70% of Kauai’s electric grid is powered by renewables.

Russian Oil Sanctions Spotlight Kauai’s Energy Resilience – More than a decade later, 70% of Kauai’s electric grid is powered by renewables. 俄羅斯石油製裁聚焦考艾島的能源彈性——十多年後，考艾島 70% 的電網由可再生能源供電. By Brittany Lyte

In 2008, Kauai’s electric utility set out to accomplish a goal so aggressive and pricey that no one knew how it could become a reality. The utility sought to power half of the Garden Isle with renewable energy.

That investment is paying off. As the United States bans oil imported from Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine, Hawaiian Electric warned that bills could jump as much as 20% in some places. Kauai residents anticipate a much lower jump from 2% to 10%.

“Kauai is absolutely how we all want to look,” said Jim Kelly, spokesman for Hawaiian Electric. “They are now reaping the benefits of 10 years of slogging work to get these projects online.”

Here’s how Kauai could be a model for the rest of the Aloha State.