Within the United States, the eight islands of Hawaii are blessed with a temperate climate, abundant sunshine, few high-speed highways, and a statewide speed limit of 60 mph, achievable only on a few roads. hydrogen Hawaii hydrogen fuel cell Zero Emission VehicleTropical islands are some of the best places on earth to pioneer carbon-free energy and zero-emission vehicles. MORE

Hawaii is certainly grabbing its fair share of green car headlines – just yesterday we told you that it would be the trial base for GM’s new hydrogen fuel cell prototypes (see article). Tags: Electric cars Green cars Nissan Hawaii Nissan LEAF Nissan LEAF electric vehicle Nissan LEAF Hawaii Nissan LEAF US launch MORE

MMNA) and the State of Hawaii have entered into an agreement that will seek to vastly improve the infrastructure and deployment for the new Mitsubishi i and other advanced 100% electric-powered vehicles (EVs) for residents. Mitsubishi Motors has selected Hawaii to be among the first states to receive the North American-spec production version of the Japanese auto manufacturer’s i-MiEV. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., MORE

Nissan North America has formed an electric vehicle partnership with the state of Hawaii as it bids to introduce an electric vehicle charging network in the area. Tags: Electric cars Green cars Latest news Nissan Hawaii Hawaii electric cars Nissan electric cars Nissan LEAF The partnership was confirmed at the Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo in Honolulu and is the first definitive agreement reached by the company in the United [.]. MORE

Proton OnSite has been awarded a purchase order from HydraFLX Systems Ltd to install a hydrogen generator at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) facility outside Honolulu, Hawaii. The station is being upgraded in cooperation with the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies (HCATT) and the Air Force Research Laboratory. MORE

Today, a Tesla Model 3 EPA rating, a future electric SUV from Nissan, who loves tiny crossovers and who doesn't, and hydrogen fuel for Maui. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Over the weekend, we covered last week's most popular green-car news. One reviewer called the Chevy Bolt EV user interface "the best of any electric car" on the market. Today in Car News MORE

UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, has begun construction in Hawaii of a demonstration unit that will convert forest residuals, algae and other cellulosic biomass into renewable drop-in transportation fuels via a rapid pyrolysis process integrated with a catalytic upgrading process. MORE

Better Place has started its initial deployment of EV infrastructure in Hawaii, with the launch of a project to incorporate its electric-vehicle infrastructure in Honolulu, in partnership with Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts’ Sheraton Waikiki Resort and Hawaiian Electric Company. This project marks the beginning of our initial, pre-commercial infrastructure deployment in Hawaii. MORE

Coda announced today their plans to roll out their all-electric sedan in Hawaii in the third quarter of 2011, positioning the car to battle the Nissan Leaf in a market that suffers from some of the highest gas prices in the country. In May, Nissan singled out Hawaii as a target market –- the state will be among the first to get the Leaf next MORE

CODA Automotive intends to distribute the battery-electric CODA Sedan to consumer and fleet customers in Hawai’i in the third quarter of 2011. CODA plans to begin limited deliveries at the end of 2010. The CODA Sedan is a four-door, five-passenger car, powered by an all-electric drive system, including a CODA-designed 33.8 kWh Lithium-ion battery system. MORE

A123 Systems will supply an 11MW Grid Battery System (GBS) to Sempra Generation for the Auwahi Wind project in Maui, Hawaii. When fully operational, the 21MW Auwahi Wind project is expected to be capable of generating enough energy to power the equivalent of 10,000 homes, and the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved a 20-year contract for Maui Electric Company to purchase the electricity produced at Auwahi. MORE

Batteries energy infrastructure plug-in cars Hawaii solar energy storage Solar CityWhile its electric-car manufacturing continues to get the most attention, Tesla quietly continues to build up its energy-storage business as well. Today, the still-incomplete "gigafactory" in Nevada is assembling standalone battery packs for the company's Tesla Energy stationary energy-storage division. Some of those packs will be deployed in. MORE

AeroVironment has installed electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the Marriott Waikiki in Hawaii. The new chargers are part of Hawaii’s growing charging infrastructure currently being deployed to support electric vehicles. In March of this year AeroVironment received a $820,000 contract from the Hawaii EV Ready Grants Program. MORE

has selected Hawaii to be one of its initial launch markets in the US beginning in early 2011. Nissan and the State of Hawaii are working towards a partnership to promote the development of an electric vehicle network. As part of the collaboration, Nissan has committed to make the all-electric Nissan LEAF available to Hawaii consumers. Nissan North America, Inc. MORE

Hawaii, the land of sun, sea, sand and surfing. Green transport, too, according to the latest sales figures emerging from the islands. In fact, hybrids and electric cars are selling so well in the state they almost matched 2011's figures in the first five months of this year. We've already speculated that islands could be the most likely homes for MORE

It’s been an exciting week for the state of Hawaii. Tags: Electric cars Green cars Latest news Coda Coda Automotive Coda Sedan electric vehicles Hawaii Linda Lingle First Nissan confirmed plans to launch an electric vehicle partnership there (see article) and now CODA Automotive has announced it will distribute the battery electric CODA to consumer and fleet customers in the third quarter of 2011. Limited deliveries of the CODA Sedan will begin [.]. MORE

Hawaii has awarded an $820,000 contract from the Hawaii EV Ready Grants Program to AeroVironment to fund the deployment of up to 320 AeroVironment 240-volt electric vehicle (EV) charging docks throughout the islands. Once deployment is completed, Hawaii will have one of the nation’s first statewide public charging networks supporting electric vehicle drivers. MORE

The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced $500,000 will be available this year to test the technical readiness of technologies that can harness energy from waves to supply clean, renewable power to highly-populated coastal regions. ( DE-FOA-0000705 ) The funding will support one project to deploy and test a wave energy conversion device for one year at the US Navy’s Wave Energy Test Site in Kaneohe Bay, on the island of Oahu. MORE

The State of Hawaii recently passed legislation to assist in funding a project that converts crops, crop residues, dedicated energy crops, and agricultural waste into biofuels and value-added co-products. BioTorks bioconversion development efforts in Hawaii date back to 2010 when it launched proof of principle research for its technology. Basing its efforts on the requirements of the Hawaii Zero Waste Program, BioTork entered into collaboration with the Daniel K. MORE

has secured a contract to provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Hawaii Gas, the State of Hawaii’s only franchised gas utility. Clean Energy Fuels Corp. Clean Energy has also signed additional agreements throughout the United States representing their growing portfolio of natural gas fueling. Transit. Clean Energy announced that it has extended its liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreement with the City of Phoenix. MORE

incentives electric utilities plug-in cars Hawaii renewable energyIslands can be excellent places to promote clean energy. Because they are typically disconnected from both mainland grid infrastructure and sources of fossil fuels, it is easier for alternative sources of energy to gain a foothold. In fact, the cost of importing coal or oil to fuel power plants or vehicles can make fossil fuels vastly more. MORE

The project is funded by the State of Hawaii and Office of Naval Research via the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI). Such shuttle buses have been in operation in Hawaii at the Air Force’s Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. MORE

You'd be forgiven for thinking Hawaii is the center of the electric vehicle universe. Then yesterday South Korean manufacturer CT&T signed a deal with the state's governor, Linda Lingle, to build a plant in Hawaii to manufacture low-speed Wednesday, Nissan announced it would be one of the first markets for the 2011 Leaf electric vehicle. MORE

Hawaii is a beautiful state with warm tropical weather, but it's also an expensive place to drive despite the limited travel distances on each of its islands. All those factors together may make Hawaii the state that's most suited Fuels have to be brought in by ship, and its gas prices ($4.45 a gallon this week) are some of the highest in the U.S. MORE

Ten companies, agencies and universities have joined an initiative between The Gas Company (TGC), and General Motors to support a ramp up of hydrogen-powered vehicles and associated fueling infrastructure in Hawaii by 2015. The plan, called the Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative (H2I), aims to integrate hydrogen as an essential building block for Hawaii’s sustainable energy ecosystem. In Hawaii, we want to address the proverbial chicken or egg dilemma. MORE

One place where EVs seem to be ideal is Hawaii. Why is Hawaii ideal? Electric vehicles are ideally suited for certain regions of the world. Some climates are ideal for EV. Some locations do not have to deal with the thought of range anxiety, and some areas simply see a need for EVs more so than other locations across the globe. The state is MORE

electric utilities Hawaii renewable energy solar energy storage Solar CityEven before Elon Musk engineered Tesla's acquisition of SolarCity, the two companies were collaborating. SolarCity was already controlled by Musk, who believes its solar-energy business can be reinforced and complemented by Tesla's energy-storage business. Last year, Tesla announced a joint project with SolarCity to install a large battery farm. MORE

The US Army, Pacific unveiled a fleet of 16 General Motors’ hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles in Hawaii. Each branch of the military is evaluating the vehicles in real-world use. Operating these vehicles will provide the military with the necessary data and experience to determine future applications of fuel cell technology. —Charles Freese, GM executive director of Global Fuel Cell Activities. MORE

A few years ago, there was a flurry of interest in compressed-air cars--but, forgive the pun, that seemed to deflate quickly. While a car that runs on air comes with obvious environmental benefits, including zero emissions from the non-existent tailpipe, the technology seemed unworkable for everyday use. MORE: Are Air Cars Really An Option, Or The MORE

General Motors and Hawaii’s The Gas Company (TGC), the state’s major gas energy provider, are collaborating on a hydrogen infrastructure project. The Hawaii infrastructure could eventually support tens of thousands of fuel cell vehicles. Hawaii Energy Challenges. MORE

Results of a study by a team at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, SOEST, University of Hawaii at Manoa, suggest that the additional cycling to discharge vehicle batteries to the power grid in a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) scenario, even at constant power, is detrimental to EV battery cell performance. MORE

When the employee-only pilot testing program concludes, Servco, the distributor of Toyota vehicles in Hawaii, will use the car-sharing technology to launch a new Honolulu-based car share business by the end of 2017. is Hawaii’s largest privately held company with more than $1.4 Founded in 1919, it is the Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru distributor for Hawaii, and has Toyota, Lexus and Subaru automotive dealerships spanning Hawaii and Australia. Toyota and Servco Pacific Inc. MORE

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (Berkeley Lab) and the University of Hawaii have provided direct experimental evidence for the validity of a proposed mechanism for the first step in the process that transforms gas-phase molecules into solid particles such as soot and other carbon-based compounds. MORE

The plane landed in Hawaii Friday, achieving another milestone in the attempt to fly around the world with no onboard fuel. Hawaii renewable energy solar aircraftNearly four months after taking off from Abu Dhabi to attempt a circumnavigation of the globe, the sun-powered Solar Impulse 2 airplane has crossed the Pacific Ocean. The two-man crew stayed aloft for nearly 118 consecutive. MORE

Nissan North America and the state of Hawaii formed a partnership to promote the development of electric vehicles, and an electric-vehicle charging network, throughout the state. The Nissan LEAF EV will be available in Hawaii beginning in January 2011. Hawaii is providing a $4,500 state tax credit towards the purchase of an electric vehicle and a $500 state tax credit towards the purchase and installation of a home charging station. MORE

Fortunately, while mystery and mystique still shroud that project, more can be unearthed or inferred for Tesla's solar panel and battery energy-storage deployment in Kauai, Hawaii, which came. electric utilities Hawaii renewable energy energy storage Solar City Tesla PowerwallTesla’s summer announcement of the world’s biggest battery-storage system in South Australia characteristically kept key details confidential. MORE

My wife, Zan, and I were recently on the Big Island, Hawaii, and while there we toured the state’s only geothermal plant. Hawaii's 30 megawatt geothermal control room. The rest of Hawaii’s electricity is generated by burning oil. Richard Dods, a consultant working with the Israeli company that owns the facility, Ormat Technologies , says that in theory, there’s enough geothermal capacity here to power all of Hawaii. MORE

Today, we look at the possibility of a future Tesla Model S electric car surpassing the 2016 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell car's 312-mile range, changes to California's electric-car rebate program, and the Solar Impulse 2 airplane's successful crossing of the Pacific Ocean. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Catch up on last week's. Today in Car News MORE

Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc. has been awarded a firm contract with the Hawai’i Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) of the University of Hawai’i at Manoa to supply a one-megawatt ALTI-ESS energy storage system for a test of wind energy integration. Earlier post.). The system will be installed at the Hawi wind farm on the island of Hawai’i and connected to the Hawai’i Electric Light Company (HELCO) utility grid. MORE

As Nissan has discovered with sales of its Leaf, Hawaii is well suited to the daily duties of running an electric car. The Hawaii Automobile Dealers MORE

It’s not a secret that Hawaii is keen to become the most electric car-friendly state in the whole of the U.S. Earlier this week at the Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo, the state of Hawaii announced it has signed a And now two more electric car companies are laying a claim to the electric vehicle market in the island state. MORE

The Hawaii State Legislature has reported out of conference HB1271 , which boosts what had been a state environmental response tax on petroleum of $0.05 per barrel to an environmental response, energy and food security tax of $1.05 per barrel. Breakdown of the allocation of the proceeds of the tax hike include: $0.05 of the tax on each barrel to an environmental response fund; $0.55 to be deposited into an energy security special fund; $0.10 MORE

million to provide hydrogen fueling infrastructure on Hawaii, and to further increase the efficiency and output potential of future commercial hydrogen stations. The electrolyzer is planned to be installed in a hydrogen fueling station on an Army base in Hawaii in early 2012 and will be used to provide fueling to the expanding fleet of hydrogen vehicles being deployed to Oahu. MORE