Hawai‘i
Map of the Big Island showing the locations of existing renewable energy generation, including solar, ocean, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal.
The Big Island has significant energy-efficiency potential, including capacity for additional solar water heating installations to reduce the island's electricity demand. It also has the highest renewable energy potential of any of the islands.
Renewable Generation on the Big Island
Of the Hawaiian Electric Light Company's current 269-megawatt capacity, almost 30% (nearly 80 megawatts) already comes from renewable sources, including
- Wind—31 megawatts
- Geothermal—30 megawatts
- Hydroelectricity—16 megawatts.
The local utility estimates that the island of Hawai‘i has the most rooftop photovoltaic (PV) installations per capita in the United States.
Additional Renewable Resources
The biggest potential renewable resource on Hawai‘i is geothermal, which provides baseload electricity generation at all hours of the day. In fact, according to one study the island has an estimated 750 megawatts of potential—nearly three times its current electrical use. Hawai‘i's 30-megawatt geothermal plant may expand to add an additional 8 megawatts of capacity.
In addition to meeting the Big Island's electricity needs, geothermal could eventually help power a number of electric vehicles to help the meet the island's ground transportation energy needs.
In addition to the substantial geothermal resource available on the Big Island, other potential renewable resources that have been identified include
- Hydroelectric power—20 megawatts
- Wind power—55 megawatts
- Municipal solid waste combustion—13 megawatts
- Solar power—25 megawatts
- Biomass combustion—25 megawatts.
To learn more about the Big Island's energy picture and sustainability plan, visit the county of Hawai‘i Web site.
