(Better Place)
Hawaii seeks ‘Better Place’ through electric cars
By Chris Gaylord | 12.03.08
Hawaii has an “extreme oil addiction,” according to Gov. Linda Lingle. Ninety percent of her state’s energy comes from imported oil, costing about $7 billion a year. A third of that oil makes its way into automobile tanks as gasoline. With gas on the islands still hovering around $2.65, Hawaiians spend more money on their cars (taxes, insurance, and fuel) than Americans on average in any other state. Governor Lingle’s solution? Go electric.
The state has called in California startup Better Place to seed Hawaii with 50,000 to 100,000 electric-car recharging stations by 2012. The $100 million project comes as a three-part effort to radically overhaul the state’s energy diet.
First, Better Place power spots will pop up in parking lot and downtown areas. As The Wall Street Journal reports:
Under the plan, consumers would buy or lease electric cars, and Better Place would supply recharging services and batteries. Consumers would have a choice of buying mileage plans — which would include recharging services and battery swaps — or being guests on the network and paying for each battery charge.
Second, the company continues working with automakers to design electric cars that fit Hawaii’s driving habits. Better Place says Nissan-Renault has already signed on to make vehicles compatible with the proposed network. America’s Big Three automakers may soon follow suit. The Monitor’s environment blog reported today that “Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, seeking access to $34 billion in taxpayer-financed loans, have presented to Congress plans to invest in clean technologies and to accelerate the development of fuel-efficient vehicles.” Each has sketched out plans that calls for new electric cars in the next few years.
Last, the islands promise to invest heavily in renewable resources, ending their oil dependence and shrinking the state’s carbon footprint. Since January, the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative has prodded state officials to slash oil imports from 90 percent of its energy intake to just 30 percent by 2030.
While Hawaii is the first US state to embrace electric cars so vigorously, Better Place says the San Francisco Bay area, Israel, Denmark, and Australia are considering similar plans.
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2. Josh Lacey | 12.03.08
This is the coolest news ever for those who realize the importance of America becoming more energy independent. Better Place is also engaged in a project in California in the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose to do the same. I read about this in Jeff Wilson’s new Book The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW. I was enthralled but thought quite frankly that it was kind of futuristic. I was thrilled beyond belief when I read the news about the project in CA and now this. I am a huge fan of Better Place now. I would recommend anyone interested in seeing these projects furthered in our country go to the Better Place web site and sign up. They have a feature on the top right hand side that says “get involved” If you click on that you can actually sign an online petition. I would also suggest you check out Jeff Wilson’s new book. I say go Better Place show the way…and go Jeff Wilson for your new book. Our contry needs to quit throwing away billions on economic stimulus packages that do nothing for our economy and invest in renewable energy, create badly needed new jobs, this would provied clean cheap energy as well. It is a win-win situation all the way around not to mention reduce our dependence on forign oil.
3. Ellieturle | 12.04.08
when are all the states going to get with it and require every new, and public building to install Solar panels on the roof?
If every home had a solar power installation we could power our homes automatically and independently. Every public hospital, jail, court, school could have it’s own system and back up generators. There would be no “great grid” to go down. No need for massive rewiring of cities and building energy plants. Each home and public building would be an energy source. What about a light weight/portable system to put on a mobile home?
Where are the prizes to encourage new inventors and the engineering projects from MIT and other schools? We know it can be done. Let’s do it!
4. Tunit | 12.06.08
Ellieturle, solar isn’t the solution in every state. It’s definitely the kind of thinking that needs to be encouraged though.
Even if new and public buildings were required to have something like that, it still leaves a very substantial amount of buildings without it. Even if EVERY building had it, the renewable systems we currently have don’t work 365 days a year. Until something really special comes along, we’re always going to need a “great grid” for backup.
5. Jeff | 12.06.08
The biggest problem with renewable energy is that it generialy cost more than conventional sources of energy. But when you look at energy cost in the state of Hawaii vesses fossil fuels it’s a different deal. The solar hot water systems for a family of four can have a pay back of capital investment in as little as four years. So every home in Hawaii should have a solar hot water system. In most areas of the U.S. solar hot makes economic sence.
But for electrical generated power PV power systems have long pay back. These are typically over 15 years or more. It’s only with goverment incentives that return in ivestment is this short. Then there is the utilty sized thermal power plants. These make more sence because cost can be driven down because of the large scale.
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1. Joe Carr | 12.03.08
Having visited Hawaii several times while on vacation, it always struck me as odd that they were so dependant on oil. They are sitting on volcanic islands, where there is a virtually unlimited supply of low cost heat energy for their electricity needs (not to mention solar and wind power), and yet they ship oil in. They currently experience inevitable power brownouts and shortages, and pay premium prices for electricity.
Reading this story, I hope they think ahead and put renewable sources of electricity in place before they put more strain on their existing power distribution systems with electric vehicles!