Hawaii Says Aloha (Greetings) to Clean, Renewable Energy

clipped from www.scientificamerican.com Last January, Hawaii signed an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) that would make the Aloha State the country's most aggressive in pursuing renewable energy. By 2030, it plans to obtain 70 percent of its power from clean energy (40 percent from renewables and 30 percent from energy efficiency). Outstripping California's goal of 33 percent by 2020, the Hawaii initiative is a green light for clean-tech experts and enthusiasts to set up shop in the heart of the Pacific and may become a blueprint (or greenprint) for the rest of the country. The ambitious scheme, which draws on the DoE's technical and financial assistance, may help Hawaii unshackle itself from the financials of fossil fuel. For 90 percent of its power, the state relies on imported oil, resulting in electricity that costs five times more than the national average of 11 cents per kilowatt-hour.