Our Story
- Hawaii Electric Light History
- 1890: The Beginning of Hawaii Electric Light
- 1930: Electrifying Hawaii Island
- 1940: More Power to the Big Island
- 1950: Growth Continues
- 1960: Construction Boom
- 1970: Hawaii Electric Light Company is Formed
- 1980: Growth From Tourism
- 1990: Renewable Power
- 2000: Powering Our Communities
- 2005: Building Energy Partnerships
- 2010: Clean Energy Future
Building Energy Partnerships
In total, the Big Islands 23.4% of the electricity generated in 2006 came from renewable energy sources, the majority of which was geothermal energy. Completion of the 10.6 megawatt (MW) Hawi Renewable Development wind farm and improvements to Hawaii Electric Light's Puueo Hydroelectric Plant provided a boost.
In July 2007, Hawaii Electric Light signed an agreement with Tradewinds Forest Products, LLC and Rockland Capital Energy Investments to purchase energy produced by a planned biomass-powered generation facility. The biomass-powered facility will add reliable (firm) renewable energy to the island's power supply, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the island's dependence on fossil fuels.
Additionally, the use of renewable energy on the Hawaii Island moved further forward with the installation of the Pakini Nui wind farm at South Point by Apollo Energy Corporation. Operated by Tawhiri Power, LLC, in April the wind farm began producing up to 20.5 MW of renewable electrical energy to the island's grid.
