A GEOTHERMAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII USING HYDROGEOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Residents in the State of Hawaii pay the highest prices for oil-driven electricity in the nation. As an alternative, geothermal energy is able to produce base-load, sustainable energy. Governor David Ige and the state legislature signed a bill (HB623) that targets 100% renewable energy as a goal by the year 2045 - a goal that is easily achievable if geothermal energy is considered. The Hawaii Groundwater and Geothermal Resources Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is currently participating in Phase 2 of the Play Fairway project supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, to conduct a geothermal assessment across the State of Hawaii. A statewide groundwater sampling and analysis campaign is a key part of the Phase 2 work. The temperature and chemistry of groundwater can be important indicators of subsurface heat, and groundwater chemistry can improve our understanding of groundwater flow paths. Preliminary interpretation of the data collected to date will be presented.