Our renewable energy strategy
Hawaiian Electric Company, Maui Electric Company and Hawaii Electric Light Company (together, the Hawaiian Electric companies) have a three-pronged strategy for renewable energy:
| (1) |
Working to maintain existing renewable energy sources on our grids. At the same time we want to pursue “here and now” renewable energy projects that can be cost-effective and commercial -- like biofuels, wind, solar, waste-to-energy, geothermal, ocean energy and seawater air-conditioning – where they are practical on our systems right away. |
| (2) |
Working to make it easier for renewable energy developers to add existing and emerging “as available” renewable technologies by upgrading appropriate power lines, substations and other equipment and by taking steps to provide energy smoothing and storage for intermittent power. |
| (3) |
Accelerating research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of emerging technologies and resources (ocean thermal energy conversion, hydrogen and algae-for-biodiesel, for example) that are not available commercially or economically viable at this point– but that hold great promise for the future. |
This strategy aims to ensure that the Hawaiian Electric companies not only use as much renewable energy as is commercially and economically possible today, but also to help develop future sources.
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