The effects of climate change are increasingly evident around the globe, as natural disasters impact communities worldwide with growing frequency and ferocity. In Hawaii, with our close ties to nature and remote geographical location, we share an understanding of our obligation to our natural environment, driving the urgency to minimize greenhouse gases that are warming the planet and jeopardizing our future. We are acutely aware of the risks associated with relying on food and fuel that is shipped in over thousands of miles — and of the significant cost of those products and its impact on the everyday lives of people across the state.

The inclination to be as self-reliant as possible is part of island culture. We see growing interest in local production of many of the things we rely on daily — food and fuel included. It’s critical that we continue to invest in renewable fuel sources to expand locally sourced energy options. We must ensure they’re available to residents and businesses at an affordable price and built to ensure resilience and reliability.

Hawaii Gas is committed to delivering renewable energy solutions for Hawaii and advancing the state’s climate goals. For 50 years, we have incorporated up to 15% hydrogen — a zero-carbon form of gas energy — in our utility fuel mix. In addition to this concentration of hydrogen, we have been adding renewable natural gas (RNG) to the utility fuel mix since 2018, capturing waste gas from organic matter at the City and County of Honolulu’s Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Our journey toward increasing production of locally produced, renewable energy continues. This year, Hawaii Gas completed a request for proposal (RFP) selection process and will partner with developers on two projects that will significantly advance our progress. In the years to come, we will be working with both Eurus Energy America and Hawaii-based Bana Pacific to provide us with renewable green hydrogen and RNG, respectively. The selection of these projects represents forward movement on our path toward decarbonization, with a focus on diversification, reliability and maintaining affordability.

Eurus Energy’s green hydrogen will be produced from a process using solar power and recycled water, which is significantly less carbon intensive than hydrogen created using energy from fossil fuels. With this hydrogen added to the existing blend, Hawai‘i Gas aims to increase its concentration to up to 20%, raising the bar even higher for gas utilities across the nation. With our experience blending hydrogen at these levels, we hope to continue to act as a resource for others as they make their own transitions to a hydrogen blend.

The Bana Pacific project will use locally grown bana grass as a feedstock to produce RNG. Also known in Hawaii as cane grass, the non-invasive grass is currently used as cattle feed, requires relatively little water to grow, and enhances the soil’s ability to naturally sequester carbon. This project has much potential for replication in locations across the state, and we encourage others to consider the promise and possibilities of RNG as an essential solution for locally produced energy.

Hawaii Gas’ current greenhouse gas emissions impact is less than 1% of the state’s total, but there is still much more work to do. As parents to children who are growing up with an uncertain environmental future, we join many in our community who feel an urgent personal responsibility to make a difference for them, and for the generations to come.

We encourage the continued collaboration of government, business, environmental, and community leaders in support of projects that increase local production of energy, increase energy resiliency, and reduce the state’s carbon footprint. Our future depends on it.

Alicia Moy is CEO of Hawaii Gas; Nicolas Rodier is executive director of clean energy and innovation at Hawaii Gas.