Small Steps for Clean Energy in Hawaii

Growing up in Hawaii, my parents had always warn me to stop playing video games or turn off electric devices because the electricity cost was so high. But it wasn't until today, thanks to these screencasts, that I discovered just how high that cost was: roughly three times as much as the mainland's, at $0.30 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Leaving these devices on for most of the day is certainly not such a smart idea, but it's quite difficult to break out of the habit when one is a computer science major. But I realized if I want to play a part in the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, now is a better time to start than never.

The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative was signed off by former Governor Linda Lingle in January of 2008 as a partnership between the state of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of Energy. It requires full participation and support from all Hawaii state residents if, together, we are to achieve 70% clean energy by the year 2030. 70% clean energy means that 40% of the projected energy in 2030 is generated from renewable resources and 30% of the projected energy is reduced by means of conservation and other efficiency measures.

Yet 40% renewable energy is just the start. What makes Hawaii an even better place to live apart from its unique geography, climate, and mix of people is that, unlike any other state, it has the potential to generate all of its power from renewable energy resources and has almost every source of renewable energy available. This includes wind, wave, solar, geothermal, and more. Renewable resources are generally more cost-effective for Hawaii, and because of its small size (in comparison to other states), Hawaii's energy needs are modest enough that all-renewable energy resources is possible.

Negative consequences loom ahead if we do not pick up our act now. Hawaii still generates most of its energy from imported oil, which is extremely expensive, as we know it, and the price is only likely to get even higher as the years go by. Furthermore, Hawaii as it is now uses inefficient means to generate its energy: each island has its own source or sources of energy so that not one is connected to another. These unconnected energy grids aren't what we'd call teamwork. If we don't do something about this, not just the price of gas and electricity would go up, but the prices of water, food, and clothing, etc., would all go up as well.

In conclusion, if Hawaii is to remain the dear place we call home, we must take it upon ourselves to conserve energy, as much as we can, on a daily basis. Nothing big was ever achieved in a giant leap. It's the small steps that we take each day that truly count in the end.