Wise policies, such as over transportation, key for future

“Stewardship … means living with the constant reminder that our actions occur in context of other people over generations.”

Gov. George Ariyoshi reminded us of this long ago. Today, the impressive progress we’ve made on renewable energy reflects that stewardship. But our lack of vision on transportation does a disservice to this generation — and those that follow.

In 2015, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to target 100 percent renewable energy for our electricity sector. It has been inspiring to see leadership across the islands rally around that goal. Kauai Island Utility Cooperative just switched on the world’s largest solar plus battery system, powering the island long after the sun has set. Hawaiian Electric’s latest plan shows that the 100 percent renewable target will be met well ahead of schedule — and at a cost that’s $6 billion less than recent business as usual. All because we had the vision to act.

But electricity is only one piece of our energy puzzle. Ground transportation — our cars, buses and trucks — accounts for one-third of our fossil fuel use. We burned over half a billion gallons of gasoline and diesel in our vehicles last year, and that consumption continues to grow. This shouldn’t be a surprise: Hawaii has no target date for the transition to clean transportation.

House Bill 1580 can fix this. The bill sets a planning target of 2045 for the state to transition to 100 percent renewable transportation. A planning target doesn’t mean that anyone will be forced to give up their gas cars before they are ready. It just means that when we plan and invest in transportation infrastructure, we focus on renewable transportation rather than fossil fuels. Planning to achieve the same target for electricity and transportation makes good sense — more renewable transportation can enable more renewable electricity, and vice versa.

What will our 100 percent renewable transportation system look like? Nobody’s crystal ball can tell us for sure. But we see a glimpse of the future in the clean transportation options that are available today.

Electric vehicles are the fastest-growing segment of new cars in Hawaii. With plummeting battery costs, this technology works equally well in buses. Cities around the world have already started the transition to electric buses as a cheaper option than diesel.

Our trucks can be fueled with biodiesel. This renewable fuel is already being used in some of Oahu’s fire trucks, ambulances and garbage trucks. Whether recycled from local cooking grease, or derived from local crops, biofuels can be a “drop-in” replacement for fossil fuels.

Our cities and streets can be designed to make it easier to get where we need to be by walking, biking or using public transit. Pairing that with technology, we may find that ride-sharing, car-sharing and bike-sharing apps can make it easier to borrow a ride than to buy one.

And undoubtedly, we will see radical technology leaps. By 2045, our cars may be autonomous, driving themselves as efficiently as possible to reduce traffic and energy consumption. Our entire energy system might be powered by hydrogen — a fuel that can be made from water and turns back to water when used. Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen vehicle is on sale in Hawaii today.

Together, shifts like these can unlock cleaner, cheaper and more convenient mobility options for everyone. But this change cannot happen on its own.

Our leaders set the course. What is our vision for transportation in the next quarter century? More fossil fuels, more traffic, and more global warming pollution? Or 100 percent indigenous, renewable energy, building a healthier environment and stronger local economy for our islands?

Let’s not forget: Our actions today are occurring in the context of other people over generations.

John Dean, Christine Camp and Ernest Nishizaki are board members of the Blue Planet Foundation, a clean-energy advocacy nonprofit.