Hawaii has long embraced a vision of an all-renewable electricity future, ridding the state of fossil fuels and becoming energy independent. After decades of renewable energy installations, however, most of Hawaii is still powered by firm generation with imported fossil fuels.

Senate Bill 2510 provides a forward- looking plan to eliminate oil by embracing a diverse renewable energy portfolio as we race toward our 2045 deadline for 100% renewable energy.

SB 2510 is not a mandate, but rather, a policy and planning bill providing a critical path for Hawaii’s reliable, self-sustaining carbon-free future.

Opponents of SB 2510 would like you to believe this legislation pushes for a specific type of firm renewable source. This is false. We need to maximize all natural resources, not play favorites. SB 2510 does not impact solar on rooftops. It ensures it.

Rooftop solar users know all too well that, just like using LED bulbs, their utilization of solar energy greatly reduces their reliance on the grid, especially with battery storage. They also know that they can push excess energy onto the utility’s grid, adding more intermittent clean energy to the island’s supply. However, the utility has no control to stop that energy, causing a potential for instability when excessive solar energy feeds the grid, forcing potential negative impacts to the critical baseload generation of firm energy.

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Both are needed in a delicate balance to keep the grid stable. Increasing solar requires reliable firm energy for those who can’t afford rooftop solar. It can be from fossil fuels or clean energy sources. Obviously, one gets us closer to our 2045 goal while the other leaves us woefully behind.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration makes it clear that energy reserve margins of firm energy are necessary to keep the lights on, especially when there are sudden drops or increases from intermittent sources due to weather.

SB 2510 does not mandate the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to a percentage of firm renewable energy nor limit the percentage of any one renewable energy source. Instead, it calls for a state energy plan to provide prudent targets for the grid and deliberately replace fossil fuel, balancing firm and renewable generation. Further, the bill makes it possible to adjust this balance as demand and renewable technology resource supplies evolve. This is not an either-or situation. We clearly need both simultaneously.

Firm energy is defined by its attributes as continually available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with minimal maintenance or repair interruptions. Examples of firm energy include geothermal, hydroelectricity, bioenergy, and in the future, even intermittent energy coupled with affordable storage that can ensure 24/7 availability.

On New Year’s Eve 2021, Hawaiian Electric called for Oahu’s energy conservation to avoid a blackout due to fossil fuel generator outages and rain impacting intermittent renewables. Hawaii is not alone. The Washington Post on June 2 reported: “The nation’s power grid is under stress like never before, with regulators warning that the kind of rolling outages familiar to California and Texas could become far more widespread.” It reported that the shift to wind and solar power is playing a role in stability issues, and storage technologies needed to balance them are still in development, while reliable back-up power is not a matter of waiting for new technology but making the proper investments now.

If Hawaii doesn’t plan for firm generation renewable alternatives, we will keep falling back on oil dependency for decades. That the state Energy Office, PUC or Hawaiian Electric don’t seem to recognize or acknowledge this fact is shocking and irresponsible. We have to do better.

Hawaii was assured by the PUC, the Energy Office and Hawaiian Electric that 19 photovoltaic and battery storage projects were underway to provide enough energy and reserve margin to replace Oahu and Maui’s retiring fossil fuel plants. Alarmingly, as reported by S&P Global on May 24, five are terminated, 12 are delayed and only two are on track. Hawaiian Electric now reports only one PV farm will be on time.

Kauai has been exemplary, implementing a responsible and sustainable energy plan eliminating oil by relying on firm and intermittent renewable resources. Why do we continue to accept excuses from those who say it can’t reasonably be accomplished? Kauai is proof that it can be done.

Opponents say setting targets is irresponsible, but targets have provided the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative with a clear path forward. What’s irresponsible is to pretend that the need for firm power is going to disappear. All power grids need it, and island grids even more so. We have to get this right.

Without a map for our renewable energy future, we will never get there. We need to stop the smoke and mirrors and get to work.

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Highlights of energy bill

Amid much debate, Senate Bill 2510 was passed by Hawaii’s Legislature and is now before the governor, who could veto it, sign it or let it become law without his signature. Among other things, the bill:

>> Says “firm” renewable energy shall be a minimum of 33.33% of renewable energy generation for each island.

>> Limits any one type of renewable energy source to 45% of all generation for each island, except for geothermal.

Donovan Dela Cruz is a state senator (Mililani-Wahiawa) who chairs the Ways and Means Committee.