This August 2020 report from the Rocky Mountain Institute provides an overview of Hawaii’s success to date in achieving its goal of moving to 100% renewable energy. The report is divided into five areas: Leadership, Rooftop Solar, Renewables, Reinventing the Grid and Reimagining the Utility Model. Three lessons emerge: willingness to experiment, clear guidance from leadership and stakeholder engagement. In 2015, Hawaii was the first US state to proclaim a 100% renewable energy target for each of its six separate island electric systems, and many other states, municipalities and utilities have since followed suit. The report will be of interest from the perspective of utilities management and energy regulation.
Key words: market sizing, research and development, smart grid, energy management, regulatory policy, zero net energy, utilities