Our Shared Objective: More Affordable, More Reliable Power
The Facts: Oʻahu still depends on global fossil fuel systems for 68% of our electricity. Oʻahu's old fossil fuel generators are expensive to operate and often break down. Our fossil fuel-based electricity is expensive and unreliable.
The Challenge: Energy bills are too high and people need utility bill relief now.
Runaway energy costs on Oʻahu are an emergency for local families & small businesses.
Dangerous Prescription: State Taps JERA Over Local Innovation
Background on the Backslide: Who Is JERA and Why Are They Here?
JERA: Japan's Energy for a New Era
Largest global buyer of LNG
$55B portfolio — 97% fossil fuel
Selected with no competitive process by Governor Green and the State
>$2B in debt for LNG infrastructure — a JERA loan to Oʻahu ratepayers
Requires 2–3X more LNG than we need to bring down the cost enough to cover debt
We Have Everything We Need On-Island
Relying on ourselves is the solution.
Solar fits well with agriculture — keeping lands undeveloped and available for farming
More solar & storage reduces cost and improves reliability. Hawaiʻi's growing green workforce is already building our modern grid. Expanding existing programs lets us reach more people now.
Local Power Hawaiʻi: Next Steps for Affordable, Reliable Island Power
Expand energy efficiency today, accelerate solar tomorrow, trust local solutions going forward.
Immediate Energy efficiency Expanding existing programs lets us reach more people now | Next Five Years More solar and storage reduces cost and improves reliability Accelerate solar | Going Forward Hawaii's growing green workforce is already building our modern grid Trust local solutions |
We have everything we need on-island. Relying on ourselves is the solution.
More Energy Efficiency: Providing Immediate Relief Today
Everyone understands that the high cost of living is the #1 issue for struggling Oʻahu families. The real question is: what are we going to do about it right now?
7 Weeks vs. 7 Years: LNG = Waiting and Uncertainty. Energy efficiency means savings in weeks.
Expand Existing Efficiency Programs 10X. We need a workable program big enough to help.
The State's heat pump program targets 7,000 homes. Let's make it 70,000 — and let's make it simpler.
What's Kauaʻi's Secret? Building Solar at Half of HECO's Cost
Solar & Storage: The Next Step for Cost Relief
Will adding utility solar reduce my bill? Kauaʻi/KIUC shows: Big solar = small bills.
How quickly can we build it? Solar builds 2–3X faster vs. fossil fuels.
Why are bills so high if we already have solar? Oʻahu has only 9% grid-scale solar with 68% of electricity from burning fuels, giving Oʻahu the most volatile prices in the state.
"Solar energy projects continue to be the lowest-cost option."
— Hawaiʻi State Energy Office
Solar & Storage: The Next Step for Grid Reliability
"KIUC's grid will be running on 90% renewables within two years."
— David Bissell, KIUC CEO
4,500-acre area shown for scale — 10 solar farms at 450 acres each could meet our needs today
Do we have enough land for solar on Oʻahu? 1,500 GWh/yr = 4,500 acres — a third of what we use today for parking, and 20% of our energy use.
Do we have enough land for agriculture? Solar fits well with agriculture and keeps lands undeveloped and available for farming.
Do we have enough 'firm power' if it's not sunny? We only need half of what HSEO and JERA claim. Batteries help support older generators.
Energy Self-Sufficiency Is Energy Sovereignty
Start depending on locals. Stop depending on JERA.
Good local jobs:
With clean energy, we support each other with lower energy costs and living wage jobs.
Clean local resources:
Keep our hard-earned dollars on Island and out of the pockets of global fossil fuel companies.
Fast local permits:
If the State can speed-up JERA permitting, they can do the same for more affordable local solar projects.
Hawaiʻi's Affordable Energy Future Is Already Being Built. We are building a reliable, low-cost grid with local innovators and local workers.
The pieces are already in place:
Utility & Rooftop Solar
Virtual Power Plants & Grid Integrated Buildings
Electric Vehicles
Retail Wheeling
Thoughtful bottom-up development of wind, geothermal, & biofuels
Local Power Hawaiʻi: The Affordable and Reliable Choice for Oʻahu
The Local Power Hawaiʻi Pathway: Stay Local. Save Plenty.
Power by People, Power for People
Help those who need it | Reduce costs for all of us | Transform the system |
Mai nānā i ka ʻulu o waho, ʻaʻohe ia nāu; e nānā no i ka ʻulu i ke alo, nāu ia.
We know how to help our neighbors in Hawaiʻi: For a tenth of the cost of LNG, we can help every struggling household cut their utility bill by 20–30%. We can increase affordability and reliability and create more good local jobs by making smart, right-sized investments into a future we own.
Join Local Power Hawaiʻi and help Gov. Green see that staying the course with clean energy is the fastest and best way to help Oʻahu families and small businesses.
Advocate for these practical next steps as an alternative to doing business with JERA:
Expand our energy efficiency programs by 10X — today
Accelerate our utility solar projects by restructuring HECO and City approval processes
Put our trust in local innovators and local workers, not big foreign corporations
Share the Local Power Hawaiʻi vision for a more affordable, reliable, and self-sufficient future.