Hawaiian Electric’s efforts for renewable energy
Generating electricity from renewable power
The Hawaiian Electric companies* work hard to make Hawaii one of the nation's leaders when it comes to use of renewable energy.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration ranks Hawaii third (after California, Maine and Vermont) in electricity used from renewable sources relative to the state’s total electricity production.
Read the latest report to the Public Utilities Commission on Hawaiian Electric’s progress on Hawaii’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).
About 9% of the electricity sold to customers of the Hawaiian Electric companies comes from renewable resources, compared to the nationwide average of only 2% (excluding large hydroelectric projects not possible in Hawaii).
Meeting Hawaii’s future energy needs will take a variety of actions including:
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maintaining existing renewable projects |
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adding more -- including biofuels, wind, solar, ocean energy, biomass, geothermal, seawater air-conditioning and others |
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greening the utility existing plants and |
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increasing energy conservation and efficiency. |
Learn more about this renewable energy strategy.
* Note: The Hawaiian Electric utilities serve the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Molokai and Lanai – home to about 95% of the state's population. Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) serves the island of Kauai. Figures for Kauai are not included here.
Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative
Hawaiian Electric Company is participating in the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, an agreement between the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of Energy, “to decrease energy demand and accelerate use of renewable, indigenous energy resources in Hawaii in residential, building, industrial, utility, and transportation end-use sectors, so that renewable energy resources will be sufficient to meet 70% of Hawaii’s energy demand by 2030.”
Learn more about the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative.
Sponsoring the nation’s largest solar water heating program
Over 50,000 solar water heating systems were installed under the utilities’ rebate programs from 1996 - mid-2009, when the programs were transferred to a third-party administrator under the Hawaii Energy Efficiency Program, sponsored by the Public Utilities Commission. Combined with previously installed solar systems, the total statewide in 2009 is more than 80,000, making Hawaii a national leader with an estimated one out of three single-family homes equipped with solar water heating.
The utilities’ solar water heating program reduced the demand for electricity by 111,328,000 kilowatt-hours annually (the equivalent of the estimated annual electric usage of more than 14,000 households), avoided the use of 210,000 barrels of oil annually and reduced carbon dioxide emissions – a major contributor to global warming – by 116,000 tons annually.
Support for Net Energy Metering
The Hawaiian Electric utilities provide a simple net energy metering agreement for customers who wish to contribute renewable energy legally and safely.
Working with renewable energy vendors and providers, Hawaiian Electric has asked the Public Utilities Commission to raise the limits on net energy metering agreements in a way that will encourage more renewable energy systems and help protect the ability of residences and small businesses to take advantage of this program designed to encourage more renewable energy use.
Learn more about Net Energy Metering.
Conducting Integrated Resource Planning
The Hawaiian Electric companies continue to employ outside experts, their own staffs and citizen advisory groups to evaluate the use of more renewable energy as part of its 20-year projections and five-year action planning on how to meet the state’s future energy needs.
Learn more about Integrated Resource Planning.
Supporting research to make more renewable power possible
Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light Company continue to initiate and support many research, development and demonstration projects to help develop the technologies and address some of the barriers to using them.
Learn more about research, demonstration and development projects.
Learn more about challenges facing renewable energy.
Installing solar in schools
Customers who want to promote renewable energy education can sign up to support the Sun Power for Schools program. Thanks to contributions of customers and Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light companies, 27 public high schools across the state now have demonstration solar electric systems operating on their campuses. These one-kilovolt systems provide hands-on exposure to photovoltaic technology and can be used in the renewable energy curriculum. Your contributions will help more schools participate.
Learn more about Sun Power for Schools.
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