As the largest electric utility in Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric is taking proactive steps to increase grid resilience and combat climate change through its renewable energy program. The company has four requests for proposals (RFPs) to identify new opportunities for renewable energy projects on Oahu. Hawaiian Electric is also helping to identify areas of O'ahu that are optimal for developing microgrids to build a more resilient power grid. This plan could also alleviate the energy burden of low or moderate income customers, measured by the percentage of income that low-income households spend on average on annual energy bills.Hawaiian Electric and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have identified locations on the islands that meet the appropriate technical conditions for future renewable resources.
The company plans to begin strengthening its islands' networks as part of a major investment in resilience that will allow its systems to better withstand serious events, including weather-related disasters caused by climate change. Hawaiian Electric hopes to reduce initial barriers and complexities with a map that takes into account the technical and practical viability of microgrid development.The Energy Department (DOE) Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP) is helping Hawaiian Electric improve energy resilience and combat climate change. The company is also working with many other groups outside its IGP process to create a clean energy future. These systems and tools contribute to creating a clean and resilient energy network, which is based on diverse renewable energy sources and at different power generation scales.Energy from the sun is converted to heat or electricity through solar thermal or photovoltaic systems (also known as solar panels).
This renewable energy program has the potential to increase grid resilience while providing valuable services such as energy storage and demand response.Hawaiian Electric's renewable energy program is an important step in increasing grid resilience and combating climate change. By identifying areas of O'ahu that are optimal for developing microgrids, Hawaiian Electric can help create a more resilient power grid that can withstand serious events caused by climate change. Additionally, this program has the potential to reduce the energy burden of low or moderate income customers by providing them with access to renewable energy sources. The company is also working with many other groups outside its IGP process to create a clean energy future, which will help create a clean and resilient energy network based on diverse renewable energy sources.
Finally, this program has the potential to provide valuable services such as energy storage and demand response.
