Hawaii’s Governor Dumps Oil and Gas in Favor of 100 Percent Renewables

[eridani]

http://www.thenation.com/article/hawaiis-governor-dumps-oil-and-gas-in-favor-of-100-percent-renewables/

At the Asia Pacific Resilience Innovation Summit held in Honolulu, Hawaii, this week, Governor David Ige dropped a bombshell. His administration will not use natural gas to replace the state’s petroleum-fueled electricity plants, but will make a full-court press toward 100 percent renewables by 2045. Ige’s decisive and ambitious energy vision is making Hawaii into the world’s most important laboratory for humankind’s fight against climate change. He has, in addition, attracted an unlikely and enthusiastic partner in his embrace of green energy—the US military.

Ige said Monday that LNG (liquefied natural gas) will not save the state money over time, given the plummeting prices of renewables. Moreover, “it is a fossil fuel,” i.e., it emits dangerous greenhouse gases. He explained that local jurisdictions in Hawaii are putting up a fight against natural gas, making permitting difficult. Finally, any money put into retooling electric plants so as to run on gas, he said, is money that would better be invested in the transition to green energy.

Ige, trained as an electrical engineer, is leading his state in the most ambitious clean-energy program in the United States. On June 8, he signed into law a bill calling for Hawaii’s electricity to be entirely generated from renewables in only 30 years. He also directed that the University

[ruffburr]

1. The rest-

Of the country needs to adopt this plan. Preferably sooner than later.

[Finishline42]

8. I agree - Solar is a long term play

Solar is a long term play - buy a PV system with a 25 yr warranty and it will still be producing 50 yrs later. At some point the system will break even and from then on it's basically free electricity - which means in this case - reducing the cost of government.

The main determination in that break even point is the current cost of electricity - and according to this -

http://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/

Hawaii has the highest in the US at $.34/kWh - which is basically twice what anybody else pays. What that means is that the break even point is something like 5 yrs or less. Only someone with an agenda that supports the status quo could look at those numbers and not start buying solar - especially for government buildings. Coupled with the fact that you don't have to buy everything in one year.

RE: reducing the cost of government - NYC spent over $600 million on electricity in 2014 according to their mayor. What's the guess on what we spend on the Federal level? $50 billion?

[Hekate]

2. So proud of my home state! Mahalo, Gov. Ige!

[passiveporcupine]

3. This is great news!

They certainly have the sun for solar.

[itsrobert]

4. Hawaii seems like the perfect place for renewables

They have the sun, wind, and ocean for power.

[DrBulldog]

5. Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, and California

What an incredible world first-class COUNTRY that would make!

[mountain grammy]

6. Now, that's a country where I would love to live .

The magnificent west coast and Hawaii too! Sign me up.

[2banon]

7. Right On!