Hawai‘i ADVANCED VISUALIZATION energy NEXUS (HAVEN)
HAVEN is a data visualization tool that assists planners, decision-makers, and other stakeholders to better understand the relationships, trade-offs, and impacts of policies, regulations, and other decisions made across the energy ecosystem.
Hawai‘i ADVANCED VISUALIZATION energy NEXUS (HAVEN)
Originally developed through a U.S. Department of Energy competitive grant in coordination with the University of Hawai‘i’s LAVA Lab, HAVEN was designed to display utility resource planning data so users can easily visualize and compare the land use and geospatial impact of different plans. The project has evolved over the years to incorporate plans beyond the utility’s, such as the scenarios developed using the Engage energy modeling tool for the HSEO’s Decarbonization Study, as well as added contextual layers for hazards facing the state, such as wildfire and sea level rise. HAVEN has been used to help facilitate community engagement and education and has proven to be a powerful educational and outreach tool that prompts conversation as users absorb the information displayed. Interest in the technology from other states, communities, and schools has driven iterations focused on user experience and portability.
Decarbonization
In 2022, the State Legislature passed Act 238 which tasks the Hawai‘i State Energy Office to “analyze pathways and develop recommendations for achieving the State’s economy-wide decarbonization goals.” Additionally, the study will evaluate emission reduction pathways from all emitting sectors economy-wide.
Under Hawai’i Revised Statutes §225P-5, Hawai’i has a target “to sequester more atmospheric carbon and greenhouse gases than emitted within the State as quickly as practicable, but no later than 2045”, effectively establishing a net-negative emissions target.
Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative
The Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI) is a framework of statutes and regulations supported by a diverse group of stakeholders committed to Hawai‘i’s clean energy future. The goal of the Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative is to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2045. HCEI has implemented many of the foundational policies and innovative solutions needed to reduce our dependency on foreign oil, maximize our diverse portfolio of natural resources, and create employment and investment opportunities throughout the islands. Our state has earned recognition as a clean energy leader and must continue to embrace innovative technologies and thoughtful decision-making.
Powering Past Coal Task Force
Hawai‘i’s last coal plant is set to retire by September 1, 2022, and the use of coal in the State will be a remnant of the past. The retirement represents a significant milestone in Hawai‘i’s transition away from fossil fuel. The 180 MW coal plant generates firm electrical power for Oʻahu’s grid. It has been the largest single generator on Oʻahu, meeting 16% of Oahu’s peak electricity demand according to Hawaiian Electric (Hawaiian Electric, 2019). In 2020, the legislature passed Act 23, which effectively bans the use of coal for electrical power generation in Hawai‘i after September 1, 2022, the expiration date of the coal plant’s power purchase agreement with Oʻahu’s electric utility.
Transportation
Hawai‘i’s transformation to a net-negative carbon economy includes transportation. Transportation energy demand is driven by the quantity of transportation (passenger-miles and ton-miles) needed; the modes (e.g., plane, boat, car, truck, bus, bicycle, scooter, on foot) used to meet the transportation needs; the fuels (e.g., jet fuel, low-sulfur fuel oil, gasoline, diesel, biodiesel, hydrogen, electricity, human power) needed to propel the various modes; and the primary energy sources (e.g., petroleum, solar, cooking oil, crops, other materials) used to create the fuels.