The County of Hawai’i is the renewable energy leader among all the counties in the state of Hawai’i, and leads the United States with the highest percentage of alternative energy produced on an isolated grid. More than 30 percent of our electricty is produced via alternative energy sources, including geothermal, hydro electric, wind and solar power.

Mayor Kenoi’s administration has added to this momentum by participating in renewable energy opportunities, offering the Big Island as the renewable energy capital of the Pacific and supporting private sector initiatives.

We are assisting promising industries such as the growing grass-finished beef market that are critical to long-term food sustainability in the County of Hawai’i. Here is what has been happening:

Strengthening Agriculture

Our Agricultural Development Program provides leadership in market development initiatives, and facilitates financial support for our cooperative agriculture extension programs. These programs allow us to work together to use our resources collectively and sustainably, and help preserve agriculture as strong economic force in our communities as well as in industry.  Robust agricultural development will enable us to create a stronger foundation for a more sustainable farming future.

• Launched the largest agricultural park in the state on 1,739 acres of County-owned lands at Kapulena to make the lands available for community-based agriculture projects, commercial production and ranching.
• Appointed members of the farming community to represent agricultural interests on the county board of Water Supply.

• Supported and facilitated the establishment of a number of start-up alternative energy projects, including Big Island Carbon and Pacific Bio- diesel.
• Hosted U.S. Japan Energy Partnership task force that has identified the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai’i in Kona as a prime location for an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion demonstration project.
• Worked to establish Hawai’i Island as the alternative energy host for the 2011
  Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to be held in Honolulu.
• Established the geothermal working group to evaluate the potential of geothermal to serve as the primary source of electricity on the island.
• Board of Water Supply is proposing a plan to reconstruct a wind farm in South Kohala to power pumps at Water Department wells in North Hawai’i.
• Included outlets for electric cars at the West Hawai’i to convert Hawai’i County’s bus fleet to hydrogen power and to establish fueling stations.
• Audited the top 10 energy use facilities in the county to produce a report on low-cost to no-cost energy efficiency saving programs.
• Submitted data to National Renewable Energy lab on Hawai’i County’s vehicle usage to determine areas for efficiency improvements.
• Obtained $737,800 in Department of Energy money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for various energy efficiency programs. This funding will pay to replace 400 to 500 street lamp light bulbs with energy efficient lamps, saving 50 percent to 60 percent for each bulb in electrical costs. The county will replace more in coming years.
• Contracted to install a $2 million photovoltaic system on the West Hawai’i Civic Center at no cost to the county. This will be one of the first feed-in tariff projects on the island and in the state.
• Created a Hawai’i County “Green Team” to find ways to reduce energy use and cut costs in County facilities.