One form of renewable energy comes either directly or indirectly from the sun. Sunlight, or solar energy, can be used directly for powering homes and other buildings, generating electricity and hot water heating, and a variety of commercial and industrial uses.
SOLAR ENERGY BASICSThe sun's heat and light provide an abundant source of energy in Hawai‘i, and that energy can be harnessed in many ways. A variety of technologies have been developed to take advantage of solar energy. Those most applicable in Hawai‘i include:
For more information on how solar energy can be used, please visit the U.S. Department of Energy's website. |
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SOLAR ENERGY USES
Solar power can be used in large-scale applications as well as in smaller systems for the home. Businesses and industry can diversify their energy sources, improve efficiency, and save money by using solar technologies for industrial processes, electricity, and water heating. Homeowners can also use solar technologies for daylighting and water heating, and may even be able to produce enough electricity to operate "off grid" or to sell the extra electricity to the utilities, depending on local programs. The use of passive solar and daylighting design strategies can help homes and commercial buildings operate more efficiently and make them more pleasant and comfortable places in which to live and work.
Beyond these localized uses of solar power, utilities and power plants are increasingly taking advantage of the sun's abundant energy resource and extending the benefits to their customers. Concentrating solar power systems allow power plants to produce electricity from the sun on a larger scale.
According to an analysis by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
Solar power technologies, from individual home systems to large-scale concentrating solar power systems, offer Hawai‘i the benefits of diversity and reliability in sourcing its energy supplies. These technologies hold great potential for helping to meet our growing energy needs and increase our independence from fossil fuels.
SOLAR ENERGY IN HAWAII
In part because of the abundant supply of sunshine throughout Hawai‘i, and in part because of new regulations and economic incentives that support the widespread installation of solar systems in Hawai‘i, solar energy is already positioned to offset a substantial portion of the fossil fuel that supplies our energy today.
Currently, solar water heaters have been installed in some 80,000 homes and institutions throughout the state. And thanks to the Solar Roofs Act—a landmark measure passed in 2008 requiring most new homes in Hawai‘i to be equipped with solar water heaters—that number is on the rise. Solar energy is typically the least expensive method of heating water in Hawai‘i over the lifetime of the system.
Hawai‘i is also a national leader in the adoption of photovoltaic power systems, which are becoming a familiar sight on the rooftops of residences, commercial buildings, and government facilities. Hawai‘i is one of the few places in the U.S. where the lifecycle cost of photovoltaics is less than that of utility-distributed electricity, which is predominantly based on fossil fuels.