The Big Island Labor Alliance’s Geothermal Committee initiated SCR99:

REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A WORKING GROUP TO ANALYZE THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AS THE PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCE TO MEET THE BASELOAD DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY ON THE BIG ISLAND.

Senator Kokubun wrote the bill. It was heard at both houses’ energy committees, as well as the Senate’s Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs committees. It passed unanimously through all the committees.

I gave testimony to the Senate committees, pointing out that geothermal is the cheapest form of “base power.” I told them I am concerned that the utilities are encouraging the use of biofuels to power electric generators. Biofuels are much more expensive than geothermal-powered electricity. And it is the folks on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder who will get their lights turned off first, I reminded them, and that is most likely to be Hawaiians.

The County of Hawai‘i will be the lead agency, ensuring that this project will be accomplished in a timely manner. Mayor Billy Kenoi indicated that Wally Ishibashi and myself would be co-chairs of this working group. Wally and I work together seamlessly. We agree that we are both in favor of transparency and an open process.

The legislature wants a report 20 days before the start of the next legislative session. We will be ready to go in a few short weeks.

It is clear to us that we need to maximize geothermal energy. High electric rates don’t do anyone any good.

Here’s how SCR99 starts:

WHEREAS, in 1881, King David Kalakaua visited Thomas Edison  in New York to discuss extracting power from Hawaii’s volcanoes  and using underwater cables to carry power between islands; and

WHEREAS, at the time, his strategy did not prove to be
feasible, and hydropower was used to generate electricity to  light Honolulu; and

WHEREAS, today, technology advances make geothermal energy  not only feasible, but a top source of renewable energy; and

WHEREAS, geothermal energy is a more reliable source of
energy than solar or wind energy, because when the wind does not  blow and the sun does not shine, the heat from the volcano  continues to produce a steady flow of power; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii’s ratio of renewable energy generation (ten  per cent) to fossil fuel generation (ninety per cent) ranks  third in the nation; and

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Energy has
indicated that Hawaii is one of the best positioned states for  renewable energy potential; and… read more