Hawaii looks to exceed 40% renewable energy goal

Duane Shimogawa: Reporter- Pacific Business News

Hawaii, which is currently generating nearly 14 percent of its electricity from renewable sources and well on its way to achieving 40 percent clean energy by 2030, is projecting to eclipse 40 percent and is looking to set a new goal.

“The governor has clearly laid out the gauntlet that clearly, we’re not satisfied with just 40 percent by 2030,” State Energy Office Administrator Mark Glick told PBN. “Progress so far and resource potential here means that we can certainly go beyond 40 percent, so we will work with stakeholders and come up with a strategy to do that.”

The announcement, which was made in conjunction with an unprecedented state energy policy unveiled Monday at the 5th Annual Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo, goes hand-in-hand with this new policy.

“The energy policy provides the principles to which we operate,” Glick said.

The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative in 2008 set the goals for the state to get to 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030 — 40 percent from locally generated sources and 30 percent from energy conservation.

In terms of the efficiency side, Hawaii is currently at 16.4 percent and Glick did not mention any new initiatives or goals.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2013/09/09/hawaii-looks-to-exceed-40-renewable.html