Oahu to Maui Power Grid Connection Plans


December 13, 2013

One of the primary concerns of those considering a move to Maui is the cost of living, and a lot of that is tied in to energy. If this is something you’ve had on your mind as a prospective Maui home buyer, the following information may prove encouraging.

According to the Hawaii state Energy Office, the Oahu-to-Maui power grid connection that has been proposed is expected to save about $423 million over a 30-year period. The undersea cable to connect the grids will involve some substantial overhead, but the state will be able to make better use of renewable energy.

If the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission handles everything properly, the savings will be passed on to rate payers, which is how it should be. Hawaii’s renewable energy goals are a serious business, and progress in that direction has been impressive. As an island state, our isolation requires an innovative approach to meeting our energy needs.

On that note, there are also some long-term plans to utilize geothermal energy on the Big Island, which would later be connected to Maui. It’s important for the state to cooperate with companies who can lay out the infrastructure to connect these energy systems so we can all reap the benefits.

The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative set goals in 2008 for the state to reach 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030, with 40 percent generated via local sources and 30 percent to come from conservation. We are currently ahead of schedule.

South Maui real estate owners are well aware of the island’s renewable energy developments, because this part of the island was chosen for Smart Grid testing, and it’s easy to gather solar energy here, considering how sunny it tends to be. We look forward to watching this particular project unfold. Hopefully our energy costs will plunge in the years to come, and Hawaii’s achievements can serve as a model for the rest of the world.

Mahalo for reading this week!

RealEstateMauiHawaii.com – By Mark Harbison



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