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Renewable | Energy Sources |
Hawaii’s Energy Sources
How do we power our future? The answer is all around us. Our islands are blessed with an abundance of clean, renewable, LOCAL energy sources.
We already have a variety of renewable energy sources currently providing power for the islands. As we increase the electricity we produce from each of these sources, we reduce our dependence on imported oil.
500 megawatts is enough power for Diamond Head to Downtown. It’s more than triple the amount we have now from renewable sources. Getting more energy from local sources will create jobs, help revitalize local agriculture, and keep more of our hard-earned dollars at home. View our latest updates to the 500 MW scorecard.
Working together, we can reduce our dependence on imported oil and develop our own renewable energy sources. It will take a close partnership of your electric utilities, private companies, landowners, communities and YOU. Oil prices are high and likely to stay high. While some renewable technologies may cost more initially, in the long-run the costs can be worth it. Using renewable energy will help keep our air and water cleaner and limit greenhouse gases that can cause global warming.
Renewable Energy Sources
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100 MW Wind Energy
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Wind turbines capture energy from the winds to make electricity. (Big Island, Maui, Oahu)* |
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80 MW Pumped Storage Hydro |
Water pumped uphill at night using renewable electricity is then released downhill to turn turbines. (Big Island, Maui, Oahu) |
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50 MW Ethanol in New Plant |
Fallow fields planted with crops to make ethanol to mix with other fuels in a new plant. (Oahu) |
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83 MW Ethanol or Bio- diesel in Existing Plants |
Local ethanol and bio-diesel (from plants or waste) mixed with other fuels. (Big Island, Maui, Oahu)
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85 MW Solar Energy |
The sun’s energy harnessed with many solar technologies. (Big Island, Maui, Oahu) |
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40 MW Garbage to Energy |
Trash burned to make steam to turn a turbine. (Big Island, Maui, more on Oahu) |
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30 MW Geothermal |
Volcanic heat beneath the ground creates steam to turn a turbine. (Big Island) |
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25 MW Biomass |
Organic matter from agriculture or yard waste is burned to make steam to turn a turbine. (Big Island, Maui) |
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7 MW Landfill Gas |
Methane gas from decomposing garbage is burned for steam to turn a turbine. (Big Island, Maui, Oahu) |
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Future Potential: Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), Wave Power, Hydrogen
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New technologies now in research and development may add to (or substitute for) other sources. (All islands) |
500 MW Total Clean, Renewable, LOCAL energy
*Kauai Island Utility Cooperative supplies electricity on the Garden Isle. It is not a part of the Hawaiian Electric family.
