Maui County, which includes the islands of Maui, Molokai and
Lanai, is sticking to its ambitious goal of becoming the first islands in the
United States to achieve 100 percent renewable energy.
Maui Mayor Alan
Arakawa, a speaker at the Wednesday kickoff of the Maui Energy Conference,
noted that other islands elsewhere have gone off the grid, including islands in
the Caribbean.
“The goal is real and attainable, using proven technology,
including wind, solar and storage,” he said. “It’s about freedom,
self-sufficiency and sustainability.”
Because of price fluctuations by fossil fuel sources, more
and more island states and nations are becoming dependent on renewable
resources, Arakawa said.
