Kaʻū News Briefs, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023

    Location is makai of Hwy 11 near Kamaoa Road on a 20 acre site that as part of a 190 acre parcel of Class D agriculture land. The solar farm would serve about 500 households and 20 nonprofits according to Nexam's Business Development manager Mike Billet, of O'ahu.

     A representative of the Carpenters Union asked what legislative permits would be needed to proceed with the project. 

Solar panels would be 15 feet above ground and move to tilt toward the sun. Photo from Nexamp

    Billet said the project would need approval from the Public Utilities Commission and is going through the state Department of Land & Natural Resources' State Historic Preservation Division process that involves assessing impacts on any historic, cultural and archeological sites. 

    With those approvals and a successful final negotiation with Hawaiian Electric for a 20 year contract, Nexam would move forward with permitting for construction. Na`alehu Solar would be operative in 2025.

    Billet said the company prefers to hire local contractors and subcontractors and would provide ongoing employment for maintenance of the solar farm. 

    While Billet said that the 15 ft. tall posts with solar panels would be hidden from views from Hwy 11, several people with land adjacent and on hillsides above the site objected to the location. A woman said she owns 14 acres next to the site and doesn't want it by her. Billet said it might be possible to move the 20 acre solar site from being close to property boundaries within the 190 acre property in order to address concerns of the neighbors. 

    A resident who lives about 1200 feet in elevation, above the site, said that he and neighbors would have the solar farm in their view plane. He called it "industrial solar" and said that solar farms are not recommended in the Ka'u Community Development Plan. Another man said the site should be industrial like the old sugar mill lands.

    A Waiohinu man said he opposes the project being located on ag land, even though it is Ag D, a state classification ranking it as poor for production. Another woman asked whether the site being unused for ag during 20 year solar farm contract with Hawaiian Electric, would fare well for future agriculture. Billet

Concerns were expressed about siting the Na'alehu Solar  away from homes and views. Photo from Nexamp

said that there is a possibility of planting native crops or other farming around the solar panels as well as on the rest of the parcel. He said some solar farms include productive agriculture on their grounds.               Another woman said she is concerned about big trees being chopped down for the project, saying some are at least 100 years old and it would take a long time to grow them back, should the project be abandoned after its 20 year commitment.
    The question of electric bill savings to local residents came up, with one man saying that he would hope that Lower to Moderate Income families, which the project is mandated to serve, would receive more than 15 percent savings on their electric bills. He called a 15 percent savings "shallow."
    Another said he can't get approval for Hawaiian Electric to buy power from his rooftop solar because Hawaiian Electric is maxed out accepting it in his neighborhood. Would Nexamp's contract with Hawaiian Electric make it harder for people in the area to sell their rooftop electricity to Hawaiian Electric? Billet noted that Nexamp would be improving infrastructure for the grid, which could allow Hawaiian Electric to use more solar from the area.
    A man who said he was an engineer at the sugar mill in Pahala, which closed in 1996, noted that the sugar factory produced back up for power for Hawaiian Electric - burning the sugar cane waste - the bagasse for electricity. He said he approves of the solar farm and other energy producers like windmills for backup. He also said he worked for the Navy on nuclear ships and said that solar is a lot better than nuclear.
    Another man said he already has solar on his house, but supports Na'alehu Solar for the community. "One thousand solar panels is better than one smokestack. I'm in, because it's clean energy."
    Other topics included safety of the lithium batteries to be installed on the solar farm. If they were to catch fire, could the fire be stopped? Billet said there is NEST, the Nexamp Energy Storage Team that

Agriculture could possibly surround the solar panels, according to Nexamp. Photo from Nexamp

works on safety. One man asked about the environmental cost of using lithium batteries, given how they are manufactured. Billet noted that the batteries would provide "smoothing" for the ups and downs of producing electricity and also could act as a microgrid for the area during outages. He said he believes that the best option for the environment overall is solar with batteries. In the future that could change with the invention of better energy options.
    Several asked whether Nexamp's solar panels would soon be obsolete. Billet said they are the latest development, using a single access tracker, "already using tomorrow's module." One man noted that an advancement allows the heat of the solar panels to be harvested for extra electricity.
    One man asked whether the solar panels will be made in America? Billet said Korea and that components come from all over the world but that Nexamp prefers to source from the U.S. He noted new federal incentives to buy parts made in the U.S.
    Regarding the 20-year term of the contract with Hawaiian Electric, Billet said 20 years is a common contract, given the likelihood that innovations will create less expensive electricity sources in the future. He also said without the kinds of community solar proposed by Nexamp, Hawai'i may not reach its goals of becoming energy self-sufficient.
    Nexamp is planning another community outreach in April. With questions, contact naalehusolar@nexam.com. Billet said the company website will be updated at https://www.nexamp.com/naalehu-solar.

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     "My intention in signing the emergency proclamation was always to protect sacred sites, iwi kūpuna and the environment – while building kauhale and working towards aggressively ending chronic homelessness and unsheltered suffering statewide. To do this, we must take bold but thoughtful action."

A groundbreaking for a Kona Kauhale, with permanent and temporary housing for the homeless, was held on Thursday with Mayor Mitch  Roth and Gov. Josh Green. Photo from the Mayor's Office

    Signed during his State of the State Address Monday, the initial emergency proclamation contains the same language as previous proclamations in effect from 2015 to 2020, that allowed for expedited construction of kauhale – including Pu'uhonua o Wai'anae, a project that was 100-percent community-driven, said the statement from the governor's office. "Past proclamations had no rules or processes guiding how projects would qualify, or how basic considerations of life-safety, the environment, culture, or other considerations would be addressed." 

     James Koshiba, Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, said, "The Governor has amended the proclamation to make it clear that this process is required, and his Administration is crafting rules to outline how that process will work. The proclamation does not signal a free-for-all, for developers. Construction projects designed to serve and house the houseless are deeply unprofitable and are unattractive to for-profit developers."

     The governor's statement noted that fewer than one dozen projects were built during the 2015 to 2020 Emergency Proclamation period, largely led by County or State governments, using public funding. "In only a few instances did private nonprofit developers attempt to build, because the process is costly and difficult, even with the exemptions."
    The amended emergency proclamation expires March 20, 2023, the same end date as the original document signed earlier this week.

    A groundbreaking was held in Kona today for a Kauhale for permanent and temporary housing, with Green and Mayor Mitch Roth attending.

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KE OLA PU'UHONUA IS A NEW CULTURAL GARDEN, sponsored by nonprofit Uhane Pohaku Na Moku O Hawaii, Inc. on the grounds of Punalu'u Bakeshop in Na`alehu. A blessing and presentation of hula and cultural demonstrations took place on Saturday, Jan. 21. The non-profit is led by cultural practitioner Kawehi Ryder and Kumu Hula Debbie Ryder of Halau Hula O Leonalani, based in Pahala. On hand for the blessing were former Mayor Harry Kim, Ka'u's County Councilwoman Michelle Galimba and Punalu'u Bakeshop owner Duane Kurisu, along with members, friends and family of the Halau. The opening of the grounds to the public is expected in March.

Cultural practitioners teach keiki at the new Ke Ola Pu'uhonua. Photo by Laurie Roush-Ortega

    Cultural practitioners teaching keiki and the community include Uncle Chucky Leslie for Lawai'a, net making. He is often called the  Last Traditional Opelu Fisherman. Kupuna Linda Saffery shares the skills of a Lauhala and Makaloa master weaving. Kupuna  John (Bully) Davis teachers coconut weaving. Kupuna Waltah Wong shows skills of a Traditional Hale Builder and Kupuna Meheula shares traditions as Floral, Lei
maker.
    These practitioners are some of the cultural experts who will be at the Pu'uhonua in March with its opening. A Live Traditional Keiki Hula show is expected to perform twice a month on Saturday at noon,

Duane Kurisu, Harry Kim and Kawehi Ryder Photo by Julia Neal

with dates to be announced.
    The slogan of Ke Ola Pu'uhonua is "A Living Cultural Refuge embracing Humility, Reverence and Disciplien with Aloha of the Spirit." The stated mission is "to provide Native Hawaiian Cultural Practices to all youth, their families and the community to create living environments integrating Mauka to Makai opportunities for places of learning and healing through the concept of Pu'uhonua, place of refuge."
    The organization's statement says, "We have experienced that the development of heritage based life skills can perpetuate economic success and independence with a sense of family for individuals."
    Planning for Ke Ola Pu'uhonua includes a walk for the public to experience places of: Hawaiian Food Plants; 'Aumakua Ancestral Forest; Lawai'a - Fisherman's Environment; La'au - Medicinal Plants; Kukui Grove - candlenuts; Plumeria Garden - flowers, foliage and lei; Hawaiian Antiquities Mo'olelo - Storytelling; and Makahiki Games - Hawaiian Games.
    For more information, email leionalani47@hotmail.com. Call 808-239-5633.''