Hawaii relies on dirty fuel after lava shutters its geothermal plant

Hawaii has bold plans to completely ditch fossil fuels over the next few decades, but Kilauea's lava flows have put a wrench in the Big Island's ability to harness renewable energy from the volcano.  

Earlier this week, lava flows entered the grounds of the Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV), a power plant that generates about 25 percent of the island's power, according to the both the island's electric company, Hawaii Electric Light, and the state's Public Utilities Commission. 

In anticipation of an unprecedented lava flow into a geothermal plant, the energy facility shut down in early May, and since then has removed flammable chemicals from the site and capped its steaming wells — one of which has already been blanketed in lava. Read more...

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