Sources of Hawaii's utility-scale electricity generation: full-year 2023[ 1]
Petroleum (77%)
Solar (6.8%)
Wind (6.8%)
Geothermal (3.7%)
Biomass (3%)
Hydroelectric (0.9%)
Other (1.9%)
This is a list of electricity-generating power stations in the U.S. state of Hawaii , sorted by type and name. In 2022, Hawaii had a total summer capacity of 2,906 MW through all of its power plants, and a net generation of 9,337 GWh.[ 2] The utility-scale electrical energy generation mix in 2023 was 77% petroleum-derived fuels, 6.8% solar, 6.8% wind, 3.7% geothermal, 3% biomass, 0.9% hydroelectric, and 1.9% other.[ 1] Hawaii's one geothermal plant, which previously supplied about 2% of the state's and 10% of the Big Island 's electricity, was offline during 2019 to repair damage from the 2018 lower Puna eruption . The plant came back online in late 2020, slowly ramping up to its full operational level.[ 3]
Small-scale distributed solar including customer-owned photovoltaic panels delivered an additional 1,409 GWh to the six separate electrical grids serving Hawaii's major islands in 2023.[ 1] This was more than twice the amount generated by the state's utility-scale photovoltaic plants. Considering large and small installations together, solar produced almost one-fifth of Hawaii's electricity in 2023. In 2021, solar energy accounted for three-fifths of Hawaii's electricity generation by renewables.
The state's renewable portfolio standard is the most ambitious in the U.S. at 30% of capacity by 2020, ramping to 100% by 2045. The large dependence on imported petroleum liquids contributes to Hawaii having the highest average retail electricity prices of any U.S. state.[ 3] The island of Hawaii generates 52.1% renewable energy and reached a peak of 92.3% on April 25, 2023.[ 4]
Fossil-fuel power stations
Kahe Power Plant on Farrington Hwy., Kapolei, Oahu
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.[ 5]
Coal
Hawaii closed its last coal-fired power plant in September 2022.[ 6] AES Hawai‘i was a 180 MW coal-fired power plant.[ 4]
Petroleum
Name
Location
Coordinates
Capacity (MW)
Technology
Year Opened
Refs
Campbell Industrial Park
Honolulu County
21°18′09″N 158°06′06″W / 21.3025°N 158.1017°W / 21.3025; -158.1017 (Campbell Industrial Park )
113
Simple Cycle [A]
2009
Gay Robinson
Kauai County
21°55′04″N 159°37′46″W / 21.9178°N 159.6294°W / 21.9178; -159.6294 (Gay Robinson )
1.0
Reciprocating Engine (x2)
2010
Hamakua Energy Plant
Hawaii County
20°05′38″N 155°28′16″W / 20.0939°N 155.4711°W / 20.0939; -155.4711 (Hamakua )
66
2x1 Combined Cycle
2000
Hana Substation
Maui County
20°45′57″N 155°59′46″W / 20.7658°N 155.9961°W / 20.7658; -155.9961 (Hana )
2.0
Reciprocating Engine (x2)
2001
Hawaii Cogen
Honolulu County
21°18′42″N 158°06′50″W / 21.3117°N 158.1139°W / 21.3117; -158.1139 (Hawaii Cogen )
12.2
Simple Cycle (x4)
1990/2011
Kahe
Honolulu County
21°21′23″N 158°07′44″W / 21.3564°N 158.1289°W / 21.3564; -158.1289 (Kahe )
609.7
Steam Turbine (x6)
1963-1981
Kahului
Maui County
20°53′49″N 156°27′46″W / 20.8969°N 156.4627°W / 20.8969; -156.4627 (Kahului )
34
Steam Turbine (x4)
1954-1966
Kalaeloa Cogen Plant
Honolulu County
21°18′08″N 158°05′47″W / 21.3021°N 158.0963°W / 21.3021; -158.0963 (Kalaeloa )
299.4
2x1 Combined Cycle
1989/1991
Kanoelehua
Hawaii County
19°42′19″N 155°03′45″W / 19.7052°N 155.0625°W / 19.7052; -155.0625 (Kanoelehua )
21
Simple Cycle, Reciprocating Engine
1962, 1972
Kapaia Power Station (KIUC )
Kauai County
21°59′47″N 159°22′33″W / 21.9965°N 159.3758°W / 21.9965; -159.3758 (Kapaia Station )
39.1
Simple Cycle[B]
2002
[ 7] [ 8]
Keahole
Hawaii County
19°43′54″N 156°01′42″W / 19.7317°N 156.0283°W / 19.7317; -156.0283 (Keahole )
89.1
Reciprocating Engine (x3), Simple Cycle, 2x1 Combined Cycle
1984/1988, 1989, 2004/2009
Maalaea
Maui County
20°48′04″N 156°29′35″W / 20.8012°N 156.4930°W / 20.8012; -156.4930 (Maalaea )
229.8
Reciprocating Engine (x15), 2x1 Combined Cycle (x2)
1971–1989, 1993/2006
Miki Basin
Maui County
20°47′24″N 156°56′03″W / 20.7900°N 156.9342°W / 20.7900; -156.9342 (Miki Basin )
10.2
Reciprocating Engine (x8)
1990/1996
Palaau Power Hybrid
Maui County
21°06′22″N 157°03′53″W / 21.1060°N 157.0647°W / 21.1060; -157.0647 (Palaau )
14
Reciprocating Engine (x9), Simple Cycle
1985–1996,
Port Allen
Kauai County
21°53′59″N 159°35′06″W / 21.8996°N 159.5850°W / 21.8996; -159.5850 (Port Allen )
99.5
Reciprocating Engine (x9), Steam Turbine, Simple Cycle (x2)
1964–1991, 1969, 1973/1977
[ 9]
Puna
Hawaii County
19°37′54″N 155°01′53″W / 19.6316°N 155.0313°W / 19.6316; -155.0313 (Puna )
39.1
Steam Turbine, Simple Cycle
1988, 1992
Tesoro Hawaii
Honolulu County
21°18′12″N 158°05′29″W / 21.3033°N 158.0914°W / 21.3033; -158.0914 (Tesoro )
20
Simple Cycle
1982
Waiau
Honolulu County
21°23′20″N 157°57′41″W / 21.3890°N 157.9615°W / 21.3890; -157.9615 (Waiau )
474.6
Steam Turbine (x6), Simple Cycle (x2)
1947–1968, 1973
Waimea
Hawaii County
20°01′31″N 155°41′44″W / 20.0252°N 155.6955°W / 20.0252; -155.6955 (Waimea )
7.5
Reciprocating Engine (x3)
1970/1972
W H Hill
Hawaii County
19°42′15″N 155°03′39″W / 19.7041°N 155.0607°W / 19.7041; -155.0607 (W H Hill )
37.1
Reciprocating Engine (x3)
1965/1974
A Campbell burned biomass liquids exclusively from 2011 to 2017 and shifted to primarily burn distillate fuel oil by 2019.[ 10]
B Kapaia station's GE LM2500 gas turbine primarily burned jet fuel from its commissioning until 2008 and has since shifted to burn a mixture of other petroleum distillates .[ 11]
Retired
Name
Location
Coordinates
Capacity (MW)
Technology
Years
Refs
Honolulu
Oahu County
113
1954-2014
[ 12] [ 4]
Shipman
Hawaii County
15.2
1920s-2015
[ 4]
Natural gas
Hawaii had no utility-scale power plants primarily fueled by fossil gas in 2024.
Renewable power stations
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.[ 5]
Biomass and municipal waste
Geothermal
A The plant was shut down shortly after the start of the May 2018 lower Puna eruption .[ 17] [ 18] The plant was repaired and back online by late 2020.
Hydroelectric
Solar photovoltaic
Wind
Nuclear power stations
Hawaii had no utility-scale power plants fueled by fissile material in 2024.
Battery storage facilities
A Battery storage power stations stabilize an electrical grid against fluctuations in solar and wind generation for periods extending from less than a minute to as long as several hours.[ 37]
References
^ a b c "Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, Hawaii, Fuel Type-Check all, Annual, 2001–23" . www.eia.gov . Retrieved 2024-04-12 .
^ "Hawaii Electricity Profile" . U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2021-01-03 .
^ a b "Hawaii Electricity Profile Analysis" . U.S. EIA. Retrieved 2022-07-18 .
^ a b c d e f Power Facts , Hawaii Electric, March 2024
^ a b Energy Information Administration (15 September 2020). "Form EIA-860 detailed data with previous form data (EIA-860A/860B)" . eia.gov . Archived from the original on 18 September 2020.
^ Jones, Caleb (September 1, 2022). "Hawaii quits coal in bid to fight climate change" . Associated Press . Archived from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022 .
^ "Kapaia Power Station" . ostg.com . Retrieved 2021-02-04 .
^ "Kapaia Power Station Oil Plant" . Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 2021-02-04 .
^ "Port Allen Oil Power Plant" . IndustryAbout. Retrieved 2020-02-21 .
^ "Campbell Industrial Park" . EIA. Retrieved 2021-02-04 .
^ "Kapaia Power Station" . EIA. Retrieved 2021-02-04 .
^ Hawaiian Electric to deactivate Honolulu Power Plant , Hawaii News Now, September 3, 2013
^ "Firing up biomass facility" . thegardenisland.com. Retrieved 2020-02-20 .
^ "Covanta Honolulu" . Covanta . Retrieved 2020-02-20 .
^ "Daniel K. Inouye International Airport Emergency Power Facility In Full Operation" . Hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2020-02-20 .
^ "Hawaiian Electric, U.S. Army announce completion of Schofield Generating Station" . Hawaiian Electric Company . Retrieved 2020-02-20 .
^ "Lava speeds up, forcing evacuations and covering well at Puna Geothermal plant" . Star Advertiser . May 27, 2018.
^ "Puna Geothermal Venture faces challenges amid uncertainty" . Star Advertiser . July 8, 2018.
^ a b c "Hydroelectricity" . www.hawaiianelectric.com . Archived from the original on 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2018-02-01 .
^ a b "Tesla built a huge solar energy plant on the island of Kauai" . theverge.com. Retrieved 2020-02-25 .
^ a b "Kauai utility to start work on $54M Anahola solar farm this spring" . bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-02-25 .
^ AES Hawai‘i begins operations of the state’s largest solar facility , Honolulu Star Advertiser , June 10, 2024
^ a b "AES Completes Record-Breaking Solar and Battery Plant on Kauai" . greentechmedia.com. Retrieved 2020-02-25 .
^ Hill, Joshua S (1 April 2019). "Hawaii approves six low-priced solar and battery storage projects" . RenewEconomy . Retrieved 2 April 2019 .
^ Clearway completes 39-MW solar, 156-MWh storage project on O’ahu , Solar Power World, Kelly Pickerel, August 11, 2022
^ "First large-scale solar farm on Hawaiʻi Island now activated" . Hawai'i Public Radio . 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2023-08-21 .
^ "Waikoloa Solar + Storage Project" . AES . Retrieved 2023-08-21 .
^ "California company plans to build $13M wind farm on Hawaii's Big Island" . www.bizjournals.com . Retrieved 2022-03-11 .
^ "Nā Pua Makani" . www.aes-hawaii.com . Retrieved 2024-01-19 .
^ "Auwahi Wind" (PDF) . Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. 2019-05-01.
^ Robert Walton (2016-09-28). "In pursuit of 100% renewables, HECO installs 1st utility-scale battery on Oahu" . Utility Dive.
^ Pioneering 565-MWh battery storage facility now online in Hawai’i, Plus Power says , Utility Dive, January 16, 2024
^ AES Hawai‘i begins operations of the state’s largest solar facility , Honolulu Star Advertiser , June 10, 2024
^ "$3.1M Battery Proposed for Power Plant" . themolokaidispatch.com. Retrieved 2020-02-25 .
^ New central Oʻahu solar and battery farm said to benefit 7,600 homes , Hawaiʻi Public Radio, January 13, 2023
^ AES Corp.’s Waikoloa Solar + Storage Project online , Hawaii Electric, May 1, 2023
^ "Grid Modernization" . Hawaii State Energy Office. Retrieved 2021-02-04 .