Hawaii's Renewable Energy: Achieving 100% Renewable Energy by 2045

Hawaii is a beautiful archipelago located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, with a modern population that consumes a lot of energy. Despite having the third lowest total energy consumption, Hawaii uses almost seven times more energy than it produces.

Renewable energy

sources are “renewed” naturally and continuously, and the Hawaiian Islands have abundant natural resources (wind, sun, running water, bioenergy, geothermal energy) that can be used to produce energy. Harnessing these resources and, at the same time, reducing the use of non-renewable sources (oil, coal, natural gas of fossil origin) is critical to achieving our state's clean energy goals. The Federal Energy Information Administration estimates that 77% of Hawaii's energy comes from burning fossil fuels, mainly oil and some coal.

With the state deadline for the utility company to use 100% renewable energy in 2045, Hawaii will have to shut down oil and coal plants early. Public Services Commissioner Leo Asunción says that the old profit formula typical of the sector would have motivated the monopoly of the Hawaii utility company to do the opposite. They want to keep their plants running as much as possible, he says, because that formula is in their best interests. Reducing the transportation sector's dependence on fossil fuels is a key goal that must be achieved for Hawaii to achieve energy independence. In response to these statistics, the State of Hawaii has established that, by 2045, 100% of the electricity sold by utilities must come from renewable energy sources.

To achieve this goal, Hawaii has implemented several initiatives such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), greater penetration of smart grid technology and tax credits for consumers who install renewable energy systems and energy efficient appliances. Each island operates an independent power grid, which imposes market barriers on Hawaii's renewable energy industry. To address this issue, Hawaii has created several incentives for consumers to install renewable energy systems and energy efficient appliances. Additionally, The Navy and the Hawaii National Marine Renewable Energy Center (HNMREC) were created to improve the viability of wave energy as a renewable alternative. The State Energy Office has developed a holistic approach aimed at creating a new energy ecosystem with the goal of generating 100% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2045. Hawaii is vigorously pursuing renewable energy projects in the fields of bioenergy, geothermal, hydroelectric and hydrokinetics, in addition to continuing its significant investments in solar and wind energy. She and her colleagues are restructuring more than a hundred years of regulatory precedent to get Hawaii's monopolistic company to use 100% renewable electricity. With this goal in mind, Hawaii is taking steps towards becoming an example for other states in terms of renewable energy production.