Hawaii is struggling to close its oil- and coal-fired thermal generating stations. Everyone agrees it’s the right thing to do. After all, Hawaii, like most islands, is especially vulnerable to rising sea levels. Not only that, the cost of shipping oil and coal thousands of miles across the Pacific means utility rates there are some of the highest in the nation.
Factor in that Hawaii enjoys abundant sunshine and strong breezes year round and the case for renewable energy is even more compelling. That doesn’t mean making the transition to renewables is easy, however. In particular, the output from solar farms tends to wane right at the end of the day when the demand for electricity is increasing. Energy storage is the key.
