Hawaii is throwing more support behind renewable energy
November 6, 2015100% of Hawaii’s energy will come from renewable sources by 2045
Hawaii has plans to derive all of its energy from renewable sources by 2045. The state has become a very prominent supporter of renewable energy, making note of the potential impact that climate change may have in the future, especially for island states and countries in the Pacific Ocean. Rising sea levels due to global warming could cause significant damage to island states and nations. In order to combat this potential damage, Hawaii is looking to support renewable energy as a way to reduce carbon emissions.
State continues to show strong support for solar power
By the end of 2015, approximately 37% of the state’s energy will produced on the Island of Kauai, which is home to several renewable energy systems, including solar power projects, hydropower, and biomass systems. Hawaii has shown particular interest in solar power, largely due to its exposure to solar radiation. Recently, the state’s largest solar array was completed and began operation. The solar array cost approximately $54 million to develop and is comprised of more than 59,000 solar panels. The capacity of the solar energy system is 12 megawatts.
Hawaii is helping the clean transportation space grow
Hawaii has also shown support for clean transportation, investing in fuel cell vehicles and helping to develop a hydrogen fuel infrastructure. The U.S. military is testing fuel cells in the state and several organizations are also testing the capabilities of fuel cell vehicles and how these energy systems can be used for various businesses. Still, solar remains a prominent focus of Hawaii, with the state having installed some 3,939 megawatts of utility-scale solar energy capacity in 2014. This is a 38% increase over the solar capacity that was installed in 2013.
Island nations are concerned about the impact that climate change will have
Several island nations have petitioned world leaders to take decisive action on climate change. These nations have expressed concerns regarding the impact that climate change will have. If world leaders do not agree to address the issue aggressively, these countries could face major fallout from climate change and they may not be able to recover from the effects of this phenomenon.