05/06/2026
We have a massive and mostly untapped solar goldmine on our rooftops, parking lots and public corridors around the state.
I worked up this analysis, based on publicly-vetted data, finding that we have enough untapped potential to meet over 100% of our electricity needs.
This is remarkable and it relies on existing infrastructure.
This doesn't mean we shouldnt' also develop new wind power projects, or other renewables -- we should, in order to diversify. But it does mean that the clear preference for meeting our power needs and getting off fossil fuels should be solar, with battery storage to make it reliable, both of which are already far cheaper than fossil fuels.
I worked up this analysis as part of my work with Think BIG, a nonprofit I cofounded in 2020 that focuses on resilience, equity and sustainability for the Big Island.
Solar panels are getting cheaper each year, with prices down 75%, in inflation-adjusted terms, in the last twenty years. Solar power is far…
