists to regroup and reshape their careers as they are faced with many daunting challenges.
Lois Reising, President, Maui Arts League
Thirty-eight delegates, including fourteen Hawaiʻi-based, participated in the 7th EMER-GEN® Program, presented by Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) in September. A joint initiative of the AMOS Conference and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), the program is designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship especially for young professionals and students who are enthusiastic about careers in space.
“The program encourages participants to think creatively, collaborate in teams, and develop innovative solutions at both a technological level and a policy level,” said Annette Lynch, MEDB Director of Communications. “The diverse range of activities and speakers helps participants enhance both their technical expertise and leadership capabilities.”
Maui resident Matthew Lugo, a Privateer Space engineer, EMER-GEN alumnus, and member of the EMER-GEN planning committee, emphasized, “EMER-GEN is also known for its focus on Hawaiian cultural subjects. I feel it’s important for those in the space industry to be stewards of the Earth environment as well. Space technologies should benefit the sustainability of the planet.”
Lugo continued, “This year, along with two international SGAC representatives, we invited Michael Nāhoʻopiʻi, Executive Director of Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to share an update about the island. The island of Kahoʻolawe is just seven miles off the coast of Maui. It is managed by the KIRC team, who are working towards a restoration of the island.”
Nāhoʻopiʻi explained, “The history and culture of Kahoʻolawe is indeed rich. It is believed to have been inhabited since about 400 A.D., and the abundance of historical and archeological sites paints a picture of the island as a navigational center for voyaging and a center for agriculture. Modern times have been less kind. The island has been home to a penal colony, a sheep and cattle ranch, and a U.S. Navy bombing range. Those land uses were detrimental to the island’s delicate ecosystem and led to severe habitat degradation. The KIRC team has taken on the challenge to restore these habitats with on-the-ground hard work coordinated by expert assistance. In addition to physically restoring the island of Kahoʻolawe, we are undertaking the cultural restoration of the island.”
Space exploration provides us with more information about protecting our planet, our environment, and improving our day-to-day lives. Everything is connected!
Michael Nāhoʻopiʻi
Executive Director
Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission
Maui resident and 2002 St. Anthony High School graduate Keith DeVey is the founder of Maui Walking Tours. The company, launched in early 2024, offers free guided walks through Kīhei and historic Wailuku town. The tours highlight each area’s origins and new developments, including details about local history, important landmarks, and street art. DeVey has done extensive research to uncover the best local stories, and his walks showcase the island through the eyes of a long-time resident who truly believes Maui is the best place on earth.
“Guided walking tours are a wonderful way to really get to know the place you live or are visiting,” said DeVey. “People get to hear stories that I collected firsthand through one-on-one meetings with historians, authors, local kupuna, historical practitioners, city officials, residents, educational outlets, and local architects. My sources include George Rixey, community architect and former president of the Kīhei Community Association; Lucienne De Naie, published Maui author and historian; Vernon Kalanikau, Maui County cultural advisor and lead organizer of the ahupuaʻa sign project; and Elan Vital, the artist who sculpted the Kalama Park whale.”
DeVey has assembled walking routes that allow participants to take a step back in time to better understand the present. He explains how land was divided and cared for by the early Hawaiians, the influence of the first missionary families, the formation of large plantations, the impact of the US military during WWII, and the transition to a tourism-based economy in the 1960s and 1970s. The Wailuku tour pays special attention to the revitalization of the town as a center for artists and the town’s numerous murals.
DeVey added, “I also want people to become more familiar with the colorful flora and fauna seen throughout the Hawaiian Islands, which are unlike anywhere else in the world. After each tour, participants routinely come up to me to personally share how much they enjoyed it. Some even tell me their unique history of living in or visiting Kīhei and Wailuku through the decades.”
Each tour is capped at 25 participants to ensure an enjoyable walking and learning experience. To sign up for one of the free upcoming tours, visit www.mauiwalkingtours.com.
Through my own travels, I discovered some of the most memorable takeaways were experienced through free walking tours guided by locals that lived in each community.
Keith DeVey
Founder and Tour Guide
Maui Walking Tours LLC
Maui resident Joseph Imhoff, co-owner of Haleakalā Biochar, has a passion for land restoration. A 2022 alumnus the Ka Ipu Kukui program, co-founder of the Plant a Wish project, and a recipient of the Mālama I Ka ‘Āina Award, he also serves on the Maui County Arborist Committee. His ongoing work is focused land stewardship, tree planting, and the restoration of native habitats.
Located high on the slopes of Haleakalā, the family-run business was founded in 2020 and has been committed to making the highest quality biochar to support the health of soils, fresh water, and the ocean. They provide Maui-made biochar for agricultural producers, home gardeners, land restoration projects, stormwater filtration projects, and soil remediation. This is especially important in the aftermath of the 2023 wildfires, and Imhoff’s team now offers free biochar to fire survivors whose properties need soil remediation.
“Biochar is simply a foundation for healthy soils,” Imhoff explained. “It works by providing beneficial microorganisms, the sorts of little critters that enrich the soil, feed plants, and produce healthy ecosystems. When pre-charged with these beneficial organisms, biochar promotes plant health. We utilize dying eucalyptus and wattle trees that burnt up during the 2023 fires…With hardwood-sourced biochar made to the right specifications, we can also improve water and soil quality, increase soil fertility, and raise agricultural productivity. We basically cook it down to pure carbon. It’s 100% charcoal, and it has no contaminants in it.”
Kahoʻolawe Island Conservation and the University of Hawaiʻi contracted Haleakalā Biochar to help with planting in inaccessible areas of Kahoʻolawe as part of ongoing reforestation efforts. The program uses drones to release native seeds, sourced on Kahoʻolawe, in seed balls containing a mixture of compost and biochar to help keep the seeds viable for a longer period as they take root.
“So far, we’ve had three Native Seedball Workshops,” Imhoff said. “Each drone can take 50 loads, deploying a string of 100 seed balls with each flight. We are basically supercharging the seed balls with the most micronutrients we can. It’s like a cocoon with nutrients that will grow, become a plant, and then a tree that will help restore the island.”
Thanks to grant support from the County of Maui and MEO, we are able to scale up production and donate 3 cubic yards of biochar to qualifying fire survivors who lost homes and would like to protect their land before rebuilding.
Since 2020, Maui Economic Development Board’s (MEDB) STEMworks team and its partners have delivered a highly successful Agriculture (Ag) Business and Technology Internship program, placing 179 Maui County high school and college students with host companies in the ag industry. The internship experience provides valuable work-based learning for STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) students, who not only to gain technical skills but also have the chance to explore a new career pathway while working on real-world projects. The 2024 summer cohort of 25 interns recently wrapped up their 6-week program with a virtual showcase highlighting their experiences. This summer, STEMworks worked with 17 host companies on Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i to make these internships possible, and the interns’ projects covered everything from conservation to food production. Thanks to funding from the County of Maui, STEMworks is able to pay every intern a competitive stipend.
“This program allows students to obtain work-based learning experiences in different ag fields and shows them that there is a lot more to agriculture besides farming and ranching,” said Britney James, MEDB’s program manager for agriculture, education, and business development. One of the intern mentors, Korey Harris, co-owner and co-founder of Simple Roots, added, “It’s great for the younger generation to be working in any aspect of the agricultural field. It teaches about hard work, patience, and, most importantly, gratefulness.” Tyson Kongsil, Simple Roots intern from King Kekaulike High School, said, “As I shadowed Korey, I learned a lot about taking care of chickens, how to build a hen house, and what quality looks like in food production. I also learned about regenerative farming practices that enrich the soil to help maintain a healthier way of life for our community.” Grow Some Good (GSG) intern, tenth grader Keala Rodriguez, also shared, “Each day, I did a variety of tasks in the garden that included learning the different properties of plants and how to effectively grow and harvest them. I also enjoyed working with the kids at the YMCA GSG garden. We donated our harvest to them, so my project greatly impacted the community.” To read profiles of all the STEMworks summer interns and see updates about applying for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 cohorts, follow STEMworks on Facebook, facebook.com/STEMworksHI, and Instagram, instagram.com/stemworks/.
To keep Hawai‘i’s agricultural industries strong and sustainable, we need to engage our youth in experiential learning. They are our future leaders.
Britney James,
Program Manager for Agriculture, Education, and Business Development, MEDB
