| Abstract |
The Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resource Center (HGGRC), a University of Hawaii at Manoa entity, was formed in 2014 to provide a central hub from which to disseminate data and information related to Hawaii’s groundwater and geothermal resources. In Hawaii, geothermal development faces mistrust among some sectors of the community. Contributing to the mistrust are concerns about environmental impact and people’s safety, protests by Native Hawaiian activists regarding indigenous beliefs about the volcano, resistance to corporate development, a blowout at a geothermal power plant in 1991, negative news coverage, and a persistent misinformation campaign by a vocal activist community. Recently HGGRC has launched an outreach campaign to disseminate accurate information about geothermal resources and energy production. The outreach program features a website, social media, blogs, and presentations, and we are in the process of developing educational materials such as a 1 page flier, an informational booklet, and a documentary. The website disseminates the following information about Hawaii’s geothermal resources: facts, news, datasets, and historical articles and photographs. While HGGRC recognizes the sensitivities around geothermal in Hawaii, it recognizes that geothermal is a clean, baseload renewable energy that can enable Hawaii to achieve its green energy goals. HGGRC envisions a sustainable Hawaii that practices responsible, active stewardship over its natural resources, and promotes evidence-based energy and management policies that protect the people, the land, and the future of the islands. |