Beall Sustainability

I was compelled to learn about the energy situation in  Hawaii by an experience I had last week: I swam with  dolphins.

We were paddle boarding off of the Big Island, and there was a  large pod of dolphin, slicing through the water.  They were elegant, silent except for a soft rhythmic out-breath before they curved back under the surface.  They were spinner dolphin, so every once in awhile, one would twirl up out of the water and land with a big splash.

I was entranced by their beauty.  And at the same time, I couldn’t help but think of their counterparts in the Gulf of Mexico, and I wondered what horror and suffering they might be experiencing even at that moment.

We, in Hawaii, have a special connection to what is happening in the Gulf communities devastated by the oil spill.  We understand the deep connectionto a unique ecosystem.  Many of our families rely on fishing for their food or livelihood.  Our community includes surfers and paddlers, and wehave the privilege of seeing honu and dolphin as part of our everyday life.

All of this gives us a special capacity to understand the devastation happening in the Gulf of Mexico.

But Hawaii has another very powerful connection to the oil spill crisis: Hawai’i is the most oil-dependent state in the nation, and relies on petroleum for about 90% of its primary energy.

Petroleum Paradise?

Hawai’i relies on imported petroleum for about 90% of its primary energy.  This is equal to roughly 51 million barrels of oil annually, at a cost of nearly $7 billion each year.

About 30% of that oil is used to generate electricity. That means we are burning over 15 million barrels of oil each year to power our homes, businesses and industrial facilities.  Hawai’i residents pay among the nation’s highest prices for electricity and fuel.  And then there are the environmental costs of our fossil fuel system such as high carbon dioxide emissions and the risks of spills such as the one in the Gulf of Mexico.

That’s the bad news.

The good news?  Hawai‘i has plentiful sources of renewable energy such as sun, wind and water – and that gives Hawai’i the opportunity to be free
from our dependence on imported oil.

The Stage is Set

In 2008, Hawai’i formed the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI), whose aim is “to help transform the way we meet our energy needs.”  The HCEI has set an ambitious and exciting goal: Hawai’i meets 70% of our energy needs with clean energy by 2030.  This includes producing 40% of the state’s electricity from renewable energy sources.

The plan includes two strategies: first, reduce our energy needs through conservation and efficiency; and second, generate energy locally by harnessing our renewable resources.

From Here to There

Currently, 89% of Hawai‘i’s electricity is generated with imported fossil fuels (76% from petroleum and 13% from coal).

In June 2009, Hawaii passed a law that requires each electric utility in the state to generate 10% of its net electricity sales from renewable sources by December 31, 2010; 15% by 2015; 25% by 2020; and 40% 2030. Utilities can meet these requirements by either actually replacing fossil fuel generation with renewables, or by helping customers lower energy use through efficiency.

So how will the most oil dependent state in the nation get to being powered by 40% local and renewable electricity?

One proposal is the construction of an undersea cable system to transmit electricity between several of the islands.  The plan is to build large wind generation facilities on Moloka`i and Lana`i, and transmit approximately 400 megawatts of electricity to O`ahu where electricity demand is high.

Map of proposed inter-island cable to carry electricity from Moloka`i and Lana`i to Oahu

O‘ahu is served by the Hawai‘ian Electric Company which has 1,670 megawatts of capacity, only 5% of which is renewable energy.

It is still in the planning stages, but a feasibility study for the project has been performed, and just a few weeks ago, the State announced that it had chosen a firm to conduct the required Environmental Impact Statement.  There are questions about how this project will affect Moloka`i and Lana`i, and concerns about the under-water impacts of the cables.  According to one news report, local environmentalists said they will watch the project closely, but are glad the state is actively looking at alternatives to oil.  If approved, the entire project would cost from $800 million to $1 billion, and begin construction in 2014 or 2015.

The other strategies to meet the ambitious goals of the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative include giving rebates and tax incentives for energy efficiency upgrades, requiring solar water heaters on all new construction, and other aggressive financial incentives to install wind and solar on homes and businesses.  For instance, you can receive combined federal and state tax credits of up to 65% of the cost of installing solar and up to 50% of the cost of a small wind system.  Read more about available tax incentives here.

Daily Reminder

According to Ted Peck, administrator of the Hawaii State Energy Office, the amount of oil being released into the Gulf every day is about equivalent to the amount of petroleum we burn in Hawaii each day.

Hawai`i has a bold vision to move toward a sustainable energy economy. It certainly will not be easy to accomplish, with our aged aged infrastructure and the different challenges and potentials on each island. But at least we are in action: the state legislature is considering almost 100 bills this session related to energy, many of which are based on proposals
developed by the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative.  With enough awareness and citizen pressure, 2010 could be the year that propels Hawaii towards making its sustainable vision a reality.

Related Articles: “Show Me the Money $$: Financial Incentives for Hawaii Residents to Go Green”

For more information:

Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative http://www.hawaiicleanenergyinitiative.org/

Hawaii Energy Efficiency Program http://www.hawaiienergy.com/