Hawaiian Electric hit 34.5% green energy in 2020

Higher solar energy and wind production, along with lower consumer demand, enabled Hawaiian Electric to reach a 34.5% consolidated renewable portfolio standard in 2020 and exceed the state mandate of 30%.

The state’s largest utility, which has more than tripled clean energy in 10 years, exceeded the 28.4% RPS it was at in 2019 for Oahu, Hawaii island and Maui County. Hawaiian Electric’s renewable energy on its grids was just under 10% in 2010.

The state’s goal is to generate 100% clean energy by 2045. The next RPS milestone required by state law is to reach 40% by 2030.

“Exceeding the state renewable energy mandate underscores Hawaiian Electric’s commitment to replace imported fossil fuels at a pace that keeps us on the path to be carbon neutral by 2045,” Scott Seu, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, said in a statement. “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we pressed forward alongside our community, government and renewable energy development partners and our customers.”

Hawaiian Electric said even if electricity use had been the same as in 2019, the utility still would have reached a renewable portfolio standard of 32%. The RPS represents the renewable energy used by customers as a percentage of total utility sales.

In other markets:

>> Maui County used a mix of solar, wind and biofuels to top 50% for the first time and finish at 50.8%. That was up nearly 25% from 40.8% RPS in 2019.

>> Oahu exceeded 30% for the first time and ended at 30.5%, which was up more than 5 percentage points from 25.2% in 2019.

>> Hawaii island’s RPS rose to 43.4% from 34.7% in 2019 and appears poised to move higher this year due to the gradual return of Puna Geothermal Venture, which came back online in November. PGV shut down in May 2018 due to the Kilauea eruption.

“Reaching 30 percent on O‘ahu is especially significant, considering there is less land available for grid-scale projects and more businesses and homes using electricity,” Seu said. “That’s why having 36 percent of single-family homes using rooftop solar is such an important element of the renewable portfolio.”