Energy in Hawaii
Producing energy is complicated by the state's isolated location and lack of fossil fuel resources.
SB 3190 and HB 2168 authorized special purpose revenue bonds to help finance a solar energy facility on Oahu and hydrogen generation and conversion facilities at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, located on Hawaii island.
[7] SB 988 allowed the Hawaii Public Utility Commission to establish a rebate for photovoltaic systems, and HB 2550 encouraged net metering for residential and small commercial customers.
HB 2261 provided loans of up to $1.5 million and up to 85% of the cost of renewable energy projects at farms and aquaculture facilities.
[4][5][6] The Initiative intended to work with public and private partners on renewable energy projects including: designing cost-effective approaches for 100 percent use of renewable energy on smaller islands, improve grid stability while incorporating variable generating sources and expanding Hawaii's capability to use locally grown crops for producing fuel and electricity.
It was originally built to test Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), and later evolved into a commercial (but requiring state subsidies and county agricultural rate potable water) industrial park, including desalinating drinking water for export, aquaculture, biofuel from algae, solar thermal energy, concentrating solar and wind power.
[14] Solar power in Hawaii grew quickly, putting household energy generation below the cost of purchased electricity.
[19] Wärtsilä sold a plant to Hawaii Electric to be installed at Schofield Barracks Army Base on Oahu in 2017.
It provides fuel to Hawaiian Electric Industries, the City and County of Honolulu and marine company Extended Horizons.
[26] Cellana produces oil from algae at a 2.5 hectares (6.2 acres) research site at Kailua-Kona on Hawaii island.
Cellana (previously HR BioPetroleum) worked with Royal Dutch Shell on a pilot facility to grow algae on land leased from the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, on the island's west shore.
