Hawai'i's big greenhouse challenge--cars and power plugs: UH Report

A new report says ground transportation increased its contribution to Hawaiian carbon dioxide production by 53 percent from 1990 to 2005.Is that because we simply couldn't do anything about it? Hardly.In part due to dramatic efforts in efficiency and also due to improvements in load management, the other huge component of the transportation picture actually improved during the period.

Air transportation actually achieved efficiencies that allowed it to carry more passengers, while reducing its carbon dioxide production.In the first of several major reports on Energy and Greenhouse Gas Solutions, the University of Hawai'i Economic Research Organization (UHERO), created an emissions inventory for the 15-year period in question. It's part of a project ordered by the state Legislature in 2007's Act 234, to come up with ways to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2005.

Clearly, we've got a long way to go.The greenhouse gas project is led by Denise Eby Konan, with the help Steven Alber, Paul Bernstein, Iman Nasseri, Craig Coleman, Robert Mills, Michael Hamnett, and Terrence Surles.Download a copy of the Hawai'i Greenhouse Gas Emissions Profile 1990 and 2005.Here is part of the summary of their first report.“The most significant source of growth is ground transportation, which experienced a 53 percent increase in GHG emissions from 1990 to 2005.

Electric power generation resulted in 22 percent higher emissions levels in 2005. Non-energy sources of emissions, such as industrial processes, agriculture and municipal solid waste, also grew rapidly but beginning from a relatively small base. Air transportation emissions declined even as the number of passengers grew. Residential, commercial and industrial direct emissions also contracted.”Electricity and ground transportation are such big chunks of the pie that, despite improvements in air and a few other uses, greenhouse gas emissions were up overall.