New energy projects in Hawaii planned to improve reliability – Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Launch of Five New Energy Projects in Hawaii and American Samoa in 2026

Introduction

In 2026, five new energy innovation projects will be initiated in Hawaii and American Samoa, supported by the Hawaii State Energy Office. These projects align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), aiming to enhance energy reliability, security, and sustainability in local communities.

Partnership and Objectives

Since April 2025, the Hawaii State Energy Office has been a Pacific Regional Partner in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Technology Innovation Partnership. This collaboration connects local communities with national laboratories to address local energy challenges through strategic planning and technical projects, focusing on coastal, remote, and island communities.

Project Locations and Focus Areas

1. Oahu (Three Projects)
2. Hawaii County (One Project)
3. American Samoa (One Project)

Detailed Project Descriptions

Oahu Projects

• Enhancing Community Energy Systems
  The projects on Oahu aim to improve the reliability and security of community energy systems, directly supporting SDG 7 by promoting resilient infrastructure and sustainable energy access.
• On-site Energy Generation Feasibility Study
  A key initiative will evaluate the feasibility and capacity of on-site energy generation at critical facilities in Hauula and Punaluu. These geographically isolated communities frequently experience outages due to vulnerable power lines. This project supports SDG 11 by ensuring critical services remain operational during outages.
• Technical Assistance for Wahiawa and Whitmore Villages
  The energy office will assist these communities in identifying local and cost-effective energy generation and storage options, including hydropower and pumped hydro storage. Support includes hydraulic resource modeling, micro-grid design, and implementation strategies, advancing SDG 9 and SDG 7.
• Support for Waianae’s Strategic Energy Plan
  Continuing efforts from the innovation partnership, the agency will help Waianae evaluate resilience hub locations, micro-grid potential, and generation options to improve emergency preparedness, reliability, and affordability of energy systems, contributing to SDG 11 and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Hawaii County Project

The focus in Hawaii County is on enhancing energy reliability for the Department of Water Supply’s potable water system. Reliable power is essential for water security, aligning with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 7. The project will analyze energy use, system vulnerabilities, and cost-effective solutions to strengthen water provision services.

American Samoa Project

The American Samoa Department of Homeland Security aims to reduce downtime and maintain critical emergency operation centers and communication towers during natural disasters. The project will analyze outage frequency, evaluate on-site energy generation and storage options, and provide integration guidance with existing generators. This initiative supports SDG 11 and SDG 13 by enhancing disaster resilience and infrastructure sustainability.

Conclusion

These five energy innovation projects demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals by enhancing energy reliability, security, and sustainability in Hawaii and American Samoa. Through strategic partnerships and targeted technical assistance, these initiatives aim to build resilient communities capable of withstanding environmental challenges and ensuring continuous access to essential services.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article focuses on energy innovation projects aimed at improving energy reliability, security, and local generation in Hawaii and American Samoa.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Projects aim to strengthen community energy systems and resilience, especially in geographically isolated communities vulnerable to outages.
3. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • Energy reliability for Hawaii County’s water system is highlighted, linking energy security to water security.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Improving energy resilience and integrating renewable energy sources contribute to climate adaptation and disaster preparedness.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
   • Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
   • Target 7.3: Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.5: Reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected by disasters, including water- and energy-related emergencies.
   • Target 11.b: Increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting integrated policies and plans towards resilience to disasters.
3. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • Target 6.4: Substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals.
   • Target 6.a: Expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article

1. SDG 7 Indicators
   • Indicator 7.1.1: Proportion of population with access to electricity (implied through projects improving energy access and reliability in isolated communities).
   • Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption (implied by projects exploring hydro power and pumped hydro power storage).
   • Indicator 7.3.1: Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP (implied through energy efficiency improvements and micro-grid designs).
2. SDG 11 Indicators
   • Indicator 11.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters (implied by focus on resilience hubs and emergency operation centers).
   • Indicator 11.b.2: Proportion of local governments adopting and implementing disaster risk reduction strategies (implied by strategic energy plans and micro-grid implementation).
3. SDG 6 Indicators
   • Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time (implied by energy reliability for water supply systems).
   • Indicator 6.a.1: Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan (implied through technical assistance and partnerships).
4. SDG 13 Indicators
   • Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies (implied by disaster preparedness and outage analysis projects).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: staradvertiser.com