Abstract
This chapter is an overview of the external and local factors which led to enactment of the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI). It describes the interaction of developments in the world petroleum market with local attitudes which favored sustainable self-sufficiency energy solutions. The chapter presents an overview of the history of regulatory and institutional development and presents a general description of the perspectives of the major stakeholders toward substituting of renewable energy resources for imported petroleum.
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Notes
- 1.
Interestingly, no mention was made of the wind or biomass/biofuel energy systems which have become a central part of the current clean energy initiative nor was there any discussion of energy self sufficiency as a state policy objective.
- 2.
By 1978 public opinion in Hawaii had turned decidedly against nuclear power as an option for the State. Section 8 of the State Constitution reflects this concern as follows: “No nuclear fission power plant shall be constructed or radioactive material disposed of in the State without the prior approval by a two-thirds vote in each house of the legislature.”
- 3.
Background papers were prepared for the major issues discussed in the Sustainability Report. These papers were subsequently compiled into a separate volume which was published by the UH Social Sciences Public Policy Center in 2010.
- 4.
This bipolar vision is, to some degree, a microcosm of national energy strategy in which energy technology, resources, and relative costs have undergone dramatic changes over the last two decades.
- 5.
34 % of the Hawaii’s oil was imported from Alaska and the reminder came from Indonesia and Australia.
- 6.
Four years later, in 1978, Act 100 embedded these goals and objectives in legislation creating a Hawaii State Plan (Chapter 226-18, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS).
- 7.
The role of HNEI was again expanded two years later to include analytical support to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on the status and enforcement of the state’s renewable portfolio standards. The first RPS review took place in 2013 and will be undertaken at 5 year intervals in the future.
- 8.
In 2015, this goal was revised to 100 % renewable energy in the electric sector by 2045.
- 9.
Notably through Chapter 226–18, HRS, Chapters 269 (RPS & EEPS ) and 196 (DBEDT ) and 201N (siting facilitation) of HRS. In addition the RPS and NEM laws, enacted in 2001 with subsequent amendments prior to 2009 played equally important roles with more specificity.
- 10.
In 2014 NextEera Energy Company proposed to merge with HECO but the merger was later rejected by the state PUC in July 2016.
- 11.
It should be pointed out that even if the HCEI is successful, there will be a substantial ongoing demand for imported petroleum and, conceivably, an emerging import market for liquid biofuels.
References
Chaplin, G., & Paige, G. (1973). Hawaii 2000 continuing experiment in anticipatory democracy. University Press of Hawaii. http://www.alibris.com/Hawaii-2000-Continuing-Experiment-in-Anticipatory-Democracy/book/282803
Higa M., & Kokubun R. (2005). Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan, Hawaii institute for public affairs. University of Hawaii at Manoa. http://files.hawaii.gov/auditor/Reports/2005/2050report.pdf
Turn, S. (2010), Hawaii 2050 building a shared future-issue book, social sciences public policy center (pp. 69–81). University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, January 2010. http://www.susieastwestcenter.com/uploads/1/2/0/5/12054920/hi2050_web5.pdf
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Pintz, W.S., Morita, H. (2017). Introduction: Roots, Vision, and Strategy. In: Clean Energy from the Earth, Wind and Sun. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48677-2_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48677-2_1
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