Tag Archives: Geothermal

Geothermal

Kuokoa’s Goal For HECO

Ku‘oko‘a’s goal is to transform HECO so it becomes an economic engine instead of an economic anchor.

Our plan is to retool HECO by purchasing HEI’s outstanding stock. This will allow us to shut down oil-fired plants, and bring cheap and stable geothermal electricity on line.

In a world of volatile oil prices, stable electricity costs will attract capital to Hawaii. And as oil prices rise and geothermal costs stay stable, our standard of living will rise relative to that of the rest of the world.

In modern Hawai‘i, the economy has taken, taken, and taken, while the culture has given, given and given. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make changes so that the economy can give and the culture can receive. This will strengthen our cultural heritage of aloha spirit, which is what makes Hawai‘i work.

And aloha spirit is what we need to help us face an uncertain future of rising oil prices.

From the Maui News:

Haku Mo‘olelo

March 18, 2011 – By EDWIN TANJI, former City Editor

When a partnership, Kuokoa Inc., proposed to acquire Hawaiian Electric Industries to take it private and pursue renewable energy initiatives that reduce Hawaii’s dependence on oil, the partners suggested that traditional capitalist systems fail to support innovation.

They are not the first to argue that publicly held companies, compelled to aim for short-term earnings, can’t engage in long-term product development that provides greater social and economic utility. It would be a milestone in economic analysis if they prove their point.

More than a decade ago, David Murdoch posited the same argument in taking private the Castle & Cooke division that “owns” the island of Lanai. He said demands for dividends and growth in share value would not allow the planned development he envisioned for the island with clearly finite resources.

Kuokoa partners are even more visionary in seeking a new level of energy independence for the islands. Hawaii consumers should applaud the effort, if they are paying any attention to the fuel adjustment portion of their monthly electric bills…. Read the rest

Geothermal, Iceland

Iceland to Scotland?

Iceland sets sights on clean power line

Omar Valdimarsson

March 7, 2011

REYKJAVIK: Europeans left stranded at airports last year as an Icelandic volcano spewed ash across the continent may soon benefit from the power that seethes beneath the remote North Atlantic island.

Iceland is doing a feasibility study into building a 1170 kilometre power cable to Scotland to transport up to 18 terawatt-hours of geothermal and hydro power a year – enough to fuel 5 million European homes.

…In about 20 years, Iceland’s energy revenue per capita may rival that in Norway, where oil income has made its $US540 billion sovereign wealth fund the world’s second-biggest. Read the rest

With guts and determination, we can do the same for Hawai‘i.

Ku‘oko‘a is planning to finance a cable that will carry geothermal electricity from the Big Island at no cost to the taxpayers. Iceland to Scotland is a distance of 725 miles, whereas it’s only 200 miles or so from the Big Island to O‘ahu.

From the Ku’oko’a website:

We are embarking on a great journey, much like the ancient people who sailed to Hawai‘i hundreds of years ago. Like them, we are searching for a better tomorrow for our children, grandchildren and generations to come. We will find the place where the Aloha Spirit can thrive because we go with open hearts and minds.

Geothermal

New HELCO/PGV Contract For Geothermal

Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) and the Hawaiian Electric Light Company (HELCO) have come to an agreement for PGV to provide an additional 8 MW of power to HELCO’s grid. I hope the PUC approves this expeditiously. Read about the agreement here.

PGV has two previous contracts:

  • One for 25 MW. This is an existing, “avoided cost” contract. In February, that avoided cost was approximately 16.75 cents/KW at Peak time.
  • Another for between 25 and 30 MW, which was also an existing, avoided cost contract. PGV agreed to change this to a fixed cost contract at the lower rate of 11.8 cents/kWh.

Both have a 1.5 percent escalator per year.

The new 8 MW addition is at 9 cents/kWh for the first 30,000 MWH/year, then 6 cents per MWH per year for anything greater than 30,000 MW.

Although the addition is 8 MW, PGV renegotiated one of its existing avoided cost contracts to a fixed cost contract. This results in a significant lowering of the 5 MW avoided cost contract from approximately 16.75 cents avoided cost in February to 11.8 cents fixed.

This new contract is significant because it is more than just a base power contract. Sixteen (16) MW of the geothermal-generated electricity is dispatchable from HELCO’s base station in Hilo. When this has been in operation awhile and proves to be dependable, it can replace petroleum-fired units with the same characteristics.

Geothermal is the only non-liquid-fueled power generation facility that can provide dispatchable power. This means we will have the ability to get off oil and biofuels.

Geothermal, Peak Oil

It’s Not Just About Getting Off Oil; We Need To Think Bigger

1 Comment

Two years ago, oil hit $100 per barrel and I wrote the blog post The Kahuna Not Going Save Us. I was the only person from Hawai‘i who had attended the Peak Oil conference in Houston a couple months before.

Fast forward: Aloha Airlines is gone. Hilo’s O’Keefe Bakery is gone. The Middle East is in turmoil. Our county, state and national governments are saddled with enormous debt.

Our fundamental problem is that for more than 30 years now, the world has been using twice as much oil as it has found.

In Hawai‘i, though, we have a solution that can take us all the way to prosperity, relative to the rest of the world.

We have the gift of geothermal, and we need to use it. We only need a small amount of the energy being used to create our islands, a process that has been going on for millions of years, almost from the time humans started to walk upright.

We need to determine our desired outcome. It is not just getting off oil. We need to think bigger.

How about we think about moving to a place where the aloha spirit thrives? How about arming our future generations with the tools they’ll need by using our brains now? How about giving people the ability to get off the streets and to a place where they can support their families in their own homes?

The folks on Kino‘ole Street understand this very clearly. They are ready to go.

We need to close our oil-fired electricity generating plants and start making these changes now. We need low-cost, stable electricity relative to the rest of the world. Capital loves stability. If we do this, capital will be clamoring to come here. The folks on Bishop Street understand this clearly.

How about stepping forward now!

In a world filled with instability, we will have the attention of Wall Street.

The kahuna not going save us. Tutu Pele can, though.

Geothermal

About Geothermal Operations & Safety Concerns

1 Comment

There have been questions about general safety issues regarding geothermal. I asked Mike Kaleikini, Puna Geothermal Venture’s (PGV) Operations Manager, what safety requirements exist that PGV must comply with.

Here are some of the requirements that exist today:

County

GRP – Geothermal Resource Permit, which in general is a land use permit. The GRP does, however, require many safety-related requirements.  If an upset situation occurs at PGV (such as a release of steam with hydrogen sulfide), PGV is required to notify the County (Civil Defense, Fire & Police). Operations personnel are trained to respond to the potential upsets. If the upset condition had the potential to impact nearby residents, Civil Defense, Police and Fire personnel would be involved.

LEPC – Local Emergency Planning Commission. This is an entity required by State’s Hazard Evaluation & Emergency Response department. The group is made up of Civil Defense, Fire, Police, Industry and community representatives. PGV participates as an industry representative.

State

HIOSH – Hawaii State Occupational Safety and Health has jurisdiction over the facility. PGV is required to comply with all applicable Safety regulations…..just like other industrial facilities (like HELCO, etc.). HIOSH has general duty safety oversight of the facility. They have had inspections and expect to have more in the future.

DOH – Department of Health has a host of different departments that oversee safety at the PGV facility. All aspects of safety are covered in the numerous required permits for the PGV facility.

*Clean Air Branch – Noncovered Source Permit (NSP) regulates all aspects for air quality from our facility. This includes noise, hydrogen sulfide and any other potential emissions.

*Safe Drinking Water Branch – Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit regulates all injection fluids and protects the ground water source at the location.

*Noise and Radiation Branch – Responsible for regulation noise at the facility location.  Permitted noise levels are included in the NSP permit.

*Hazard Evaluation & Emergency Response Department – Responsible for regulating emergency response requirements at the facility.

DLNR – Department of Land and Natural Resources oversee the geothermal resource at the PGV site. A DLNR representative is always on site when drilling is in progress.  This is for regulating all drilling activities as they occur. Safety and compliance with DLNR rules is of the priority when drilling.  DLNR also has general duty responsibility for overall safety at the facility.

Federal

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 has several different departments with regulatory oversight of the PGV facility.

*Safe Drinking Water – Underground Injection Control (UIC). This is a redundant regulatory oversight of the PGV facility.

*Emergency Preparedness & Prevention Section – coordinated by Mike Ardito, who recently (July 2010) inspected PGV and found PGV to be in compliance.

There are several other federal safety mandates that PGV must comply with. There is a Risk Management plan, a Hazardous Waste Operator Response standard, and others.

Several of the above entities also require a facility Emergency Response plan.

Geothermal, Peak Oil, Renewable Energy Sources

Ku‘oko‘a Partners Speak at Crowded Kona Town Meeting

Richard and some of his Ku‘oko‘a partners spoke at a well-attended Kona Town Meeting the other day, and what an interesting meeting it was.

Richard Ha

Watch a video of the talks, taken by Big Island Video News: Ku’oko’a details bid to buy HEI at Kona Town Meeting.

Geothermal energy touted as last hope for Hawaii energy future

Video by David Corrigan | Voice of Stephanie Salazar

Its been several weeks since the Geothermal Working Group submitted their preliminary report to the 2011 State Legislature.

Its also been weeks since the co-chair of that effort, Hamakua farmer Richard Ha, made public his lofty goal of buying  HELCO, the island’s power company, along with some partners.

At a well attended Kona Town Meeting on Tuesday night, residents got the chance to hear the details about both of these developments, first hand….See the rest

The whole thing is worth a listen. You’ll hear Richard start speaking at 3:41 and then enthusiastic applause breaks out at around 4:50 when he says, “Maybe what we need to do is buy the electric utility out.”

Geothermal

Full Text of ‘Geothermal Working Group Interim Report’

2 Comments

I had a request to post the full Geothermal Working Group Interim Report, so you can read/download the complete Geothermal Working Group Interim report here.

From the report:

There is an urgency to developing new energy resources because Hawaii, like most of the world, is overwhelmingly dependent upon depleting supplies of fossil fuels. The consensus among credible resource scientists and many economists is that petroleum prices will rise to unprecedented levels in a few years. Since Big Island uses oil for 90% of its power, this is of the utmost concern to leaders in government and business.

…The volatility of petroleum-based energy makes business planning very difficult, whereas geothermal energy is stable. Jim Kauahikaua, Chief Scientist at Hawaii Volcano National Park Observatory, says that geothermal energy will be available to Big Island for 500,000 to 1,000,000 years.

Geothermal is the cheapest form of base power for Hawaii. A Wall Street Journal article estimated geothermal energy is produced at a cost equivalent to $57 per barrel. As of this writing, January-2011-delivery crude is $88.02 per barrel. Using geothermal as Hawaii’s primary source of base power will permit greater manufacturing competition relative to the rest of the world. Our standard of living will also rise relative to the rest of the world. Significantly, using geothermal as Hawaii’s primary source of base power will help folks on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder – those who would otherwise have their lights turned off first.

Geothermal, Peak Oil

Kuokoa, Geothermal & Standard of Living

In modern Hawaiian history, the economy has taken, taken, taken and the culture has given, given, given.

Right here, right now, we have the ability to change this.

We can change things so the economy will give, give, give, and the culture – the people – will receive.

If we are successful in supplying the biggest proportion of our electrical base power from stable and inexpensive geothermal resources, thereby replacing oil, Hawai‘i will become relatively more competitive to the rest of the world, and, relative to the rest of the world, our standard of living here will rise.

I’ve written here before that I am involved with Ku‘oko‘a. It’s an idea whose time has come.

Lots of people have asked how they can help. Check out the Ku‘oko‘a website, where we will be posting ways you can help free Hawai‘i from fossil fuels, and at the same time help to raise the standard of living for our keiki.

I wrote more about The Geothermal Working Group’ Interim Report here at the blog:

There is an urgency to developing new energy resources because Hawai‘i, like most of the world, is overwhelmingly dependent upon depleting supplies of fossil fuels. The consensus among credible resource scientists and many economists is that petroleum prices will rise to unprecedented levels in a few years. Since Big Island uses oil for 90 percent of its power, this is of the utmost concern to leaders in government and business. Hawai‘i is the most petroleum-dependent state in the nation; the Big Island alone exports $1 billion annually to purchase oil for power. Geothermal is viewed as an important component in a suite of local and available energy resources. Read the rest

This is not about us. It is about future generations.

Geothermal, Government, Peak Oil

Support HB 1257 By Sending Testimony

We could use your support.

HB 1257 is going to be heard by Rep. Herkes’ Consumer Protection Committee.

Read the bill here. Here is where I discussed the bill.

Send testimony in support of HB 1257 to CPCtestimony@Capitol.hawaii.gov. It should be less than five pages in length; couple sentences plenty.

This bill’s essential elements are simple. It requires the PUC to consider the following three factors when it issues approvals for electricity generation:

  1. Consider the technology as to its effectiveness
  2. Consider the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted
  3. Consider the costs to the rate payers compared to alternatives.

Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the February 2nd hearing with a transmittal cover indicating:

  • Testifier’s name, with position/title and organization
  • The committee the comments are directed to (the Consumer Protection Committee)
  • The date and time of the hearing (Feb 2, 2011 at 2:05 p.m.)
  • Measure number: HB 1257

Please send this to your friends, too. Mahalo.