Global Courant 2023-05-18 03:12:07
An energy storage park could replace it Hawaii’s last coal power plant that closed in 2022 after 30 years.
AES Corporation’s coal-fired power plant produced up to one-fifth of the electricity on Oahu, the most populous island in the state. Taking it offline put an end to the 1.5 million tons of greenhouse gases emitted annually. said David Ige as it was about to close in September.
The company said potential new uses for the 8.5-acre estate in Kapolei include battery storage, solar and even wind power, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Wednesday.
Energy storage farms are increasingly taking the place of old coal-fired power plants.
Nearby, the largest stand-alone power system in the state has been under construction since last year. The project has an energy storage capacity of 565 megawatt hours and is being developed by Plus Power of San Francisco.
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An energy storage farm plans to replace a coal-fired power plant in Hawaii that closed in 2022.
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Storage projects allow utility company Hawaiian Electric to accept and use more intermittent power from renewable sources, including rooftop solar.
Electricity generated by burning oil remains the largest energy source for Hawaiian Electric, which serves Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, Molokai and Lanai. The utility reported that 32% of its power generation in 2022 will come from renewable sources.
Like other Pacific islands, Hawaii is suffering from the cascading impacts of climate change. The state is experiencing coral reef destruction from bleaching associated with higher ocean temperatures, rapid sea level rise, more intense storms and drought, increasing the risk of wildfires.
In 2020, the Hawaii Legislature passed a law banning the use of coal for energy production by early 2023. Hawaii has mandated a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2045 and was the first state to set such a goal.
