Hawaii lawmakers voted 74-2 this week to pass the
nation's first state-wide requirement for 100 percent
renewable energy generation. House Bill (HB) 623 mandates
that the entirety of the state’s energy portfolios must be
generated using renewable energy resources no later than
2045.
As reported by eSolarEnergyNews, Jeff Mikulina, Executive
Director of the Blue Planet Foundation said, "Hawaii
lawmakers made history passing this legislation--not only
for the islands, but for the planet. Passage of this measure
is a historic step towards a fossil fuel-free Hawaii. This
visionary policy is a promise to future generations that
their lives will be powered not by climate-changing fossil
fuel, but by clean, local, and sustainable sources of
energy."
"Local renewable projects are already cheaper than liquid
natural gas and oil,” said Chris Lee, Chairman of the House
Energy and Environmental Protection Committee and introducer
of HB 623. “Our progress toward meeting our renewable energy
standards has already saved local residents hundreds of
millions on their electric bills. Moving to 100 percent
renewable energy will do more to reduce energy prices for
local residents in the long term than almost anything else
we could do."
Senator Gabbard, Chair of the Senate Energy and Environment
Committee, said, "With this bill, we'll now be the most
populated set of islands in the world with an independent
grid to establish a 100 percent renewable electricity goal.
Through this process of transformation, Hawaii can be the
model that other states, and even nations, follow. And we'll
achieve the biggest energy turnaround in the country, going
from 90 percent dependence on fossil fuels to 100 percent
clean energy."
House Bill 623 also increases interim requirements for
renewable energy to 30 percent by 2020. Last year, Hawaii
generated about 22 percent of its electricity from renewable
resources.
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