{"id":46114,"date":"2016-11-07T13:01:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-07T18:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetsave.com\/?p=46114"},"modified":"2016-11-14T12:34:25","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T17:34:25","slug":"hawaii-solar-decentralized-centralized-electricity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planetsave.com\/articles\/hawaii-solar-decentralized-centralized-electricity\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawaii Solar"},"content":{"rendered":"

Glorious blue skies and endless sunshine. Warm, balmy breezes. <\/span>Isn\u2019t that how you envision Hawai\u2019i? Like the slogan, \u201cEverything\u2019s better in Hawaii,\u201d right? \u00a0Oops, one thing does dampen the impression of Hawai\u2019i, though: its high cost of living, especially for energy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"solar\"<\/p>\n

Hawai\u2019i\u2019s citizens have tried to take control of their high energy prices by using more\u00a0alternative energy sources, particularly solar. Did you know that Hawai\u2019i ranks as the 7th\u00a0state in the country in installed solar \u2026 enough to power <\/span>110,000 homes<\/span><\/a>? Hawai\u2019i homeowners have taken advantage of incentives and financing but also face serious challenges from energy utilities in the battle for energy reliability, cost efficiency, and independence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Solar makes sense for Hawai\u2019i<\/a>. With its u<\/span>niform day lengths, small seasonal variations in incoming solar radiation, and consistent temperatures, Hawai\u2019i on level ground receives <\/span>at least 67% as much solar energy<\/span><\/a> between sunrise and sunset on a clear winter day as it does on a clear summer day. <\/span><\/p>\n

By comparison, the percentages are only 33% and 20% at latitudes 40 and 50 degrees, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHawaii is a postcard from the future,\u201d said Adam Browning, executive director of Vote Solar, a policy and advocacy group based in California.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is Hawai\u2019i ideal for solar integration?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Life on earth is a result of solar radiation. All natural processes like wind systems, the hydrological cycle, and leaf photosynthesis emerge from solar influences. Increasingly, solar energy has become one of the most important sources of alternative energy for generating electricity. Solar radiation differs in its impact on the earth for <\/span>several reasons<\/span><\/a>, including the angle at which the sun\u2019s rays strike, absorption and reflection by the atmosphere as the radiation passes through it, absorption and reflection by clouds, and shading by the surrounding terrain. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sun angle and atmospheric influences are key variables that affect the intensity of solar radiation in predictable ways. In Hawai\u2018i, except for areas near active volcanic eruptions, the air is relatively clear and atmospheric effects on radiation are fairly constant. <\/span><\/p>\n

Research around Hawai’i solar integration<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A 2013 study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Hawai\u2019i Natural Energy Institute, and Hawai\u2019ian Electric Co. called the <\/span>Hawaii Solar Integration Study<\/span><\/a> found that <\/span>higher levels of variable renewables could be accommodated reliably by the bulk power system in a collaborative fashion. Here are some of their findings:<\/span><\/p>\n