BUSINESS BRIEFS
Maui Electric may plug in its cars
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Maui Electric Co. said yesterday it plans to test use of electric vehicles in its fleet under a memorandum of understanding with a California-based company.
Phoenix Motorcars is scheduled to launch the test program on Maui during the first quarter of next year, officials said.
"We're very interested in testing electric vehicles from manufacturers like Phoenix Motorcars to use electricity generated by renewable resources during off-peak hours, and to determine whether electric vehicles can efficiently store that power and return it to the grid when there's high demand," said Ed Reinhardt, president of Maui Electric.
The test program is part of the Hawai'i Clean Energy Initiative, a joint effort between the state and the U.S. Department of Energy that aims to satisfy 70 percent of the Hawai'i's energy demands from renewable sources by 2030.
"This public-private partnership to bring electric vehicles to our state marks another significant development in the Hawai'i Clean Energy Initiative, as we seek to reduce Hawai'i's dependence on imported oil," Gov. Linda Lingle said.
CASE ON MAUI LAND & PINE BOARD
Steve Case, the largest shareholder of Maui Land & Pineapple Co. Inc., has joined the company's board of directors.
Case, who was born and raised in Hawai'i and co-founded AOL, owns 42 percent of Maui Land.
Maui Land announced Case's election to the board yesterday, but did not immediately say how the move will affect the board's makeup. The company announced last month that CEO and chairman David Cole will step down at the end of the year. Succeeding Cole as chairman will be former Hawaiian Tel CEO Warren Haruki. Replacing Cole as CEO will be Robert Webber, the company's chief operating officer.
Shares of MLP fell $.87 yesterday to finish at a 52-week low of $8.28.
ELECTRIC CAR GRID DEMONSTRATED
Better Place, a California technology company that wants to establish a $1 billion charging network for electric cars in Hawai'i, demonstrated its charging spot, plugged in and charging an electric vehicle, in Israel.
The company's Israel unit displayed the first electric parking lot as part of its plans to deploy a network of charging stations throughout that country. Better Place said the charging spot that was developed in Israel is destined to be deployed also in Denmark, Australia, California and Hawai'i.
NATIVE HAWAIIAN C OF C PARTY
The Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Christmas Party mixer Saturday at the Paul Mitchell Estate in Lanikai. The event, from 5 to 9 p.m., will feature a Hawaiian food buffet, entertainment by Anuenue and Company and prize drawings.
Members are encouraged to bring a guest. There is no charge for NHCC members; the cost for guests is $30. For more information about the event, contact Pauline Worsham at 497-4084.
WORLDCOM VOTES IN STRYKER WEINER
Honolulu-based public relations agency Stryker Weiner & Yokota has been elected as a partner firm in the Worldcom Public Relations Group, a partnership of independently owned public relations counseling firms.
The Worldcom group is a network of independent agencies that is structured so that national, international and multinational clients can be served while maintaining the agencies' flexibility and client-service focus.
