Hawai’i Gas Selects Eurus Energy America and Bana Pacific for Hydrogen and Renewable Natural Gas Projects

Hawai’i Gas Selects Eurus Energy America and Bana Pacific for Hydrogen and Renewable Natural Gas Projects.

Hawaiʻi Gas, the state’s only regulated gas utility, announced the selection of two projects in its 2023 RFP for renewable hydrogen and renewable natural gas (RNG), key resources that will enable the company to transition away from its dependence on fossil fuels. The two selected companies were Eurus Energy America for the renewable hydrogen project and Hawaii-based Bana Pacific for the RNG project. Both projects will produce gas on O‘ahu and enable Hawai‘i Gas to increase hydrogen and RNG concentrations in its fuel mix. The selection of these two projects represents a step forward in Hawai’i Gas’s decarbonization journey, with a focus on diversification, energy resiliency and maintaining affordability.

Alice Moy, president and CEO of Hawai’i Gas said:

We are unwavering in our commitment to a sustainable and energy resilient Hawaii.

“While we have been a leader in the blending of hydrogen and RNG for over 50 years, our goal is to continue to innovate to continue to reduce our overall carbon footprint. Collaborating with Eurus Energy America and Bana Pacific helps increase our investments in renewable energy sources, diversifies our fuel supply based on local resources and showcases projects that can scale and support the state’s clean energy goals.”

Last year’s RFP was implemented in accordance with the Clean Energy Strategy included in the Hawai’i Gas Integrated Resource Plan filed with the Hawai’i Public Utilities Commission (PUC), and final approval of the project is contingent on the PUC. The companies were selected after a thorough review and evaluation of eight project submissions. The evaluation criteria for each submitted project included technical maturity, financial viability and overall benefits to the community and local economy. Hawai‘i Gas continues to explore a variety of future projects to achieve its clean energy goals and publishes annual sustainability reports tracking their progress.

Hawai’i Gas’s synthetic natural gas (SNG), produced on the island of O’ahu since 1974, contains up to 15% hydrogen, the highest percentage of any natural gas utility in the United States. Through a future partnership with Eurus Energy America – which will produce green hydrogen using solar energy and recycled water – Hawai’i Gas aims to increase the hydrogen content of its fuel mix by up to 20%, establishing it as a leader in providing green, renewable fuels hydrogen fuel.

Hidenori Mitsuokapresident of Eurus Energy America, said:

We are excited to partner with Hawai’i Gas on this project.

“As a committed renewable energy provider in Hawaii since 2017, Eurus Energy America will provide green, renewable solar-generated hydrogen. With abundant solar energy resources and the push for more locally produced energy, Hawaii is an ideal place to produce green hydrogen. We are excited to expand our investment in Hawaii and are confident that more green hydrogen will contribute to Hawai’i Gas’ continued decarbonization efforts.”

Since 2018, Hawaiʻi Gas has been producing RNG from biogas at the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant in the City and County of Honolulu. The new Bana Pacific project will be a complementary facility where banana grass is grown and used as a feedstock for RNG production. This non-invasive grass, also known as sugarcane in Hawaii, is now used as cattle feed and requires relatively little water to grow. Banana grass increases the soil’s ability to naturally sequester carbon, and the RNG production process creates a byproduct in the form of organic fertilizer.

George Pritchard, president and chief operating officer of Bana Pacific, said:

RNG is an essential part of the clean energy conversation in Hawaii.

“It is a net energy production process, which means we produce much more energy than we consume. This energy can then be converted on a 1-1 basis as a direct replacement for non-renewable fossil fuels. This RNG production facility will create long-term local jobs in agriculture and renewable energy. So it’s really a win-win.”

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Hawai’i Gas Selects Eurus Energy America and Bana Pacific for Hydrogen and Renewable Natural Gas Projects. source