Hawaii State Senator Glenn Wakai has proposed bills that would provide additional funding for the Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center (HGGRC), which is located at the University of Hawaii.
Senate Bill 458: Relating to Geothermal Royalties, was proposed earlier this year by the state to cap royalties collected by the state of Hawaii, and redistribute more of those royalties to Hawaiian counties. The purpose of this redistribution is to fund geothermal research projects, specifically to further discovery and development of geothermal resources.
HGGRC’s website emphasizes that geothermal supplies powerful, baseload energy that can enable the Hawaiian islands to safely achieve its clean energy goals. Additionally, it stated: “we envision a sustainable Hawai‘i that practices responsible and active stewardship over natural resources, and promotes evidence-based energy and management policies that protect the people, land, and future of the islands.”
Hawaii experiences significant geological activity consisting of active volcanoes, hot springs, and earthquakes. The chain of islands were formed from volcanic activity, and it’s typical that these volcanoes erupt multiple times a year.
These occurrences provide abundant promises for traditional geothermal extraction, since these methods tap into deep underground reservoirs. Electricity is then generated from the energy collected from the aquifers’ hot water.
Geothermal energy is a viable energy source for islands looking to achieve greater energy autonomy, and Eavor is making this kind of energy scalable. The technology achieves this by creating a closed-loop system that extracts heat from deep subterranean rock via conduction. An Eavor-Loop™ can provide clean dispatchable energy almost anywhere in the world, making it a valuable asset for any region that has ambitions to achieve net zero.
