BC has clean electricity. Oregon is getting there. Hawaii is trying but struggling.
Together, we could be a renewable energy superpower.
Current Energy Profiles:
British Columbia:
- 97% renewable electricity (primarily hydroelectric)
- BC Hydro: Crown corporation, massive dams, cheap power
- Site C dam: Under construction, controversial (impacts on Indigenous lands, agricultural land)
- Challenge: Electricity is clean, but natural gas is still used for heating/industry
- Export: BC already exports power to the US
Oregon:
- ~70% renewable (hydro, wind, growing solar)
- Columbia River dams: Major power source (and major salmon killer)
- Wind: Growing, especially in eastern Oregon
- Coal: Being phased out
- Challenge: Still fossil-fuel dependent for transportation, heating
Hawaii:
- ~30% renewable (solar, wind, some geothermal)
- Goal: 100% renewable by 2045 (state law)
- Challenge: Isolated grid, can't import power, storage is critical
- Opportunity: Massive solar potential, significant geothermal potential (volcanoes!)
- Currently: Still heavily dependent on imported oil (!)
The Integration Opportunity:
Hawaii is an isolated grid. They can't run a transmission line to the mainland.
But BC and Oregon can share power:
- BC surplus hydro → Oregon (replace fossil sources)
- Oregon wind → BC (diversification)
- Oregon solar → BC (summer peak)
- Coordinated grid management → efficiency gains
Hawaii remains separate but gets:
- Technology transfer from BC/Oregon renewable experience
- Investment in storage solutions
- Geothermal development expertise
- Joint research programs
The Geothermal Goldmine:
Hawaii sits on volcanic hotspots. Geothermal energy is literally erupting from the ground.
Currently underdeveloped because:
- Initial costs
- Cultural sensitivities (Pele, goddess of volcanoes)
- Past project failures
With proper investment and Indigenous partnership (centering Native Hawaiian concerns), geothermal could meet a significant portion of Hawaii's electricity needs. Baseload power, 24/7, from the Earth itself.
The Storage Question:
Renewable energy's challenge: the sun doesn't always shine, the wind doesn't always blow.
Solutions:
- Pumped hydro — BC has mountains, Oregon has mountains, Hawaii has Mauna Kea
- Battery storage — Costs dropping rapidly
- Hydrogen production — Use surplus electricity to make green hydrogen
- Demand response — Shift consumption to match generation
A unified research and deployment approach to storage benefits all three regions.
The Electrification Push:
Clean electricity is only useful if we use it for everything.
- Transportation: EVs, electric buses, electric ferries
- Heating: Heat pumps replacing gas furnaces
- Industry: Electric processes replacing fossil processes
BC's electricity is cheap. Oregon's is getting there. Hawaii's is expensive but could be cheaper with investment.
Full electrification = full decarbonization.
Discussion Questions:
- Should Hawaii prioritize geothermal development despite cultural concerns?
- How do we address the salmon vs. hydro trade-off in Oregon?
- What's the right approach to energy storage investment?
- Should the region aim for 100% renewable before 2040?
- How do we ensure energy transition doesn't leave workers behind?