Soon Hawaii might be known as much for its energy independence as for its luaus and pineapple farms. Hawaii is revving up its highway system for electric cars and  plantations are being primed for biofuel production to reduce the state’s carbon footprint and eliminating their fossil fuel use, starting with the transportation industry. 

In coordination with Better Place (an organization providing battery charging and swapping stations), Hawaii and the Hawaiian Electric Company are planning to build an electric recharging grid along Hawaii highways where drivers can subscribe to Internet services to locate and charge their vehicles. 

Additionally, the state will convert unused plantations to biofuel cropland boosting the state’s job market, and restoring the agriculture system to a productive, marketable system. Researchers at the University of Hawaii are exploring using tropical grasses like banana grass, as well as other crops like jatropha and algae. 

Hawaii faces many challenges during the current economic crisis as two of its major revenue sources is from travel, which Americans are doing less of, and agriculture, which with the added costs of transportation over the last few years, has increased the cost of doing business and decreased profit.

An effective method of countering these challenges is to respond to the shifting demand to new markets, and to reduce costs with a smarter transportation system. Because of its middle Pacific island location, Hawaii's fossil fuel imports for fuel and power generation (diesel) must travel great distances at higher costs.

Establishing a functional electric and biofuel transportation system also continues sustainability goals of the state. The Hawaiian islands include a diverse and unique ecosystem in constant danger of destruction as population increases, construction and pollution builds, and invasive species lurk. 

Adjusting the state’s transportation system can lead to ecosystem restoration. Moving from a fossil fuel transportation system prevents transport of fuel and reduces the likelihood of oil spills. The reduced air pollution  cuts the transplanting of pollutant particles onto plants and in sensitive environments, as well as the greenhouse gas contribution to climate change. 

For native Hawaiians who share a heritage with the land, reinventing the transportation system, and saving the ecosystem means reinventing and saving the Hawaiian culture from a future that like fossil fuels, may dry up. A new transportation system in Hawaii is vital because it can bring new life economically, environmentally and culturally to the state.