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written by Steve N. Lee , September 02, 2008

This is great news.

A power plant that is creating jobs AND runs on garbage that would end up in landfill? Why isn't this news plastered all over every media in every country? Really!

This could be an incredible step forwards in addressing two major issues - what we do with our waste; where to get green energy.

I sincerely hope this is as simple a concept and green as it sounds. If so, there's no reason why power stations all over the world can't be converted.

Excellent news.
Steve N. Lee
author of eco-blog http://www.lionsledbysheep.com
and suspense thriller 'What if...?'

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written by Susie , September 03, 2008

This is not the whole story, this info is from a Hu Honua press release. The “petition” was circulated by the local union and they selectively targeted signers. There is also a petition with 800 signatures against the plant from members of the surrounding Pepeekeo community.

The statement that they will be burning waste that would otherwise be going into a landfill is nonsense. The tree resources would either be used for value-added products and/or energy; no one is talking about harvesting trees and throwing them into the landfill.

Further, biomass is not truly renewable, there are a lot of questions about sustainable tree resources here on the island (which by the way Hu Honua does not own). And biomass is NOT clean green energy, it is a smokestack industry with emissions that fall under state and federal regulation. There are problems with the burning of eucalyptus, the primary tree resource here— high hydrogen chloride levels that skyrocket above EPA limits as well as other pollutants that must be controlled by the very best available control technology (BACT).

We are fighting a similar power plant project in my community of Ookala, about 20 miles north of this one you’ve posted about in Pepeekeo. Truly clean green renewable energy is geothermal, solar and wind and that’s where our island should be headed in answer to energy needs— we have an abundance of all three. If the tree resource is going to be used for energy, ethanol production might be a better choice if clean and green is truly the goal.

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written by Paul Barthle , September 03, 2008

Just curious; why isn't Hawaii running on geothermal power? Lot's of hot stuff near the surface, plenty of cool ocean water to condense the steam into fresh water. Seems a no-brainer to me.

biomass in landfill ?
written by litteuldav , September 03, 2008

Why would anyone put biomass in a landfill ? let it rot on the ground and make up soil.

Deforestation seems to be what killed many Pacific island like Easter Island, Mangareva and its satellites. (cf book from Jared Diamond : Collapse)

Looks like hawaii should be all powered by geothermal, with electric golf carts for everybody.
Is this an american way of life to waste every single ressource they have ?

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written by Susie , September 04, 2008

Paul, We do have geothermal power plant in production (30 MW, about 20% of island needs), but local utility co HELCO has monopoly on power and is not interested in converting 100% to truly clean green energy. Our Public Utility Commission needs to step up to the plate here and force HELCO to fully open up these truly clean and green resources.

litteu, the tree resource in question is a commercial euc plantation, already planted on old sugar plantation land, so the harvesting would not be deforestation of our wild rain forests. However, many here would like to see the commercial trees used for other than polluting power plants. For energy, ethanol production would be cleaner alternative.

Sole proprietor, Dba Versa-Tile Services
written by Ramen Owens , September 11, 2008

I too live on the Big Island of Hawaii, and I would like to say, first of all to the woman "Susie" from Ookala, that we need to stop fighting these types of projects coming to our isle. No one wants industry or power plants in thier back yards, but it has to go somewhere. Maybe they should weigh out the issues, would they rather have coal fired plants, or much cleaner, safer, state of the art biomass? We HAVE to begin this shift somewhere, and this project sounds like it has much potential. The Eucalyptus trees in question were a poorly planned, special interest pet project anyhow, with no real value for anything other than pulp or power. Might as well use them for sustainable power! We are one of the most isolated islands on earth, we need to strive toward self-sufficient sustainability, if we want to survive the coming tide of change. Stop grumbling, start doing something!

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written by wake up , October 02, 2008

Hawaii = island = water active volcanos = heat = desananitaion and electricity. Why is it that no one can see this? The organtic waste needs to be converted into liquid fuel and not ethanol. The problem isn't the tech it's the money. Hundredes of billions of dollars are leaving the U.S. econemy every year so that we do not have to walk. Yes there are many other things that come from oil that have become so ingrained into human life that we can't seem to believe we can live without it.

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written by wake up , October 02, 2008

Sorry about the spelling should say desalination.

President
written by Garrett Smith, PE , December 03, 2008

This is very good news. Keep in mind, however, that these energy conversion technologies and others using biomass, municipal solid waste and other renewable fuels like organic food and farm wastes, have been successfully operated worldwide for decades. Many developers have made, and are still making, great efforts to promote these ideas of energy independence, cost reduction and ecological sustainability throughout Hawaii. So far, the status quo has inhibited most of these ideas. Great job on the breakthrough with this project, but keep the public awareness high so that Hawaiians can support these concepts in other parts of the State. Remember: these technologies are globally proven and would radically reduce energy costs to all Hawaiians. It is time for widespread change.