Renewable Energy in Hawaii Goes Underwater

Most of us think of Hawaii as one of the best vacation destination for anyone looking to spend a little time on some white sandy beaches under the sun. However, Hawaii has more than just beautiful tropical vistas to offer. The Hawaiian island chain is home to several renewable energy projects that are currently operating and is preparing to make way for several more. The largest of these projects to come is the ambitious new plan to run cabling between a series of islands to allow the transfer of wind power between them.

The project, run by the Renewable Energy Programs section of Hawaii's Clean Energy Initiative, aims to build 12,000 acres of wind farms on the islands of Molokai and Lanai. Once built the power would then be transferred to the island of Oahu through undersea cabling. Should the project be approved and later succeed, more cabling would then be run between the wind farms and the island of Maui. Scientists have already determined that running cables along the ocean floor should not pose any particular problem or act as a threat for any undersea ecosystems. The only thing holding them back at this point is the one billion dollar price tag affixed to the project.

Hawaii's latest project serves as a portion of a much greater plan the state has in mind to achieve 70% renewable energy by the end of 2030, hoping to further separate themselves from the need for foreign oil. They may have been inspired by two similar projects that have been around for some time. Long Island, NY has been partially powered by a cable running through Long Island Sound from Connecticut, though the power it receives is not from a renewable energy source. In New Zealand, however, the Inter-Island HVDC Link connects the North and South islands of the nation and was commissioned in 1965. The link is partially used to allow the transfer of renewable energy in the form of hydroelectric power, making it the first of its kind. Should the project between the islands of Hawaii be completed, it would be the very first cable to run undersea and provide entirely clean, renewable energy at the same time.

The Hawaiian Archipelago's unique position as an island chain has also given it multiple opportunities to explore other forms of renewable energy. The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, located on the island of Hawaii itself, has researched ocean thermal and tidal energy since the 1970s with varying degrees of success. The research conducted there under commercial guidance also covers a variety of other renewable energy sources including solar power (which is already relatively popular in Hawaii), wind energy, and the development of algae based biofuels. Under the Puna Geothermal Venture, Hawaii's only geothermal power plant also provides renewable energy by harnessing the geothermal heat produced by the underground chambers of the Kilauea Volcano.

In the end, the huge price tag on the cable project could be the only obstacle preventing Hawaii from reaching their goal of 70% renewable energy by 2030. If they are able to receive enough federal funding and investors, however, Hawaii may very well be on its way to becoming one of the leading renewable energy users in the United States, if not in the world, within the next several decades.

Photo Credit: Flickr