Hawai'i has abundant sources of renewable energy. Bringing that energy to market is the hard part; and the state's goal of having 70 percent of Hawai'i's energy come from clean renewable sources by 2030 will require an unprecedented change in how energy is produced, distributed and regulated.

In that context, the appointment of a facilitator to help streamline the permitting process seems like a small step. It is. But a journey of a thousand miles begins with small steps like this one. It's a step in the right direction.

In accordance with a law passed by the 2008 Legislature, the Lingle administration appointed Joshua Strickler, a lawyer with experience in the oil industry, to serve as the state's first energy facilitator.

His primary job: to help renewable-energy projects successfully navigate the governmental maze of permitting requirements.

Recently, David Murdock of Castle & Cooke railed against them as unnecessarily delaying his efforts to build a large wind farm on Lana'i. Other energy companies, particularly those unfamiliar with Hawai'i, encounter issues they hadn't anticipated — the need to protect our fragile environment, with its high number of endangered species, and cultural issues, such as disturbing iwi.

The regulations exist to protect the life of the land without destroying opportunities to improve it. The facilitator can help ensure both, even as we move toward a radically different energy future.