Hawaiian Electric to convert Waiau power plant to biodiesel, renewable gas
SOURCE: Hawaiian Electric
December 12, 2023
BY Erin Krueger
Hawaiian Electric on Dec. 11 announced its proposal to replace six aging fossil-fuel generators at its Waiau Power Plant with more efficient flex-fuel units that can be fueled with biodiesel, renewable gas or hydrogen will advance to the next phase of an energy procurement process overseen by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.
The 253-megawatt (MW) project was one of several selected as part of a competitive procurement progress for firm renewable generation on Oahu, according to Hawaiian Electric. The project still requires final approval by the PUC.
Advertisement
Construction on the Waiau Power Plant, located in Pearl City, Oahu, began in 1937. The facility’s first two oil-fired steam turbines came online in 1938 and 1940, respectively. An additional six power generation units were added between 1945 and 1968, according to the company. The first two units were retired in 1982, with units three through eight continuing operations.
Hawaiian Electric plans to replace the six currently operating units with combustion turbines (CTs), which are similar to jet engines that turn turbines at high speeds to generate electricity. The company said the new units are intended to support generation resources, including variable energy like wind, solar and battery storage, when they are unavailable or unable to meet system demand. Each CT unit has approximately 42 MW of generating capacity and is smaller and more efficient than the steam boiler it will replace. The new units are also destined to quickly respond to fluctuations on the electric grid.
Advertisement
According to Hawaiian Electric, the company plans to initially fuel the new units with biodiesel. The CT can also be fueled with renewable gas or hydrogen when those fuels become commercially available.
Waiau Units three and four, aged 76 and 73, respectively, are scheduled to be retired in 2024 and will be the first units to be replaced. The two initial CTs are expected to be placed into service in 2029. The other four units will be replaced in phases, with all units expected to be online by 2033, according to Hawaiian Electric.
Additional information is available on the company’s website.
Related Stories
Broco Energy on July 17 announced a new partnership with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) to deliver and transition Massport's fuel tanks to renewable diesel across its various facilities.
Shell Aviation, Accenture, and Amex GBT on July 10 announced Avelia is in the process of evolving to an industry solution with independent data hosting and a multi-supplier model helping users access the GHG benefits of SAF.
The U.S EPA on July 17 released data showing more than 1.9 billion RINs were generated under the RFS during June, down 11% when compared to the same month of last year. Total RIN generation for the first half of 2025 reached 11.17 billion.
The U.S. EPA on July 17 published updated small refinery exemption (SRE) data, reporting that six new SRE petitions have been filed under the RFS during the past month. A total of 195 SRE petitions are now pending.
European biodiesel producer Greenergy on July 10 confirmed plans to shut down its biodiesel plant in Immingham, Lincolnshire, U.K. The company temporarily suspended operations at the facility earlier this year.
Upcoming Events
