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| Purchasing more affordable alternative energies from sources like the Tawhiri windfarm at South Point, could have been displaced with approval of the Hu Honua Power plant, said the Public Utilities Commission. On Friday, the PUC once again rejected burning trees for power at the Hu Honua plant, which would use eucalyptus from Kaʻū and elsewhere. Photo by Peter Anderson |
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| The eucalyptus trees that grew behind these cattle at Kapapala Ranch were cut down and stockpiled for the biofuel plant that was rejected by the PUC on Friday. Photo by Julia Neal |
Henry Curtis, of Life of the Land, who has led the efforts before the PUC and in court against Hu Honua, issued. statement saying, "Hu Honua Proposed extremely expensive electricity that would release high levels of greenhouse gases."
Warren Lee, Hawai'i County's former Department of Public Works administrator, is President of Honua Ola. He issued a statement saying the company is "in the right on this issue and we owe it to our employees who have stuck with us, and to the Big Island residents who support Honua Ola’s commitment to provide clean, renewable energy.” He said the company may appeal to the Hawai'i Supreme Court.
A main argument in the PUC's decision is the higher cost of the electricity made by burning trees than from geothermal, solar, wind and other sources alternative to oil, suggesting that Hu Hunoa could displace the cheaper alternative energies. The PUC noted that Hawaiian Electric has stated that it does not need the electricity from Hu Honua. Its decision also pointed to greenhouse gas emissions from the biofuel factory and questioned Hu Hunoa's estimates on carbon sequestration.
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Hu Honua rallied unions to come to its support for the biofuel plant that would have used eucalyptus grown in Ka'u and elsewhere. Photo form Hu Honua |
Hu Honua has long argued that it is needed in the portfolio of Hawai'i Island energy produces for energy security. It's recent posts on its website notes that soaring cost of energy, due to skyrocketing oil prices, suggesting that its cost may become acceptable soon. It also has argued that it provides local jobs and unions have organized to rally behind its project.
“The increase is troubling because very small amounts of the fentanyl, sometimes an amount equivalent to a few grains a salt, can be fatal,” says the warning from HPD.
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See The Kaʻū Calendar June edition at www.kaucalendar.com.
VOLCANO VILLAGE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE welcomes walking and riding groups and individuals. It is sponsored by Volcano Community Association in Volcano Village from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Monday, July 4 parade starts at the Post Office at 9 a.m. and ends at Cooper Center on Wright Rd., followed by Cooper Center’s Independence Day celebration packed with live entertainment, craft and food vendors, keiki games and a large silent auction from 9 a.m.to 11:30 a.m. Parking maps can be found at www.thecoopercenter.org. (No parking at Cooper Center except handicap permitted vehicles with prior reservation.)
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BECOME A SPONSOR AT THE 3RD ANNUAL EXPERIENCE VOLCANO FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Last year, over 2,500 visitors attended and over 40 events were featured during the EVH festival. Sign up as a sponsor at experiencevolcano.com. If you have questions, contact experiencevolcano@gmail.com. All vendor locations are taken.
SIGN UP FOR KAʻŪ COFFEE TRAIL RUNS with a change of date from July 3 to Sept. 17. Registration deadline for the annual event is Sept. 14. Organized by Hawaiʻi Island Racers, the 50K begins at 6 a.m., Half Marathon at 7 a.m., and 5K at 7:15 a.m., all starting from Kaʻū Coffee Mill at 96-2696 Wood Valley Road in Pāhala. Proceeds go to support ʻO Kaʻū Kākou. For more details on the event and registration fees, visit https://www.kaucoffeetrailruns.com/.
EVENTS IN KAʻŪ & VOLCANO at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html
LEARN MORE ABOUT SPONSORS OF THE KAʻŪ CALENDAR
at http://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/05/sponsors-of-kau-calendar.html
