HI HCR3

Hawaii was selected in 2012 by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Navy as one of two Wave Energy Test Sites in the United States through a competitive process.

The Kaneohe Bay wave energy test site on Oahu was designed to test commercial viability of wave energy devices and determine if the technology could supply power to an electrical grid.

In July 2015, a prototype wave generator called Azura became the first wave technology device to successfully supply grid power, producing 20 kilowatts of clean energy for Hawaii.

Federal funding for the Kaneohe Wave Energy Test Site is scheduled to expire in 2022, and further funding is needed to perfect the technology, develop permitting processes, and support public-private partnerships.

The legislature urges the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Navy to renew funding for the test site to support Hawaii's goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.