Category Archives: Geothermal

Geothermal

Hawaii Volcano Observatory on Geothermal for the Big Island

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This “Volcano Watch” article, written by the Hawaii Volcano Observatory for the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, discusses geothermal on Hawai‘i Island and the importance of balancing geothermal’s considerable benefits with its potential risks.

VOLCANO WATCH: HVO weighs-in on geothermal development

June 28, 2012 

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii: This week’s Volcano Watch article delves into geothermal development on Hawaii Island.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has been somewhat quiet during the latest push for geothermal resource development.  This article does not endorse or oppose it, and it stays clear of hotly debated topics like community health, consumer cost benefit, or allotted royalties.

The article does urge caution, however, focusing on the island’s volcanic hazards, and the impact they could have on the potential energy boon to the Aloha State. Read the rest here

When we visited Iceland, we were shown an old diesel generator that had been in standby mode since the 1970s.

We would do the same thing here. As geothermal sites went online, our previous plants could be remain in standby mode. As additional, geographically dispersed, geothermal plants came online, the plants on standby could gradually be decommissioned.

Geothermal

County Bill 256 is Premature

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Richard Ha writes:

I testified against County Bill 256, draft 2, which alters the geothermal royalty funded-Geothermal Relocation and Community Benefits program, takes away community benefits, and creates a one-mile “buffer zone” around the Puna Geothermal Venture plant.

It passed, though. Now it is up to the Mayor to sign it or not.

This bill is premature. I don’t believe we have come to grips with the facts about the true nature of hydrogen sulfide, and what its dangers are or are not. We need to take a step back and evaluate the issue more thoroughly.

Hawai‘i’s Department of Health (DOH) regulates H2S at “nuisance levels,” which are defined as “what you can smell.” The human nose can pick up the H2S scent at 5 parts per billion or so.

The Office of Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) regulates Hydrogen Sulfide to “safety levels,” which they define as 10,000 parts per billion. At this level, workers are allowed to work for 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week.

Here are some things to consider:

1) Around the world, several million people every year choose to go to health spas/onsens, where they are exposed to much higher levels of H2S than any member of the public has been exposed to for 99.99% of the time in Puna.

2) Ambient levels of H2S in downtown Rotorua, New Zealand, are routinely 100 times to 1000 times higher than the levels Hawai‘i’s DOH regulates for.

3)  OSHA allows H2S exposure as high as 10,000 parts per billion for eight hour days, five days a week. That’s the equivalent of 2800 ppb continuously over 24 hours, indefinitely. Whereas the long-term, ambient H2S average in Puna, near the geothermal facility, is closer to 2 ppb.

4)  No study done anywhere, ever, has shown that Puna’s exposure levels have ever produced the negative effects that are antecdotally claimed.

5) I’ve been to Iceland and to the Phillipines to see their geothermal operations, and have learned that Hawaii is much, much stricter about regulating Hydrogen Sulfide than those countries are.

Here is the testimony I submitted against County Bill 256, draft 2:

Aloha Chair Yagong:

I recommend that the council vote no to Bill 256, Draft 2 affecting Puna homeowners. Take the time to truly understand the issue. It needs to be scientifically based. The Leilani Estate Board is against this bill. 

The Dept. of Health regulates to a much higher standard than Iceland or the Phillipines. We do not allow open venting.

The Dept. of Health says that there are no health safety issues with PGV. It regulates to “nuisance” standards. This standard is an order of magnitude greater than “health safety” standards. 

H2S generally results from two main sources–organic material from bacterial action and chemically from interaction of magmatic material. Tens of thousands of oil and gas wells on the mainland deal with H2S everyday.

The bacteria that generates H2S also  live in the gut of humans. The human nose can pick up H2S to 5 parts per billion–the same level that the Dept of Health regulates to. 

There have been testimony that people have become dizzy and disoriented and that animals have been affected. But, at levels this low, it is difficult to identify exactly where the H2S originated. I believe that we need to take a step back and look at this very methodically.

Sincerely,

Richard Ha
Hamakua Springs

Geothermal, Philippines

Report on Delegation to Ormoc City, Philippines

In late March, I went to the Philippines with a County of Hawai‘i delegation.

The visit, which cost less than $30,000, was worth every penny. I give Mayor Kenoi credit for having the foresight and determination to move Hawai‘i Island toward energy self-sufficiency.

Here’s the Report on the Hawai‘i County Economic Development Mission to Ormoc City, Republic of the Philippines:

March 22, 2012 – March 29, 2012
A delegation representing the County of Hawai‘i, leaders in Hawai‘i Island’s agriculture and energy industries, and the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, traveled to Leyte Island in the Republic of the Philippines on an eight day mission to achieve three primary objectives:
  1. Sister City reciprocal visit and official signing ceremony with Ormoc City officials. 
  2. Economic development fact finding tour of Leyte’s extensive geothermal energy generation facilities.
  3. Economic development fact finding tour of Visayas State University agriculture programs and area farms to observe how the industry advances regional food sustainability.

 Read the report here.

Geothermal

What Would It Be Like if We Switched to Geothermal?

Richard Ha writes:

What will happen to Big Island agriculture if we start replacing oil-fired electricity generators with geothermal electricity?

Food security involves farmers farming. If the farmers make money, the farmers will farm.

If we start using geothermal electricity, the "cold chain," the temperature control aspect of food production, will cost less. This starts with cooling at the farm and includes cooling at the wholesaler/distributor, cooling at the retail stores and cooling at the home.

Local produce will start to be closer in price to imported produce. Consumers will have more money in their pockets, so they will be able to support local agriculture.

Electricity on the Big Island has always been 25 percent more expensive than on O‘ahu. What if our electricity cost were lower, due to geothermal?

Value-added products manufactured on the Big Island would become competitive in the O‘ahu market. Having more income streams is beneficial to farmers. 

Cheap, stable geothermal electricity will help local farmers make money. And, as we know, if the farmer makes money, the farmer will farm.

Geothermal

Farming Costs & Food Costs Are Rising: What Will Help

Richard Ha writes:

Like a rubber band, farming can only take so much before things snap.

An annual energy bill that was $30,000 ten years ago is now $120,000. It used be that it might take four years for an energy bill to accumulate to a total of $120,000, but now it's only one year's bill – and it's still rising. 

Agriculture and energy are closely related. The price of oil has quadrupled over the last ten years, and that affects farmers in many ways. 

All farmers who use electricity are affected. Farmers in Waimea use lots of electricity to vacuum-cool their greens. Papaya growers fly their product, and it takes a lot of energy to run the vapor heat treatment operation. The irradiator that treats ginger, lychee, bananas and other crops for export is similarly affected.

Wholesalers and retailers use lots of electricity to maintain freshness and they must pass on the cost.

Consumers who support locally grown products are noticing their food costs rising. They, themselves, can only take so much before they run out of options.

HELCO's plan to bring 72 MW of affordable biomass and geothermal online to replace oil will help farmers.

The cost of energy is critical to farmers, and time is short.

Geothermal

Geothermal: Another Leg to our Economic Stool

Richard Ha writes:

This is an interview with Gail Tverberg, conducted by Justin and Seth of the Extraenvironmentalist.com in Montreal. She discusses how running short of cheap-to-extract oil affects the economy. It's about 13 minutes long.

Hawai‘i relies on oil for 90 percent of its energy usage. It is very dangerous.

We do have a way to protect ourselves, though, and that is geothermal. We are very fortunate: Very few people in the world have this opportunity.

Geothermal can provide another leg to our economic stool. But we do need everyone’s help to figure out how we can do this.

We don't want Hawai‘i to be the canary in the coal mine (where the canary dies). Instead, we want Hawaii to see a bright sunny morning where the canary sings. 

Geothermal

Why I Testified in Favor of Exempting Exploratory Slim Wells from EA/EIS

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I testified in favor of exempting exploratory slim wells from the requirement of preparing an Environmental Assessement or an Environmental Impact Statement. (An EIS is already required for actual production wells.)

The reason I testified in favor of an exemption is because I feel there is already adequate protection in place. And it’s an important move forward – the age of cheap oil is over and Hawai‘i’s people are very vulnerable.

Here are some of the checks and controls:

  • The Board of Land and Natural Resources will have to approve all exploratory well applications.
  • A well-drilling permit will be required from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
  • Permits will be necessary from the Department of Health clean air branch and drinking water branch, and a community noise permit will also be required.
  • Also, there are applicable Hawaii Administrative Rules to mitigate impacts from: soil erosion, surface groundwater protection, air quality protection, noise impacts, protection of Fish/Wildlife/Botanical Resources, protection of cultural resources, waste disposal, environmental monitoring, blowout prevention and restoration of well site.

In addition, exploratory wells cannot be sited in conservation, urban or sensitive areas. They are allowed in Ag-zoned land.

More details on all this:

Geothermal Resources Exploration/Development – Mitigation of Impacts

DLNR Responsibility Regarding Management of Geothermal Resources

Geothermal

Settlement Agreement

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The Pele Defense Fund has been in the news saying it will sue if the Large-Scale Geothermal/Cable project Settlement Agreement is violated.

Read the settlement agreement here.

The settlement agreement of 1995 says that an Environmental Impact Study must be done if a geothermal cable project is to be constructed. I think most people assume an EIS will be done, and that this isn’t a big issue.

That agreement shut down everything to do with geothermal back at a time when others, such as Iceland and the Phillipines, were busy planning for avoiding oil usage by enabling more geothermal. Therefore, today we are far behind Third World nations as we try to catch up in a world of escalating energy costs.

It was done wrong originally, but now we have a chance to do it right.

Geothermal, Iceland, Renewable Energy Sources

Reaching for Prosperity, Not Energy Security

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In Iceland, where they use geothermal energy, their energy is 81 percent renewable, and the country is food- and energy-secure. Iceland has its house in order.

Now it’s negotiating for a 745-mile cable to England.

It’s clear to me that Iceland is reaching for prosperity, not for energy security.

Why can’t we shoot for prosperity for our future generations here in Hawai‘i?

Do we dare?

Geothermal

Big Island Video News: On the Hawaii Environmental Council Testimony on Geothermal

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This video, and article, from Big Island Video News gives a good look at what went on Friday at the testimony before the Hawaii Environmental Council.

VIDEO: Harry Kim speaks out before geothermal exemption vote

HONOLULU, Hawaii: Former Hawaii Island mayor and civil defense director Harry Kim delivered surprise testimony before the Hawaii Environmental Council on Friday, and it appears to have made a difference in the council’s decision on important exemptions for geothermal energy exploration.

The council voted on two important measures… both would lift the requirements for an environmental assessment or an impact statement when exploring for new geothermal sources in Hawaii. The theory is that the exemptions would speed up the development process and encourage investment by sidestepping the expensive environmental review process.

On one side, folks like Richard Ha who are advocates for the geothermal industry, and who say that time is running out on affordable power here in the islands. Officials from the Department of Land and Natural Resources are also in support of the exemptions.

But on the other side of the issue: residents of Puna, who live in the backyard of the 30 megawatt Puna Geothermal Venture, and say they suffer from noise and health problems, and are in fear of what appears to be a massive fast tracking to grow the industry, presumably on Puna’s volcanic rift zone.

Standing with those folks on Friday… Harry Kim, whose statements resonated with the Environmental Council….

 Read the rest