In February 2019, Hawaii legislators considered Senate Bill 1440, which would allow up to $100 million in special purpose revenue bonds for solar-powered seawater desalination on Hawaii Island. The bonds were to help Trevi Systems and Kona Coast Water bring two or more plants into operation. The Senate Ways and Means Committee passed the bill 11-0 with amendments. A first plant of up to 6,000 m³/day was planned at a NELHA site north of Kailua-Kona, using forward osmosis instead of reverse osmosis.
The report shows a US state seeking to back a new process and fully renewable desalination without spending state funds, since the bonds were to be bought by private investors.
Source: West Hawaii Today