Tag Archives: Thirty Meter Telescope

My Talk at the Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit

Richard Ha writes:

At the Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit yesterday, I gave a bit of history about how the Geothermal Working Group Report evolved. The Big Island Labor Alliance’s geothermal committee was formed four years ago as an off-shoot of the effort to bring the Thirty Meter Telescope to the Big Island. Both projects had the same objective: To help Big Island families have a better life.

I became involved because it was all clear to me, having been to Peak Oil conferences and knowing that oil prices were probably going to keep on climbing until it became unaffordable. I had the same motivation as the Big Island Labor Alliance: To lower electricity rates for Big Island families.

Three years ago, at the request of the geothermal committee of the BILA, Senator Russell Kokubun introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 99. It asked the question – Could geothermal be used as the primary base load electrical power for the Big Island? In the final report, the answer was yes.

The report is a consensus of all the group’s members.

You can find the final Geothermal Working Group final report on the County of Hawai‘i R & D Department website. Or on my blog.

Here is my talk:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group consist of eleven members with the Mayor of Hawaii County designating the chairperson, including:

The Hawaii County Energy Coordinator, or designee, me; One member designated by Hawaii Electric Light Company, Jay Ignacio; One member designated by the Big Island Labor Alliance, co chair Wally Ishibashi; One member designated by the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board, Inc.,Barry Mizuno; One member designated by the Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, Big island rep came to listen; The Hawaii Island Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee, or designee, Bob Lindsey; One member designated by the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Andrea Gill from the energy office; One member designated by the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, none; One member who is a representative of a non-profit, environmental group to be selected by the President of the Senate, Nelson Ho-Sierra Club; One member who is a representative of a cultural organization to be selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patrick Kahawaiola’a-pres of the Keaukaha Community Ass’n; and One member representing West Hawaii to be selected by the Mayor of Hawaii County, Jacqui Hoover.;

SCR 99 established the Geothermal Working Group to evaluate geothermal energy as the primary source of baseload power for electricity in the County of Hawaii. An analysis of technical data and of expert testimony provides convincing rationale to develop local renewable energy plants and transition away from the county’s dependence on petroleum-fueled generators for baseload electricity. Each stage of development must consider public safety and environmental concerns. Funding for research is required to ensure that the transition never harms people, property, or wildlife and that a robust and reliable supply of energy is always available. It is critically important to the welfare of all Hawaii residents that we begin to develop local energy immediately.

Advantages of geothermal:

  • It is an indigenous resource
  • It generates revenue for the state
  • It generates community benefits
  • It provides stable power
  • It is less than half the cost of any of the renewable energy alternatives.
  • The Big Island will be over the geothermal “hot spot” for 500,000 to 1 million years

Potential adverse impacts are listed below:

– Interference with worship of the Goddess Pele

– Interference with certain Native Hawaiian practices – Rainforest destruction

– Possible health and safety impacts

– Disruption of the way of life for nearby residents

– Hydrogen sulfide and other air quality issues

– Noise

– Increased strain on an inadequate infrastructure – Impact on native fauna and flora

       IV. Recommended Steps for Hawaii State Legislators

– Make the allocation of geothermal royalties more transparent to show how benefits come back to the community. Designate the records of the allocations to be public domain.

– Establish a community advisory board to offer suggestions to the DLNR about how royalties generated by geothermal power plants are spent. The advisory board should be members of the communities that host existing or future geothermal power plants and/or those who are most impacted by the development of geothermal energy.

– Encourage the DLNR to use geothermal royalties to identify promising geothermal sites and to further develop the resource.

– In light of the probability that oil will reach $200 per barrel (Lloyds of London), the legislature is requested to commission a study to show the economic impact of various prices of oil.

– Facilitate development of geothermal with a critical review of the geothermal permitting process, regulatory capabilities, and possible investment incentives.

The Geothermal Working Group’s principal findings

– Geothermal is a renewable resource indigenous to the island of Hawaii that is dissociated from the price volatility of petroleum fuels.

– Geothermal can be a key component in a diversified energy portfolio for Hawaii County, both for the electrical grid and for transportation.

– In Hawaii, geothermal is a firm-energy resource at lower cost than fossil fuel. – Developing multiple geothermal plants is the most prudent approach.

– Geothermal has the potential to supply baseload electricity; long term reliability and the ability to supply grid management services (currently supplied by conventional fossil-fueled power plants) must be demonstrated in order to consider geothermal as the primary energy resource.

– With geothermal power plants, agricultural fertilizers, hydrogen, oxygen, and business-enterprise power can be produced for off-peak rates during the hours of curtailed electrical demand.

Comment by Robert Rapier

Or a simpler way to put it is this. It may be that the U.S. economy and America’s per capita oil consumption of 23 barrels of oil per person per year can’t grow in the face of $100 oil. But if countries like China and their 2 barrels of oil per person per year continue to grow while buying $100 oil, then we have truly entered a new paradigm. What may happen is that both China and the U.S. end up consuming 5 or 8 barrels per person per year, which could still grow China’s economy, while the U.S. gets there by shrinking ours. China’s growth is probably the most worrisome factor because we will be competing against them for global oil supplies.

In closing: The Big Island is paying some of the highest electricity rates in the state. Our communities are struggling, and yet the Big Island will be sitting over the hot spot for 500,000 to 1 million years.

What is taking us so long?

About the Hawaii Island Economic Summit

On Friday, I attended the Kona/Kohala Chamber of Commerce’s Hawai‘i Island Economic Summit.

One of the questions during an energy session I attended was whether Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi’s vision of “100 percent renewable energy by 2015” is reasonable.

I replied with some facts:

  • Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) estimates that it has 200MW of geothermal power at its present site.
  • At peak use, the Big Island uses less than 200MW.
  • Right now, PGV is authorized to produce 60MW.
  • Last time it took them just six months to get authorization from the Planning Commission.
  • That would leave three and a half months for building the needed production units.

This is doable. What we need is the will to do it.

A description of the Economic Summit:

This Summit will consist of a morning panel “conversation” comprised of five to six guest thinkers and leaders who will discuss their work, ideas that inspire them and what they see as the future for Hawai‘i Island.  Confirmed speakers include Dr. Earl Bakken, engineer, businessman, philanthropist, inventor of the pacemaker; William P. Kenoi, Mayor of Hawai‘i County; Sanjeev Bhagowalia, Director of the newly created State Office of Information Management and Technology, Robert Pacheco, President and Naturalist Guide, Hawaii Forest & Trail and Michele Saito, President of Farmers Insurance Hawaii. Moderator for this panel will be Steven Petranik, editor of Hawaii Business magazine.

Our luncheon keynote speaker is Eric Saperston, acclaimed film director and producer, successful author and award-winning speaker and storyteller. Eric is Chief Creative Officer for the ‘inspire-tainment’ company, Live in Wonder, a forward thinking experiential company on the cutting edge of communication to ignite, inspire and enliven the world.

Eric’s story:

Dr. Earl Bakken talked about his manifesto (read about June and I visiting him at his request to discuss geothermal), which includes inspiring kids to use a live cam during the building of the Thirty Meter Telescope, the development of geothermal and Ku‘oko‘a, as well as building a world-class hospital in Waimea.

West Hawaii Today wrote about the summit.

Washington Place Reception for People Behind the Thirty Meter Telescope

On Friday I attended a reception at Washington Place, the governor’s mansion, given for the people behind the Thirty Meter Telescope.

Washington Place

It was great to get together. So many people worked so hard to accomplish what we did.

I remember Roberta Chu and I standing in the parking lot in the very early days asking each other: “Do you think we can do this?” We never looked back.

Roberta Chu, Barry Mizuno and Don StraneyRoberta Chu, Barry Mizuno and Don Straney

Henry Yang, President of the TMT Corporation, is a very special person. He flew in and out of the Big Island more than 15 times, and spent all of his time talking to the regular folks. He never once spoke to the press.

Henry YangHenry Yang

He learned firsthand that the lowest common denominator that folks on all sides of the issue could agree upon was keiki education, and so the TMT committed $1 million annually for keiki education on the Big Island.

All throughout the tough negotiations, this was completely off the table. No one could touch it, nor even think about touching it.

Jean Lou Chameau, Richard Ha, Henry YangJean-Lou Chameau, me, Henry Yang

Henry did not come into town telling everyone he was there to save them. He told them what was going to happen. But mostly he listened. And, slowly but surely, people started to trust.

Dilling and Henry YangDilling and Henry Yang, me

Roberta Chu, Dilling and Henry YangRoberta Chu greeting Dilling and Henry Yang

Henry Yang

Henry and I were like brothers during this project. He was the kind of guy I could do business with on a handshake. He and Jean-Lou Chameau, President of Cal Tech, are people persons. The right people at the right time.

Jean-Lou Chameau, president of Cal TechJean-Lou Chameau

I missed seeing my friend Dawn Chang. She and I worked very closely in the tough, early days.

Daniel InouyeSenator Daniel Inouye arriving

Senator Daniel InouyeSenator Inouye speaking

P1000223Senator Inouye, me, Henry Yang

Irene Inouye, MRC GreenwoodIrene Inouye and MRC Greenwood

Ka‘iu Kimura was very brave.

Mazie HironoRep. Mazie Hirono with TMT Board Members

Thirty Meter Telescope

Richard Ha, Rockne Freitas, Herring Kalua, Don StraneyMe, Rockne Freitas, Herring Kalua and Don Straney

And I learned an important lesson from Kumu Lehua Veincent. When I suggested to him that we try to get five “full-ride” scholarships to the best schools in the nation for Keaukaha kids, he asked me: “And what about the rest of them?” Of course he was right.

Thirty Meter Telescope, Washington Place

Barry Taniguchi, Carl Carlson, Jim Omura, Virginia HinshawBarry Taniguchi, Carl Carlson, Jim Omura, Virginia Hinshaw

Mike Bolte and Sandra DawsonMike Bolte and Sandra Dawson

Patrick Kahawaiola‘a told me something profound. He said that it’s all about the process. Then it dawned on me: “You have to aloha everyone, no matter on what side of the issue.”  

Aloha to the Kanaka Council and other folks like Kealoha, and Ku Ching, who do not agree. I’m pretty sure they know that we were trying to be pono.

Jim Omura, Virginia Hinshaw, Mark YudovJim Omura, Virginia Hinshaw, Mark Yudov

MRC Greenwood and Governor Neil AbercrombieMRC Greenwood and Governor Neil Abercrombie

Richard Ha, Greg Chun and Dennis HirotaMe, Greg Chun and Dennis Hirota

Jennifer Sabas, Roberta Chu and Mike BolteJennifer Sabas, Roberta Chu and Mike Bolte

Thirty Meter Telescope

Thirty Meter TelescopeDavid Lonberg, Carl Carlson, Doug Ing

Here are some startling facts about the Thirty Meter Telescope:

  • 9 times more light collecting area than a Keck Telescope
  • 12.5 times sharper images than we can get with the Hubble Space Telescope (This is amazing!)
  • Will be able to see through the universe back to the time when the very first stars and galaxies formed
  • Will be able to image planets orbiting other stars and to look for the signposts of life
  • Will be able to discover and study supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies throughout the Universe
  • Will be able to determine the nature of dark energy and dark matter – These are key to determining the ultimate fate of the Universe.

The World Has Changed: Big Island Supports Geothermal

I’ve attended at least 10 organized group geothermal meetings on the Big Island within the last two years, and I have talked to numerous individuals.

It is my sense that an overwhelming majority of Hawaiians on the Big Island support geothermal.

It is also my sense that folks on O‘ahu have no idea that opinions have changed from 20 years ago.

I was directly involved with the Thirty Meter Telescope process. Many more people support geothermal than supported the Thirty Meter Telescope. And Robert Lindsey, Big Island OHA trustee, testified at an OHA hearing that it is his sense that the overwhelmingly majority of Hawaiians support the Thirty Meter Telescope.

The rubbah slippah folks here on the Big Island are well aware of the connection of oil prices to high electricity costs. And they are well aware that the folks on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder will get their lights turned off first – and too often they will be Hawaiians.

Everyone knows that geothermal is proven technology, cheap, gives off no emissions and occupies the smallest footprint. Those who don’t know it probably don’t live on the Big Island.

Geothermal, assuming it is developed in a pono way, is a right of the native people to have a better life for themselves and for future generations