Lawmakers are advancing a measure to set new goals for Hawaiʻi to be more energy efficient.
Hawaiʻi already has relatively low energy usage compared to other states. But in 2008, it started an initiative to significantly lower that usage through energy efficiency standards.
The state is required to reduce its energy consumption by more than 4,000 gigawatt hours by 2030, compared to its baseline energy usage in 2008.
Just one of those gigawatt hours is enough to power more than 1 million homes for an hour.
The state is on track to meet its 2030 goal, according to the most recent report from the Public Utilities Commission.
House Bill 1051 will set a new target of reducing the state’s total energy usage by 6,000 gigawatt hours by 2045.
Previous measures to extend the state’s energy efficiency goals almost crossed the finish line in 2023 and 2024. Both stumbled during conference committee hearings.
HB1051 needs to pass a final floor vote in both chambers to be sent to the governor.
