The Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) has a goal of achieving 70% clean energy by 2030 with 30% from efficiency measures, and 40% from renewable energy sources.  The Hawai‘i Interisland Renewable Energy Program: Wind (HIREP) is a proposed energy generation, transmission, and delivery program that works to help achieve HCEI's goal.  The program would produce renewable energy through the use of wind turbine technology on one or more islands and transfer the electricity generated to another island by means of one or more undersea cables for subsequent transmission and distribution to energy consumers.

The central Hawaiian Islands are integral to achieving HCEI’s goals of 70% Clean Energy by 2030.

Within the state, the greatest demand for energy is on the island of O‘ahu where residential, public, and commercial demands are the highest.  However, due to the limited amount of land and limited viable renewable energy resources on O‘ahu, it is not possible to meet the HCEI's goals without the benefit of power generation on other islands and interisland transmission connections (undersea power cables) to transmit that power to O‘ahu.  The greatest available sources of renewable energy are generally on the other islands, in particular Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, and Hawai‘i.

WHY WIND?

Of the alternative renewable energy sources available - including wind, geothermal, solar, biomass, ocean thermal energy conversion, and wave - wind power has been identified as the most commercially available and economically viable option at the present time.  The islands of Maui, Lāna‘i, and Moloka‘i have the most abundant and viable wind resources of those islands closest to O‘ahu.  The analysis provided in the O‘ahu Wind Integration and Transmission Study prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, concluded that bringing 400 megawatts (MW) of wind generated power to O‘ahu via an undersea cable is technically feasible and should be considered an important part in reaching HCEI's goals.  Subsequent environmental reviews may address non-wind renewable technologies if and when interest, commercial viability, and technological advances for these renewable energy sources develop in the future.

The State of Hawai‘i is conducting a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for HIREP. The HIREP PEIS is designed to provide the public and agencies an overview of its potential impacts and benefits.