A Jan. 12 article in The Advertiser made an excellent point: Hawai'i needs to increase its capacity to produce power while at the same time moving away from its overwhelming dependency on fossil fuels.

Indeed, this is one of the most important issues our state will face in the coming century, as oil prices rise and our planet continues to be negatively affected by the excessive use of traditional energy systems.

Solar power grows more viable every year, and wind power is certainly a great alternative, especially given the consistency of our trade winds, but there is another source of energy that is often overlooked, though it surrounds our Islands and sustains many of us in one way or another.

Hawai'i's mariners, surfers, fishermen, paddlers and a myriad of other ocean-minded folk will all attest to the power of our questionably named Pacific Ocean. In fact, the waters around our state do not fit the term "pacific" very often, as consistently brisk trade winds and relentless storms in the winter produce powerful waves that expend themselves upon our reefs and shores.

Such is the power of Hawai'i's seas that our state is one of the top two sites in the world in terms of potential for wave-generated power. This is a fact that has not gone unnoticed by companies who have moved past the research and development stage and are actually filling orders for full-scale wave-energy systems.

Several of these companies have expressed interest in bringing their systems to Hawai'i; however, as the most promising technologies are located in Australia or Europe, they are unable to do so without investment. But once the technology is established in Hawaiian waters, the price per kilowatt for consumers will be lower than HECO's current price.

HECO officials have used the delaying argument that further development and expansion are needed before wave energy becomes a feasible alternative for Hawai'i.

Meanwhile, Rhode Island has contracted with the Australian firm Energetech for its first wave-energy system. If such a small state with far less potential wave energy can invest in wave-energy systems, why not Hawai'i?

Simply put, we have one of the best climates for wave energy in the world. Furthermore, we are at the mercy of the ever capricious oil industry; yet we adopt a "wait and see" attitude toward this promising and renewable energy source, which would move us closer to self-sufficiency in terms of energy production.

It is environmentally and economically imperative that Hawai'i become a leader in wave-energy technology, rather than merely a "player." A modest investment by HECO could conceivably bring a fully operational wave energy system to Hawaiian waters, at the same time making Hawai'i a leader in renewable energy technology.

With power usage at an all-time high, rising oil prices and a growing population, it makes more sense to invest in clean, sustainable and renewable resources than in oil-dependent power plants. The fact that it's the right thing to do only further sweetens the deal.

So let's stop watching and waiting — it's time to jump in and bolster our renewable portfolio with the power of the Pacific.

Republican Cynthia Theilen represents the 50th state House District (Kailua, Mokapu). She wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.