Letter: Time-of-use rates can help reduce emissions
Addressing climate change requires changes in behavior, from driving less to using more energy-efficient technologies to changing how electricity is generated.
Addressing climate change means reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. In the electric sector, this equates to replacing fossil-fired generation with generation from renewables, especially solar. Solar power is plentiful during the day and nonexistent at night. Therefore, to take advantage of this clean, low-cost energy source, households and businesses need to shift as much of their power consumption as possible to the daytime.
To induce this change in behavior, Hawaiian Electric will be rolling out a pilot programs where electricity rates will be far cheaper during the day than at night. Kudos to the Public Utilities Commission and HECO for piloting time-of-use electricity rates as one of many policies to help the state be a responsible global citizen and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Virginia Tincher
Aina Haina
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