REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TO COMMISSION A STUDY OF THE DIFFERENT ENERGY CONSUMPTION SECTORS TO DETERMINE WHICH SECTOR CAN BE MOST QUICKLY AND COST-EFFECTIVELY DECARBONIZED THROUGH ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN COMBUSTION-FREE ALTERNATIVES.

This Senate Resolution (SR 87) requests the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to study which energy sectors in Hawaii - electricity, transportation, or heating (industrial, commercial, residential) - could most quickly and cost-effectively eliminate fossil fuel use through public investment in clean, combustion-free alternatives like solar, wind, and electric infrastructure. It aims to guide state funding toward proven solutions that align with Hawaii’s 2045 climate goals, avoiding speculative or polluting technologies like biofuels. The study would evaluate existing technologies (e.g., electrifying vehicles, heat pumps, and grid upgrades) to prioritize where public resources would yield the fastest decarbonization results. As a procedural request, it does not enact policy but seeks data to inform future decisions.