Editorial: Progress difficult for energy goals

Hawaii has some lofty clean-energy goals. Among the state mandates: a 2045 deadline for generating 100% of electricity sales from renewable resources; and the Clean Energy Initiative, which includes reducing energy usage by 30% by 2030.

Ambitious goals for any state, they’re especially challenging for the most petroleum-dependent state in the nation. In addition, on the county level, all four mayors have committed to transforming ground transportation to 100% renewable fuel sources by 2045.

Blue Planet Foundation’s latest energy report card, released last week, shows steps forward as well as foot-dragging. The local nonprofit gave Hawaii an overall grade of C, dropping from a B- in the last report card, released in 2017. There were dips in three categories.

The lowest grade, a D in the transportation category, should flag high concern as it accounts for almost two-thirds of our fossil-fuel consumption. Blue Planet’s analysis of public records tracked an increase in sales of less-efficient vehicles. Pickups and SUVs, which accounted for slightly less than half of sales in 2012, now make up 70%. Also, average weekday public bus ridership has dropped by nearly 5% since 2014.

Seeing slow strides in the right direction is the inventory of electric vehicles, which recently reached a milestone with registration of 10,000 statewide. While they represent less than 1% of all vehicles on our roads, on a per-capital basis, Hawaii ranks among the states with the highest EV adoption rates.

We could see a welcome rise in EV inventory with more incentives, such as through a new state law that establishes a rebate for installation of eligible new or upgraded multi-user EV charging systems.

Meanwhile, the Honolulu City Council is weighing a draft Energy Conservation Code update, Bill 25, which requires “EV-readiness” in at least 25% of parking stalls in most new multi-unit residential structures, and fitting new single-family houses with wiring and conduit for charging.

In an effort to reach ambitious energy goals, Honolulu Hale is justified in pushing for such “future-proofing.” While there are pocketbook-pinching upfront costs, EV infrastructure at the time of construction can be about 90% less than post-construction retrofit.

The report card also revealed stumbles in the categories of efficiency and renewables, which got grades of B+ and C+, respectively. While measures aimed at conserving energy, such as by installing efficient light bulbs and faucets, are among the cheapest strategies for clean-energy gains, progress in recent years has been sluggish. It shouldn’t be.

The Hawai‘i Energy program administers more than 50 efficiency initiatives through which residents and businesses can lean about the environmental benefits of clean energy and score rebate cash for energy-saving decisions, such as surrendering old, working refrigerators and freezers.

As for renewables, much of the grade dip was tied to bringing older polluting diesel-fueled generators online last year when the Puna Geothermal plant was threatened by lava. On the upside, Hawaiian Electric Companies expects to generate 30% of electricity sales from renewable resources by 2020. That’s progress, considering that a decade ago it fell short of 10%.

Further progress toward clean energy deadlines will present tougher challenges for all involved. Utilities will grapple with little or no control over matters such as land policies and court decisions. There’s also the issue of community push-back, starkly illustrated by the ongoing protest at the Na Pua Makani wind farm project in Kahuku.

County and state goals will be realized only through collective effort — a balance of give and take — for the sake of delivering clean energy to Hawaii’s future.