Breakthrough Technologies Institute - Fuel Cells 2000

Hydrogen fuels derived from renewable energy, or fuel cells where the fuel is derived
from renewable sources, are eligible resources and technologies under the standard.
Where biofuels, hydrogen, or fuel cell fuels are produced by a combination of renewable
and nonrenewable means, the proportion attributable to the renewable means are to be
credited as renewable energy. Where fossil and renewable fuels are co-fired in the same
generating unit, the unit is considered to produce renewable electricity in direct
proportion to the percentage of the total heat value represented by the heat value of the
renewable fuels.
The RPS was enacted, in part, because of the state’s extremely high dependence on
imported fuels for energy, as about 90% of the state’s oil and coal energy supplies are
imported. Increased use of renewable energy would help to achieve energy security,
reduce some of the environmental risk associated with fuel transport, and reduce the
flow of money out of the state.
The state has not yet met these RPS goals and is currently producing only about 5% of
its energy from renewable resources. Members of the University of Hawaii-based
Energy Policy Forum, a group of about 40 representatives from business, government,
and the community, have developed a Ten Point Plan
(www.hawaiienergypolicy.hawaii.edu/tenpointplan.html) to increase development and
use of Hawaii's indigenous renewable energy resources. Specific hydrogen and fuel
cell-related actions recommended in the plan were to:
• Recognize Hawaii as a premier demonstration site for the deployment of the
hydrogen economy;
• Invest in long term research and development of alternative renewable
energy resources such as hydrogen fuel cell technology, wave energy, etc.;
• Seek funding for development of an ongoing energy strategy for
renewables/hydrogen economy and match for the state’s portion of grants;
and
• Identify sites for demonstration of hydrogen production, distribution and use
in both stationary and vehicle fuel cell applications.
Based on the Energy Policy Forum’s Ten Point Plan, Governor Lingle has proposed
strategies to encourage conservation and alternative fuel development
(www.hawaii.gov/gov/headlines/headline_messages/2006.01headlines/leg/2006/2006%20Book%2042MB.pdf).
These recommendations include:
Contact:
• Surveying applicable public and private lands that may lend themselves to
alternative energy production, including biomass, wind, solar, wave, hydro, and
hydrogen.
• Position Hawaii to be the United States and world leader in the hydrogen
economy by providing $10 million to establish the Hydrogen Energy
Renewable Energy Leadership program to encourage hydrogen fuel
development and production in Hawaii.
• Establish a priority preference in the permitting process for renewable energy
projects.
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