Hawaiian Electric finalizes short, long-term plan to decarbonize whole energy system by 2045

Detailing a mix of short-term actions and long-term strategies to decarbonize its energy system by 2045 without destabilizing rates, Hawaiian Electric officially finalized its Integrated Grid Plan this week, pledging the lowest cost path to resilience on the islands. 

A key component will be utilizing renewable resources from Hawaii, for Hawaii. Acknowledging that affordability and reliability are top concerns for customers, though, Hawaiian Electric noted that energy rates will likely rise in the near term during the initial transition steps, but relief will not be far behind: those same prices will likely be lower and less chaotic than if they relied on fossil fuels for generation, and provide a reduced energy burden to customers with low and moderate incomes in particular. 

“Meeting the energy needs of our customers up to and beyond 2045 requires a short-term action plan and a long-term strategy – and that’s what the Integrated Grid Plan delivers,” said Colton Ching, Hawaiian Electric’s senior vice president of planning and technology. “Creating a resilient, clean energy grid has never been more urgent as the effects of climate change escalate, existing energy infrastructure ages, and our timelines shrink.”

Focusing on the more immediate, near-term portions of the plan put forth to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Hawaiian Electric proposed:

• Expanding customer choices through new programs to reduce barriers to private rooftop solar and shared solar projects for those with lower incomes and overall increase affordability of participation in energy generation, storage, and efficiency.
• Stabilizing rates through large-scale renewable generation and energy storage projects, including more than 3,700 megawatts (MW) of new hybrid solar, energy storage, and firm renewables by 2030. This could allow the removal of more than 540 MW of fossil-fuel-based generation from daily operations by 2030.
• Reliability through renewable firm generation additions, such as geothermal or renewable hydrogen options, to reduce weather-dependency and outage risks.
• Upping community engagement on future energy projects and requiring developers to create public engagement plans and benefit packages for host communities
• Seeking federal funding to reduce the cost of grid modernization and hardening

The Integrated Grid Plan has been filed with the PUC, following a process of data and feedback collection ongoing since 2018. Public commentary on a draft of the plan concluded in April, which helped the company to further tailor its 299-page report.