Hawaiian Electric is on a mission to reduce its dependence on imported oil and increase the use of clean energy in Hawaii. To achieve this, the company is exploring new technologies and methods of energy production, as well as expanding current programs. A Hawaiian Electric technician recently installed a device to minimize voltage fluctuations in a local circuit with a high level of distributed solar generation. The SEAMS approach, an interdisciplinary team, is being used to design and demonstrate new energy management system logics that can “see and interact with the electrical resources housed in the customer at the distribution system level”.Kauai has the highest consumption of renewable energy of all the islands, meaning less reliance on oil, and Garden Island experienced the lowest price change.
Hawaiian Electric, on Oahu, Maui Electric, and Hawaii Electric Light, on Hawaii's Big Island, partnered with the NREL to help navigate these uncharted waters. This led Hawaiian Electric to announce its new goal of reaching 100% by 2040, five years ahead of the deadline set by the state. Hawaii's small size and population, abundant renewable resources, and political will to transform its energy economy make it an ideal candidate to test a large-scale transition. Ten years later, with the help of Hawaiian Electric and other stakeholders, the state has far exceeded its initial interim objectives and is now setting the bar even higher, with the goal of becoming the first U. S.
state to reach 100% renewable energy by 2045. In addition to helping manufacturers ensure that customers in Hawaii's continuing expanding solar market can use the widest possible range of their products, it will also help them prepare for the needs of emerging markets elsewhere and, ultimately, will allow for the deployment of renewable energy resources across the United States. With its high levels of renewable energy, high percentage of citizens with solar energy on their roofs, and ambitious electricity goal of 100% renewable by 2045, Hawaii is at the forefront of energy system evolution.
