Hawaiian solar
Credit: pv-magazine

The state of Hawaii is seeking to lead the way toward a clean energy future in America. A bill (HB 623) passed by the Hawaii Legislature last week sets the goal of completely removing fossil fuels from the state’s energy portfolio by the end of 2045. Yes, that’s right — 100 percent renewables by 2045! No other state has embraced such an ambitious goal.

Hawaii has several reasons to pursue this target, chief among them being high energy prices. According to the U.S .Energy Information Administration, the people of Hawaii don’t use a lot of energy. In fact, Hawaii has the fourth-lowest per capita energy use in the country. However, it also has the highest electricity and natural gas prices in America.

Why? Because Hawaii imports 93 percent of the energy it consumes, with the bulk of it being petroleum to burn for electricity.

High electricity prices result in a difficult burden for the residents of Hawaii, especially the very poor. A recent study found that Hawaii households […]