HAWAII TAKES STEPS TOWARDS 100% CLEAN ENERGY

Surfers, whale watchers and local government groups will all be sharing their insights on a proposed plan to install large wind turbines off the north and south coasts of Oahu. Hawaii has set an aggressive goal: to have 100% of their energy be from renewable energy sources by 2045. Due to a higher initial cost to install turbine farms, obscured views and impacts on fisheries, many communities have shied away from taking the wind-power step. In Hawaii the push towards wind power is getting stronger due to the strain currently on the grid due to so many residents utilizing solar panels. A decade ago, when fossil fuel prices shot up, residential solar installations became a much more familiar site in many areas of the country. 2015 saw wind power growing more than any other renewable source, a potential sign of things to come in the near future. The United States has eight of the ten largest wind farms in the world, with the biggest in the world located in Kern County California. Generating 1,020 MW, they're looking to expand the operation to generate up to 1,550 MW. Of the remaining nine largest wind farms, five are located in Texas. The UK and Romania are home to the two largest farms not located within the United States.