I just learned that HECO (Hawaii Electric Co.) let a contract, worth $320,000,000.00 to build another 'White Elephant'; the plant is advertised as the answer to our energy needs. It is reported, by Honolulu News Jan. 6th 2011, "In a major step to ease the state's reliance on fossil fuels, Hawaiian Electric Company announced, what it calls a historic partnership that will supply bio fuels for electricity."... "Fallow sugar cane fields in the Kau region on the Big Island will soon become fertile land for biofuels." If you care to read the entire article, follow this link: http://www.kitv.com/news/26395836/detail.html
Pacific Business News' article, on this topic, of Jan. 6th 2011, reports, in part, "Honolulu-based Aina Koa Pono will be growing agricultural feedstocks on 13,000 acres of leased land on the Big Island’s Kau Energy Farm. Aina Koa Pono’s contract with Hawaiian Electric includes an undisclosed fixed price for the biofuel and an escalator to account for operational expenses. The negotiated price is expected to add $1.55 to $1.86 per month to a typical residential electric bill for customers statewide. The fuel has the potential to be exported to other islands, according to Robbie Alm, executive vice president of Hawaiian Electric."
I was fortunate that my British contact, Richard Strauss, provided me with the following link, which contains presentations by the world renown expert on incineration, and Professor of chemistry, Dr Paul Connett (with whom I am also in contact), who speaks on the subject of 'Incineration'. I let you all be the judge to make up your own mind, after you have heard what the professor had to say. If you are like me, you will be alarmed, to say the least. See link below.
They claim that the project will generate 150 permanent jobs for the 20 year contract duration, and that is about the life span of these types of plants. So, after 20 years it will be scrapped, as have many been before.
When doing the math. each year it costs us 16 million dollars of investment (320M/20 years), not counting the energy it takes to run this monster plant. Each job costs 2.13 million dollars initially (320M/150 jobs), and then there is of course the payroll, including the costs of benefits, etc. And, that would all be fine if it were not for the health price we pay for it.
The people in Kau, and all others who will be exposed to possible fallout, carried by the winds, will pay the price for this so called clean Bio-Fuel. They claim no toxic emission into the air, but don't believe this propaganda, based on theory alone no doubt. But, not to worry, some will make out like bandits.
Well, I let Dr. Paul Connett do the explaining in his 20 minutes video talk. Please follow the link shown below.
http://www.ecoivy.org/index.php/component/content/article/83-dr-paul-connetts-incineration-presentation
Some people oppose expansion of our abundant geothermal potential. Others oppose expansion of the OTEC project because it becomes economically feasible at about 200 megawatts (which is more than our needs) and they don't want to export surplus power to Maui via underwater cables).
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion excess capacity could be turned into new job opportunities in light industries based on recycled plastics and metals. Others want the Big Island's future to remain mainly agricultural. However, no one wants warm beer, cold showers and no AC in the condos and hotels.
Apparently, TRI one of the subcontractors of Aina Koa Pono was contracted by two firms, one in Canada, and the other in the USA. It appears, out of the two plants only the plant in Canada is working, per them, while the US plant was scrapped because it was not functioning correctly. For more info follow the link below:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tri-inc.net/plants.html
I personally would prefer tossing a coin,the chances are the same, it is less harmful.