Hawaii Closes Last Coal-Fired Power Plant

In a move to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, officials in Hawaii said Thursday that the state’s only coal-fired power plant has shut down. Hawaii passed a law in 2020 that banned the use of coal by 2023 and plans to run on 100% renewable energy by 2045.

The AES Hawaii Power Plant in Oahu, which produced up to 20% of the electricity on the state’s most populated island, closed this week after opening in 1992.

“It really is about reducing greenhouse gasses,” Hawaii Gov. David Ige told the Associated Press.

“And this coal facility is one of the largest emitters. Taking it offline means that we’ll stop the 1.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gases that were emitted annually.”

Coal and other fossil fuel-fired power plants emit billions of tons of CO2 each year, accounting for about 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to New Jersey-based science organization Climate Central.

Climate change is expected to affect almost every aspect of Hawaii, challenging the island’s ecosystems, infrastructure, and agriculture along with its amount of freshwater, the Environmental Defense Fund said in a recent press release.

“Because Pacific Islands are almost entirely dependent upon imported food, fuel, and material, the vulnerability of ports and airports to extreme events, sea level rise, and increasing wave heights is of great concern,” the advocacy group said.

Other environmental factors that the island must consider along with greenhouse gasses include the level of litter in the water, plastic pollution, invasive specials, and the sea level rising.

The elimination of coal will mean a 4% hike in energy bills for consumers, according to the Hawaiian Electric Company’s projections.

“If you are a believer that climate change is going to end because we shut down this coal plant, this is a great day for you,” said State Sen. Glenn Wakai, a Democrat who serves as chair of the Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Technology.

“But if you pay an electricity bill, this is a disastrous day for you.”

According to San Francisco-based clean energy advocacy group Global Energy Monitor, there are now 11 states that have no coal-fired power facilities. The U.S. has fewer than 270 coal-burning power plants.