About Our Fuel Mix

Renewable energy helps fuel our electricity
A variety of resources powers our state

Collectively, for Hawaiian Electric Company and its neighbor island subsidiaries Hawaii Electric Light Company and Maui Electric Company, almost 9% of the electricity generated in 2009 by our utilities and independent power producers was fueled by renewable energy— biomass, wind, geothermal, hydro, biofuel, and solar. 

When the oil-saving benefits of customer-sited photovoltaic (PV) systems, solar water heating, and other energy efficiency measures are included, in 2009, at the Hawaiian Electric family of companies we achieved a Renewable Portfolio Standards percentage of 19%. We are actively working to meet the Renewable Portfolio Standards goal to have 40% of the state’s electricity produced using clean, renewable energy resources by 2030.
 
To further promote the use of renewable energy in our service areas, we are seeking long-term contracts for biofuels from feedstocks grown in Hawaii for use in our existing generating stations on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Hawaii.
 
On Oahu almost 5% of the electricity provided by Hawaiian Electric in 2009 was fueled by renewable energy—principally biomass used by the HPower waste-to-energy plant.

Plans to increase the use of renewable energy on Oahu are moving forward. In 2009 we completed construction of the 110-megawatt (MW) Campbell Industrial Park Generating Station, which will be fueled entirely by biodiesel.

Kahuku Wind Power, a subsidiary of First Wind Hawaii, plans to start construction this year on a 30-MW wind farm on Oahu’s North Shore. Honua Technologies plans to build a waste-to-energy gasification plant at Campbell Industrial Park. And the City and County of Honolulu is progressing on plans to install a third boiler at HPower to increase its output.

We are negotiating with developers who responded to our request for up to 100 additional MW of renewable energy on Oahu. Additionally, First Wind Hawaii is planning a 200-MW wind farm on Molokai, while Castle & Cooke plans a 200-MW wind farm on Lanai. Both would supply electricity to Oahu via an undersea cable to be built by the state.

In Maui County almost 13% of the electricity provided by Maui Electric in 2009 was fueled by renewable energy— wind, biomass, hydro, biofuel, and photovoltaics (PV).

The use of renewable energy in Maui County is expanding. The La Ola PV facility, built on Lanai in December 2008 by Castle & Cooke’s subsidiary Lanai Sustainability Research, completed its first full year of operation in 2009, supplying electricity to the island’s grid.

Also in 2009, Sempra Energy acquired Shell WindEnergy’s subsidiary Auwahi Wind Energy and is moving forward on plans to develop a 21-MW wind farm at Ulupalakua Ranch in East Maui.

First Wind Hawaii is expanding its 30-MW Kaheawa Wind Farm by building Kaheawa Wind II, a 21-MW facility with battery storage. First Wind is also planning a 200-MW wind farm on Molokai, while Castle & Cooke has plans for a 200-MW wind farm on Lanai. Both would supply power to Oahu via an undersea cable to be built by the state.
Two other renewable energy plans are in the works. HR BioPetroleum and Alexander & Baldwin are developing an algae farm to produce biofuel. Oceanlinx Limited is progressing on plans to install a 2.7-MW wave energy demonstration project off Pauwela Point, now scheduled for service in 2012.

On the Big Island more than 30% of the electricity provided by Hawaii Electric Light Company in 2009 was fueled by renewable energy— geothermal, wind, and hydro.
At HELCO we continue to be a state and national leader in the use of renewable resources for electricity, and efforts to responsibly add more continue. In the works is intensified research to manage the high level of variable generation on the island, both the utility scale projects and the increasing photovoltaic generation on homes and businesses that feed power to our electric grid.

A 500-kilowatt solar power project by Keahole Solar Power, a subsidiary of Sopogy, began commercial operation in December 2009 at the Natural Energy Laboratory Hawaii Authority in Kona. It incorporates concentrating solar panels and thermal energy storage. 

We are negotiating with Puna Geothermal Venture to increase the present 30-MW capacity by 8 MW in the near future.. We are also negotiating with several companies proposing biomass projects along the Hamakua Coast.

Fuel Mix in Our Service Area - 2009 Calendar Year*

*The percentage of fuels used to produce electricity is based on the amount of electricity generated by the HECO family of companies and the amount purchased from independent power producers in 2009.