Renewable, Reliable and Affordable Energy for Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i is the most oil-dependent state in the country. Most of the state’s electricity is generated by oil, and 99% of that comes from foreign sources. This dependence makes our cost of living subject to volatile oil prices, like we are experiencing today, with oil prices up 80% from a year ago, and over which we have no control. Burning fossil fuels – oil, coal and natural gas – is also the single largest cause of climate change and other environmental impacts.
To change Hawai‘i’s reliance on oil, we have to replace it. And a signifcant portion must be replaced with “frm” renewable generation that can produce energy 24/7 all year round. Honua Ola Bioenergy positively and directly addresses this critical need.
If approved, and when it comes online – as early as the end of this year – Honua Ola’s plant in Pepe‘ekeo will use state-of-the-art technology to make available 21.5 megawatts of frm, renewable power, fueled by organic material grown on-island.
Once approved and online, Honua Ola Bioenergy will:
- Produce enough energy to power 14,000 homes on Hawai‘i Island.
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing oil and growing trees.
- Create 200+ local jobs in plant operations, forestry, and transportation.
- Reduce 250,000 barrels of fossil fuel burned annually.
- Feed $56 million into our local economy each year, instead of buying foreign oil
Honua Ola will be fueled by locally grown eucalyptus trees planted as a crop to replace sugar cane. The facility can also accept invasive species, including troublesome albizia trees. Honua Ola has committed to plant more trees than it harvests in order to remove carbon from the atmosphere, making it the frst carbon-negative energy project in the state.
And perhaps most importantly, the price of Honua Ola’s locally grown feedstock will be fxed and will stabilize the cost of electricity, unlike the volatile price of oil.
Honua Ola is the renewable, reliable and affordable frm energy complement to solar and wind power, and is supported by 88% of Hawai‘i Island residents. And it is the only new firm renewable energy plant currently planned for the next decade.
If we are serious about reducing our reliance on imported oil, the time is now.