For Hawai'i, geothermal energy is on the table as the state continues to push forward in the anticipation of reaching its 100% renewable energy goal by 2045.
Unfortunately, with stiff opposition to the notion of geothermal expansion across the islands, getting projects underway may be more difficult.
Geothermal energy — that is, energy drawn from the natural heat of the Earth's crust — is a form of renewable energy, meaning that its supply is virtually infinite and that its generation releases far less carbon pollution than fuel-based power sources.
While it's not perfectly clean, installing more geothermal bases would certainly be a step up from conventional dirty energy plants, at least in terms of lowering a region's planet-heating carbon pollution.
At the moment, plans for Hawai'i remain in the abstract, according to Honolulu Civil Beat. Project leaders aren't sure which portions of the state would make for appropriate geothermal bases, and since the success of such a project would depend entirely on the suitability of the earth, figuring that out is the next step forward.
However, research into the land also requires a level of funding that the state may not have, especially considering that everything will likely need to be publicly funded.
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"Are we serious about geothermal or not?" Dane Wicker, the state's deputy economic development chief, asked.
In addition, opponents of new geothermal projects cite their negative experiences with existing plants, particularly the Puna Geothermal Venture plant on the island of Hawai'i.
Per Civil Beat, the volcanic nature of the region makes geothermal drilling especially dangerous, as the presence of lava is likely to release the highly toxic and corrosive hydrogen sulfide gas into the local atmosphere.
There may be quite a way to go to get any more geothermal expansion projects off the ground in Hawai'i. Still, the benefits would be undeniable, both for the environment and for consumers' wallets, so long as researchers establish a safe and productive location to install a facility.
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"The state's economy relies on renewable energy such as geothermal power," Civil Beat explained. "Such projects are needed to stabilize energy costs for facilities that have high energy costs such as shipbuilders and aerospace technology manufacturers."
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