Just over a year into a long-term partnership with the U.S. Dept. of Energy to transform Hawaii into a model clean-energy economy, 1,000 MW of alternative-energy projects are in the works along with an undersea-cable transmission project to deliver power among the state’s islands. One goal of the partnership is to offer Hawaii’s experience as a test bed for island economies globally as they make the transition to clean energy.
The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) was launched in January 2008 with a memorandum of understanding between Hawaii and DOE. HCEI aims to produce 70% of the state’s energy using renewable resources by 2030. Fossil fuels provided nearly 91% of Hawaii’s electricity in 2007, and its average electric rate for all sectors that year was 21.29¢ per kilowatt-hour, the highest in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration. High energy costs are a common problem for island economies worldwide when they lack natural resources and must import fuel.