The legendary Hawaiian demi-god Maui is represented as greatly interested in making and flying kites. The ever-present trade winds provide the power necessary for the famed Moloka’i “Big Wind” kites. This free resource will also power the recently approved Kahuku wind farm on O’ahu. I believe this wind farm is missing the mark in sharing with the people of Hawaii all of its potential advantages. Before Molokai makes the same mistake that Oah’u has made concerning any potential wind farm, I think one needs to study the Oah’u example first. The Kuhuku project will consist of 12 wind turbines generating enough electricity for 7,700 homes. As an advocate of alternative energy, I typically would support such a project providing certain criteria are met.
The positive:
·HECO (parent of MECO) and the other utilities have a mandate to meet 40% of the state’s energy needs by the year 2030. This wind farm will indeed help achieve this goal. It will create jobs. It will create clean energy.
·Virtually all types of alternative energy production reduce Hawaii’s reliance on foreign oil, and therefore increase our national security.
The negative:
·The project owner, First Wind, will sell power to HECO, making a “big business” profit.
·HECO will sell this power to its customers at a “big business” profit. According to the Honolulu Advertiser, HECO spokesman Darren Pai has said that the Kahuku wind project will not reduce a customer’s electric bill.
Therefore, HECO will solidify their grip on the sale of electric power, providing no benefit to the consumer. This is where the story really begins.
As many of you know from my past writings or current news, the utility grid is closed or soon to be closed in locations on Molokai and some other outer islands to alternative energy projects. The culprit: ”feeder penetration”.
·Feeder penetration causes excess “saturation” of the grid from alternative energy. This can occur at certain times of the day depending on environmental and power demand conditions.
·A private solar systems power cannot be “adjusted” by the utility as power stations output can be adjusted. Grid power fluctuates with wind gusts and cloud cover. The grid is being fed unpredictable and sometimes excess power. Power quality is reduced.
·This excess power is potentially harmful to certain equipment in the form of poor frequency (hertz).
·Private solar systems are solid investments that eventually reduce the cost of electric power down to zero for the owner of the system. Conversely, power generated from this particular wind farm will not reduce the private citizen’s electric bill.
·Citizens may now be subjected to forever pay HECO/MECO electric rates.
·Essentially, big wind big business projects are trumping the advantages of private small solar systems offer MECO customers by “hogging” the available alternative energy megawatts available to feed to the grid.
·There is no definitive time or guarantee that the grid may “reopen” to new solar systems once it is “closed”.
·The Public Utility Commission must quickly undertake an independent grid reliability study.Hopefully they will determine the grid is capable of accepting more power from alternative sources than currently estimated by HECO. The public deserves the to have the option to privately generate clean and less expensive power through installation of private solar systems. (Breaking news! MECO has allowed a “feeder penetration” increase from 10 to 15%. However, this does NOT change the limits currently placed on the Kaunakakai area).
A utility scale alternative energy project can be a great opportunity to reduce power costs to the consumer, increase domestic security, create jobs and provide clean energy. Respecting the land must also be paramount. These projects must benefit the citizens of the land upon which they are built. The Kahuku project is not a model to be emulated on Moloka’i because it is missing the major ingredients necessary to have positive impact for the citizens of Moloka’i.
Mark is a contractor, solar consultant and the president of Solar Power Solutions/Semper Fidelis Construction Inc.
