Homelessness is not a new issue. After declining briefly after the Civil War, homelessness first became a national issue in the 1870s. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there are an estimated 553,742 people in the United States experiencing homelessness on a given night. This represents a rate of approximately 17 people experiencing homelessness per every 10,000 people in the general population. In 2019, Washington, D.C. had the highest estimated rate of homelessness in the U.S. with 94 homeless individuals per 10,000 of the population. Hawai’i had the third highest rate among all U.S. states with about 45 homeless individuals per 10,000 of the population.
This case study outlines how Generac propane generator-powered microgrid provides a cost effective and flexible solution that helps maximize resources for a program designed to transition people off the streets and into new productive living spaces in Honolulu, Hawai'i.