HECO study: Renewable energy alone won’t get Hawaii to its net zero emissions goal

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Renewable energy generation on its own is not enough to meet zero emissions in Hawaii by 2045, according to a new report from Hawaiian Electric.

The study looks at what’s needed to meet a 2018 Hawaii net zero law.

By 2030, Hawaii is supposed to see 50% emissions reductions.

While the report does not provide concrete steps to meet the 2045 goal, it conceptualizes possible energy infrastructure, technology, and other policies that will be needed to reach it.

It concludes a combination of electrification, use of sustainable decarbonized fuels, carbon dioxide removal, and other regulations will be required to meet the goal, the report says.

And in the short term, vehicle and equipment lifetimes will make hitting the halfway mark to zero emissions goal difficult, according to the report.

Aviation also poses additional challenges to achieving zero emissions.

On the other hand, the report says that the building sector has the potential to become more efficient.

Hawaiian Electric predicts that full decarbonization will lead to 25% higher electrical loads that will influence electric planning, and some possible carbon dioxide removal initiatives discussed in the study include enhancing the state’s natural carbon sinks and use of technologies like air capture.

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