Ka‘ū News Briefs, Friday, November 8, 2019

THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION IN HAWAIʻI, to replace fossil fuels used for the generation of electricity, is the goal of over 75 renewable project submissions sent to the Hawaiian Electric Companies. Plans for solar, wind, energy storage, and other technologies are among response to the utilities' largest procurement effort. The submissions include more than 200 variations on how the resources could be better configured for more clean energy.

     Proposed projects are under review by Hawaiian Electric's renewable acquisitions team and some may ultimately drop out. It is the largest single renewable energy procurement effort in Hawai‘i and among the largest by a U.S.utility.

     Because projects are subject to competitive bidding, the utilities plans to withhold detailed information about the sizes, types and locations proposed until the final award groups are named in May 2020.

     In the first phase of the renewable procurement, completed in 2018, the utilities negotiated contracts for eight projects on three islands. Regulators approved seven  on O‘ahu, Maui, and Hawai‘i Island to add approximately 260 megawatts of solar energy with over one gigawatt-hour of storage by the end of 2021. One project is still pending commission approval. The stable, long-term prices negotiated for those projects are significantly lower than the current cost of fossil fuel generation.

     The utilities will select the final winners on May 8, and begin contract negotiations on May 15. Pending negotiations and final approvals by the Public Utilities Commission, the first renewable projects would come online in 2022.

     Jim Alberts, senior vice president for Hawaiʻi Electric business development and strategic planning, said, "We're really pleased by the strong response, both in the number of projects and the diversity of approaches. Seeing such a robust response from the market is really encouraging. A lot has to fall in place to make this all work but if we're successful with these projects and others already underway we'll be well past the halfway mark to achieving the state's 100 percent renewable energy goal."

     Hawaiian Electric's guiding principles in seeking renewable energy and grid services include transparency, predictability, and streamlining to lower costs for customers, with community engagement essential to success, stated a release from the utilities.

     GoFarm Hawaiʻi:Growing Veteranscombines GoFarm Hawaiʻi's six month agricultural training program for commercial agriculture production, with essential health and human services to support veterans in their businesses and personal lives. The goal of the program "is to increase the number of veterans seeking and securing educational, employment, and entrepreneurial opportunities in the food and agriculture sector on Hawaiʻi Island."

     The program will last seven months, including a one month orientation phase and six month intensive agricultural training phase. The format consists of classroom-style lectures, in-person and via Internet; hands-on practical work days at the training farm; and field trips to operational farms. Students complete theory and practical coursework related to the fundamentals of crop farming: soil fertility, irrigation, seeds, crop planning, food safety, nutrient management, taxonomy, plant anatomy, and pest management.

     Classroom sessions are supplemented by hands-on farm work and field demonstrations of techniques by instructors. Participants transition to applying knowledge and skills learned by growing produce for a community-based supported agriculture program organized by GoFarm Hawaiʻi. Participants are actively farming during this phase while also gaining technical skills related to business planning and management, marketing, product development, and portfolio development.

     After graduation, participants can apply for business incubation support, and utilize shared land and resources provided by GoFarm Hawaiʻi to operate a commercial agribusiness. Support of veterans in business incubator or operating independent businesses is provided by GoFarm Hawaiʻi AgBusiness Services. The services include business consulting and development technical assistance; planning and analysis of financial and operational performance, processes, and procedures; business and marketing plan development and execution; strategic planning and project management services to achieve client goals; and building an ongoing relationship that fosters continual improvement of operations.

     Classes begin early 2020. Interested Veterans may inquire at hoolafarms.org or tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. at the Hawaiʻi Island Veterans Day Parade in Hilo.

     The Miloliʻi Hipuʻu online virtual academy of Kua o Ka Lā Public Charter School will be fundraising by selling baked goods, drinks, and more. The public can also purchase raffle tickets. Supporters include Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Alu Like, UH-Hilo School of Pharmacy, Paʻa Pono Miloliʻi, Conservation International, Kua o Ka Lā PCS, Hauʻoli Kamanaʻo Church, and many others.

     For more, contact Kaimi Kaupiko at (808) 937-1310 or kkaupiko@gmail.com.

A FARM IN HILO IS SEEKING A PART-TIME HARVESTER OF TURMERIC - a root used in food, for dyeing, and in traditional medicine - on Thursdays and Fridays. Compensation is determined by the number of pounds harvested. Contact Richard Kodani at 808-987-5723 for more information.


     Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL, Aviation Color Code: GREEN. Kīlauea is not erupting. Monitoring data continue to show steady rates of seismicity and ground deformation, low rates of sulfur dioxide emissions, and only minor geologic changes since the end of eruptive activity in September 2018.
     Monitoring data have shown no significant changes in volcanic activity during September. Seismic stations detected over 1,600 events, which is an increase of about 12 percent from last month. Episodic increases in seismicity seem to have lost their timely periodicity, as the last swarm, on Oct. 13, was followed by low rates of seismicity at the summit. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are low at the summit and are below detection limits at Puʻu ʻŌʻō and the lower East Rift Zone. The pond at the bottom of Halemaʻumaʻu, which began forming on July 25, continues to slowly expand and deepen.

The collapsed summit of Kīlauea. NPS photo

     Although not currently erupting, areas of persistently elevated ground temperatures and minor release of gases are still found in the vicinity of the 2018 lower East Rift Zone fissures. These include steam (water), very small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide. These conditions are expected to be long-term. Similar conditions following the 1955 eruption continued for years to decades.
     Since early March 2019, GPS stations and tiltmeters at the Kīlauea summit have recorded deformation consistent with slow magma accumulation within the shallow portion of the Kīlauea summit magma system (1-2 km or approximately 1 mile below ground level). However, gas measurements have yet to indicate significant shallowing of magma. HVO continues to carefully monitor all data streams at the Kīlauea summit for important changes.
     There was an inflationary event near Puʻu ʻŌʻō that occurred during the end of September through the first week of October. Continuous stations near the cone experienced an acceleration of motion consistent with source inflation on the rift between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Kupaianaha.
     Farther east, GPS stations and tiltmeters continue to show motions consistent with slowed refilling of the deep East Rift Zone magmatic reservoir in the broad region between Puʻu ʻŌʻō and Highway 130. Monitoring data do not suggest any imminent change in volcanic hazard for this area. In addition to motion along the East Rift Zone, the south flank of Kīlauea continues to creep seaward at elevated rates following the May 4, 2018 M6.9 earthquake near Kalapana. HVO continues to carefully monitor all data streams along the Kīlauea East Rift Zone and south flank for important changes.

The hot, green pond in Kīlauea's Halemaʻumaʻu Crater. USGS photo

     A sample of the water collected from the Halemaʻumaʻu water lake by UAS on Oct. 26 has undergone preliminary analysis. Early results indicate that the sample has a pH of 4.2 (moderately acidic, in the range of many fruit juices) and high concentrations of dissolved sulfur and magnesium. This composition reflects complex processes including reactions between magmatic gases, groundwater (that was recharged as precipitation), and Kīlauea's basaltic rocks (through which the groundwater flows towards the pond). The water's composition is significantly different from rainwater and is also significantly different from water present in the deep Keller Well 1.5 km (1 mi) south of Halemaʻumaʻu. The difference from Keller Well water suggests that the release of magmatic gases is currently focused under the crater and ponded water, consistent with long term observations at the summit.
     Results of the water sample analysis will assist HVO in evaluating potential eruptive hazards posed by Kīlauea. For example, the high concentration of dissolved sulfate in the lake water (53,000 mg per liter, 75 percent of total dissolved solids) suggests that it originates from SO2 released by magma residing at shallow depths below Halemaʻumaʻu. Further work may help constrain that depth.
     If much of the SO2 emitted by subsurface magma is being dissolved into the water, current measurements of SO2 emission rate for Kīlauea summit (~30 t/d) are underestimates for true SO2 release from the magma. In the absence of the summit water, SO2 emission rates would likely be higher, perhaps closer to the ~200 t/d emitted prior to the 2008 appearance of the summit lava lake. Future changes in sulfate concentration of the water may indicate changes in SO2 degassing and magma depth.