Hawaii is a fascinating story in the clean energy transition. Isolated, but with abundant natural resources, the islands have a unique blend of opportunity, incredibly high prices of electricity made by imported fuels, and a historic reliance on fossil fuels, the result of path dependency and short-term solutions. The state was also the first to make a full commitment to 100% clean energy. In this video, two of the key players in that commitment, Senator Chris Lee (who authored the law) and Lorraine Akiba (who helped shepherd it through as a commissioner at the public utility commission) speak to the crossroads faced by Hawaii currently, as it considers a significant taxpayer investment in expanded fossil fuel infrastructure (imported liquid natural gas), which has been pushed by the governor’s office. Recent studies and expert testimony have shown the LNG plan is not as clear a path as it was first purported to be, with significant financial overruns not accounted for in the state’s original economic analysis pushed by proponents and PR firms hired by foreign companies looking to lock Hawaii into long-term natural gas import contracts. Still, some proponents argue that LNG is the best alternative for Hawaii. This panel explores what the future holds for Hawaii’s energy ecosystem. Also featured is Ben Sullivan, former head of the Office of Climate Change and Resilience for the city and county of Honolulu. The panel is moderated by State Representative Nicole Lowen.