Why the growing demand for AC threatens Hawaiʻi’s renewable energy goals

If heat in Hawaiʻi were to become unbearable and AC became a necessity for health and safety, as it has in places like Phoenix, property owners could be faced with the expensive prospect of sealing their homes for AC. In a state known for its high cost of living and comparatively low wages, many people would not be able to afford a home cooling renovation. 

Officials said they haven’t explored what it would mean if a large number of Hawaiʻi homes needed to be retrofitted for AC. The question of whether low-income residents would be able to get public assistance to cool their houses hasn’t been studied, they said.

“Oftentimes when bad things happen, people with little resources are the ones that suffer the most and that would be no different here,” said Gavin Thornton, executive director of the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice.

Ultimately, Hawaiʻi Energy is working to increase the number of efficient air conditioning units on the market and encouraging customers to limit their usage, especially during peak times, Kealoha said. Doing so will help move Hawaiʻi into a greener future.

“There is a circular impact of what’s happening here,” he said. “Carbon emissions raise the temperature, it gets hotter, and you use more AC and more energy. Until we move to 100 percent renewable, the cycle starts to feed upon itself.”