Ka`u News Briefs May 20, 2013

The glow from Halema`uma`u Crater was featured on The Today Show this morning. Images from today.com

THE TODAY SHOW featured Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park and other sites throughout the state during the first stop on its weeklong Great American Adventure. The segment showed Mauna Loa, volcanic emissions and glow from Kilauea’s Halema`uma`u Crater, streams of flowing lava and newly formed land.

New land formed by lava flows was part of The Today Show's coverage of
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park this morning. 

      Park Ranger Kupono McDaniel was spokesman for the segment. “Seeing the power down there reminds us that everything in life is as it should be,” McDaniel said. “People think of volcanoes as a destructive force and destroying the forest. None of this would be here without this incredible power.” 

      See this and other segments of the Hawai`i adventure at today.com.

EXTENDED LEARNING TIME, a program that the state Department of Education planned to expand after its first year and institute in Ka`u as well as Kea`au and Pahoa, is being scaled back, according to an Associated Press story. Jennifer Sinco Kelleher reported that the program “was heralded as a stride toward progress on school reforms that won Hawai`i a $75 million federal Race to the Top grant.” She said that, when U.S. Department of Education reviewers visited Hawai`i last year to evaluate progress on Race to the Top reforms, “state education officials showed off the approved agreement for extended learning time as a major accomplishment.”

Ronn Nozoe

      The program would have extended school days by about one hour per day from Monday through Thursday.

      Deputy superintendent Ronn Nozoe told Kelleher the first year was about learning what worked, including students taking online courses to recover credit for failed classes, math and reading computer-based tutorials adapted to individual student’s skill levels and hands-on learning projects such as aquaponics. “We learned from the first year of implementation,” he said. “We’re going to be more targeted and more focused this time. It’s a more strategic and focused approach.”

“COUNTY (OF HAWAI`I) QUESTIONS THE WISDOM of proceeding with renewable energy projects that are more costly than current alternatives, including fuel production processes based on conventional technologies,” according to the county’s response to a question posed by the state Consumer Advocate regarding the county’s testimony on the proposed contract for `Aina Koa Pono to sell biofuel refined above Pahala from biomass grown in Ka`u to Hawai`i Electric Light Co. The Consumer Advocate asked the county, “What premiums might be reasonable when evaluating a renewable energy project that is more costly than a conventional alternative (e.g., fossil fueled fired generation).”

      “Imposing continually higher costs on ratepayers is not in the interests of Hawai`i’s citizens, especially when the presumed benefits from renewable energy are now being seriously questioned regarding their desirability, efficacy, and unintended consequences,” the county continued, citing the March 2013UHERO Report: Sustainable Development and the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative.
      “In his question, the Consumer Advocate seems to make an underlying assumption that there is indeed a ‘reasonable premium’ for evaluating a renewable energy project that is acceptable to impose on Hawai`i’s ratepayers.

      Hawai`i County points to “the physical impracticality and likely impossibility of meeting stated self-sufficiency goals with even the highest productivity … given the amount of Hawai`i’s available agricultural land.
      “This poses a choice for the Islands, the Consumer Advocate and the Commission: 1) Either proceed anyway to enforce premiums to justify renewable energy projects with the goal of making as much renewable energy as possible (potentially turning all the Islands into a giant fuel production factory) – even if complete self-sufficiency is unattainable with current technologies, or 2) Since on-islands fuel production is unlikely to meet goals of self-sufficiency given current technologies, use this recognition as the basis to seek an optimal mix of projects that are cost-competitive, deliver cost reductions to ratepayers, and that provide greater overall security through a necessarily diversified mix of on-island and off-island production. Given the still nascent state of technology development and demonstration in the renewable energy/fuels industry, there are further reasons to adopting a more selective, ‘wait, see, and evaluate’ approach.

      “Given the early stage of this technology development, County encourages smaller projects with short-term contracts (five years or less), with convincing pilot and pre-commercial scale demonstration to prove these technologies, before we make long-term choices and commitments for biofuels.

Hawai`i County encourages smaller energy projects than `Aina Koa Pono
with shorter-term contracts.

      “Regarding this question, the county also asserts the following: If the stated goal of energy self-sufficiency proves to be unattainable and/or unacceptable regarding its implications, then using that goal as justification for imposing higher costs on ratepayers no longer makes sense and becomes bad policy. This is not to say that County is against renewable energy projects. County asserts quite the contrary. County asserts that renewable energy projects should be pursued aggressively so long as they are good projects that make sense for Hawai`i, its people, communities, environment, and economic strengths.

      “By this, County asserts that such projects should be priced on their intrinsic economics and deliver cost savings to consumers. They should also seek to minimize negative externalities (pollution, traffic, deleterious impacts on the community and other economic activities), while maximizing positive externalities (desirable jobs, economically sustainable systems that do not unfairly crowd out alternatives, environmentally sustainable improvements in overall greenhouse gas emissions, etc.).
      “The guiding factor in this evaluation is the most objective: price. County respectfully requests the Commission to maintain a positive and encouraging approach to renewable energy projects, but reject those that increase costs to consumers and further require such projects make substantial reductions to Hawai`i’s high electricity rates (which remain approximately four times average mainland rates).
      More testimony will be covered in future Ka`u News Briefs. All testimony is available at puc.hawaii.gov.

HAWAI`I COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT holds a community meeting tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The purpose of the meeting is to allow the public to meet the Police Department’s command staff and to discuss concerns with the police chief and commanders who oversee police operations in Ka`u.
     To aid police commanders in focusing on specific concerns, it is requested that participation be limited to persons who live or work in the Ka`u District.
      Those interested in participating but unable to attend may call Captain Andrew Burian at 939-2520, stop by the Ka`u police station in Na`alehu or e-mail their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com.

Sammi Fo teaches hula `auana
every Tuesday.

SAMMI FO TEACHES HULA `AUANA tomorrow and every Tuesday at the corner of Tiki and Princess Ka`iulani in Ocean View. Students with more than one-year experience meet at 4:15 p.m.; beginning to first-year students meet at 4:15 p.m. Call 990-3292 for more information. 

MAYOR BILLY KENOI AND MEMBERS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION hold a talk story in Hilo Council chambers Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The mayor will discuss his proposed budget for the next fiscal year. For more information, call 961-8272.

AS PART OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK’S ongoing `Ike Hana No`eau: Experience the Skillful Work workshops, Malia Macabio and Amy Kaawaloa demonstrate how to make the Hilo style of lei Wednesday from 10 a.m. 2 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

Ka`u News Briefs May 19, 2013

County of Hawai`i, responding to a question posed by the state Consumer Advocate regarding the `Aina Koa Pono
biofuels project, said, "There is no longer a need to rush any renewable fuels project that comes along."
Photo from ainakoapono.com

FORMER STATE REP. DAVID TARNAS is the new chair of the Democratic Party of Hawai`i County. Tarnas was elected during the organization’s annual convention yesterday at Volcano Art Center’s Ni`aulani Campus in Volcano Village. 

      “My main goal is to facilitate communication among party members, party officials and elected officials,” Tarnas said, according to a Stephens Media story by Nancy Cook Lauer. “My goal is to grow the party and to increase public participation in the political process.”
       Tarnas replaces Steve Pavao, who stepped down after serving as chair for four years.
      Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa were among those attending.

      See more at hawaiitribune-herald.com.

“THERE IS NO LONGER A NEED TO RUSH any renewable fuels project that comes along,” according to a response from the County of Hawai`i to a question posed by the state Consumer Advocate regarding the county’s testimony on the proposed contract for `Aina Koa Pono to sell biofuel refined above Pahala from biomass grown in Ka`u to Hawai`i Electric Light Co. The Consumer Advocate asked the county “what (price) premium might be reasonable to consider for approval in order to further the state’s migration away from imported petroleum.” 

      “At a 40 percent and higher level of renewable energy generation, the Big Island has met and exceeded its stated obligations for renewable energy,” the county responded. “This provides an opportunity to provide great service to the rest of the state as well as to the nation by shifting focus to concentrate on good biofuels projects that deliver economic advantages to Hawai`i’s people.
      “The Big Island can move sanely forward to demonstrate a high level of sophistication in the renewable energy field by being selective and insisting that all future projects demonstrate improved economics for the ratepayers through lower electricity costs.

      “In fact, the Big Island is ready to be the proving ground for both renewable and cost-effective transportation and power generation – if given enough time and proper breathing-room. Only through strict adherence to this requirement will economically sustainable projects be developed. Demonstrating that costs can be reduced in the current, high-priced utility markets of Hawai`i is but the first step in demonstrating that such projects will also be economically sustainable in much bigger, lower cost markets – whether on the mainland or elsewhere. Projects that perpetuate or increase costs in the current Hawai`i environment will not be competitive elsewhere – and hence will fail. They will fail as businesses and as enterprises that seek to meaningfully address global energy concerns such as greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. A project that increases costs for Hawai`i ratepayers therefore serves no one: it neither lowers rates for Hawai`i’s long-suffering ratepayers, nor does it demonstrate economically useful technology for other markets and for global improvement. 

      “As a result, the appropriate (price) premium for this, or any other project, is negative. The respectful request is made that the state consider, as a matter of policy, that new projects benefit Hawaiian ratepayers by meeting the following criteria:

1. They provide real discounts in electricity prices; 
2. They are priced according to underlying economic fundamentals (rather than avoided petroleum costs); and 
3. They seek to continually reduce underlying marginal production costs – and hence consumer prices – through ‘experience curve’ effects and other continuing efficiencies to production. 

      According to Hawai`i County, “the Consumer Advocate’s question does raise an important strategic policy issue for the state – one that continues to be widely accepted as a matter of faith based on understandable concerns and well-intentioned policy. State law, the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative, the Hawai`i Bioenergy Master Plan, federal agency determinations and other stated policies declare that energy ‘security’ and ‘self-sufficiency’ are the highest priority objectives for state policy, and that these concerns justify consumer price premiums.

      “These are understandable and legitimate concerns for an island that is as far removed from large continents as any population center on the planet, especially when people are subject to risks of natural disasters (hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes) and political shocks (war, volatility in petroleum prices). Development of biofuels and renewable energy has made great strides on the islands and globally, and many talented and intelligent people have devoted significant brainpower and investment to energy policies as they pertain to the Islands. Given the tremendous progress that has been made, it is a good time to re-evaluate implications of these policy objectives based on what has been learned. Should it choose to do so, the Commission is in an excellent position to consider such a re-examination as it evaluates this docket. 

      “The first question is: what are the implications of self-sufficiency and energy independence as primary policy objectives, and do they make sense at the state level, considering their vast economic ramifications. Security issues are indeed of concern.
      In the event of a natural disaster, what goods and services are most important to the people and what will be most at risk? One might consider that food, water and medical supplies are probably the highest priority. Fuel and energy are also important, yet which of these will be of foremost importance in an emergency? If a natural disaster wipes out major fuel importation ports, what is the likelihood that on-island feedstocks, biofuel generation plants, and/or electricity generation stations will also be wiped out? Does on-island fuel self-sufficiency really produce greater security? In the event of such an on-islands catastrophe, will it be faster to restore a damaged port or the multiple facilities that are each critical links for an on-island fuel supply chain? Must each island be self-sufficient in energy in the event that ports are damaged? If the repair of disrupted ports is the gating factor to restoring fuels supplies, then does it matter whether the fuels that are subsequently brought in come from another island or the mainland? What is at greater risk in the event of a catastrophe: on-island crops and fuel/power generation facilities, or shipping lanes bringing fuel that can be sourced throughout the world? These questions deserve greater re-examination. The answer could be that ‘self-sufficiency’ is not necessarily and inextricably hard-wired to ‘security,’ and that a mixed supply approach (some on-island, some off) could be the optimal mix to minimize citizen risks from a major catastrophe.”
      More testimony will be covered in future Ka`u News Briefs. All testimony is available at puc.hawaii.gov.

Ka`u High's Marley Strand Nicolaisen has been chosen for
a $1,500 Roy Fujimoto Athletic Scholarship.
Photo by Tim Wright

KA`U HIGH’S MARLEY STRAND-NICOLAISEN is one of four recipients of the 11th annual Roy Fujimoto Athletic Scholarships. Senior student-athletes are chosen for the scholarships based on their athletic and academic achievement and community service. 

      Strand-Nicolaisen participated in volleyball, track and field and soccer at Ka`u High. This year, she led the Trojan girls volleyball team to the BIIF title and to the state tournament. She also was selected for the All-BIIF first team three times and twice received Division II Player of the Year honors. 

      She was also selected for All-BIIF first team three times in track. This year, she took first place in high jump, long jump and triple jump. At the state meet on O`ahu, she took second place three times. 

      Strand-Nicolaisen plans to attend University of Hawai`i – Hilo, where she will major in biology and play volleyball for the Vulcans.

Hilo-style lei adorn hula dancers' wrists
and necks. Photo from NPS

HAWAI`I COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT holds a community meeting Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. at Na`alehu Community Center. The purpose of the meeting is to allow the public to meet the Police Department’s command staff and to discuss concerns with the police chief and commanders who oversee police operations in Ka`u. 

     To aid police commanders in focusing on specific concerns, it is requested that participation be limited to persons who live or work in the Ka`u District.
      Those interested in participating but unable to attend may call Captain Andrew Burian at 939-2520, stop by the Ka`u police station in Na`alehu or e-mail their concerns or comments to copsysop@hawaiipolice.com.

MALIA MACABIO AND AMY KAAWALOA demonstrate how to make the Hilo style of lei Wednesday from 10 a.m. 2 p.m. on Kilauea Visitor Center’s lanai in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Hilo-style is made by twisting two strands of ti leaves together. Hula dancers use lei la`i (ti leaf lei) to adorn their wrists and necks. Part of Hawai`i Volcanoes’ ongoing `Ike Hana No`eau: Experience the Skillful Work workshops. 

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.

Ka`u News Briefs May 18, 2013

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reminds sightseers to beware of volcanic hazards when visiting Kilauea's
ocean entry points. Photo from USGS/HVO

IN ITS LATEST VOLCANO WATCH, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory warns the public about risky actions at Kilauea’s ocean entry. The article says that Hawai`i residents and visitors – as individuals and in groups – put themselves at risk by approaching the current ocean entry too closely, both by land and by sea. The article cites a recent example of kayakers who paddled just feet from lava streaming into the ocean. Then, further risking their lives, they went ashore, walking across new land built by the ocean entry and scooping molten lava with their paddles. “Their actions were unsafe and cause for grave concern – not to mention, culturally insensitive,” the article states.

People who journey onto lava deltas put themselves at
great risk, warns HVO. Photo from USGS/HVO

      The article describes volcanic hazards: “Lava entering the sea builds a platform of new land known as a lava delta. This new land appears deceptively stable, but the veneer of lava on its surface hides a foundation of loose rubble. Consequently, lava deltas are extremely unstable, and they can – and do – collapse without warning. Kilauea’s largest delta collapse sent 44 acres of new land plummeting into the ocean. But a collapse of only one square yard can be deadly. 

      “When lava deltas collapse, the mix of lava and seawater generates steam-driven explosions that blast fragments of molten lava and blocks of hot rock hundreds of yards – both inland and seaward. Rocks the size of a small file cabinet have been hurled 330 yards, with fist-sized rocks thrown as far as one-quarter mile.”
      Based on decades of experience observing ocean entries and the consequences of lava delta collapses, HVO advises people to stay one-quarter mile away from where lava enters the sea. “With due diligence, you can safely witness lava entering the sea. Know the hazards. Keep a safe distance from the ocean entry. And, above all, do not be misguided by the risky actions of others,” the article states.
      See more at hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch.

THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION has received responses to questions posed by the state Consumer Advocate to Hawai`i County regarding testimony on the proposed contract for `Aina Koa Pono to sell biofuel refined above Pahala from biomass grown in Ka`u to Hawai`i Electric Light Co.
      The Consumer Advocate questioned Hawai`i County about its energy coordinator William Rolston’s statement that “committing to a twenty-year supply contract that represents the largest contract for biodiesel on this Island … effectively crowds out alternative, potentially more cost-effective and more proven biofuels technologies; ultimately undermining the future for the Island.”

      The Consumer Advocate asked the county to identify the other more cost-effective and more proven biofuel technology alternatives that Rolston is referring to in the above statement. 

      In its response, the county gives examples of what it says are “companies that have developed or are developing technologies in these areas that are more advanced in their development cycle (hence, ‘more proven’) and that promise to deliver or have already delivered economics that are validated with technical demonstration at larger scale….
      “It is projects such as these that have a high potential to be more cost-effective than the proposed AKP project, which – given its relatively much earlier stage of demonstration –is still a project with relatively higher technical and economic risks. These are the types of projects that will be crowded out under the proposed twenty-year contract to meet essentially all of the anticipated biodiesel demand for the Keahole power plant.”
      The county gives a summary of current technology development status and project economics for these companies:

Pacific Biodiesel is one company that Hawai`i County cites as more cost-
effective and more proven biofuel technology. Photo by William Neal

• Pacific BioDiesel: “5.5 million gallon per year biodiesel plant is operating and selling biodiesel; prices are competitive in Hawai`i’s transportation markets;” 
• Hu Honua: “24 MW biomass project could be operational as early as mid-2013 and selling electricity to HELCO;” 
• Cellana: “algae company is poised for expansion to pre-commercial to commercial operations, having run a six-acre demonstration facility at Kona since 2008; with a corporate commitment to sell products at no more than prevailing market prices;” 
• Envergent (UOP/Ensyn): “demonstration plant is being built in Honolulu (subject to reconfiguration due to closure of Tesoro refinery) based on pyrolysis technology that has over 25 years’ industrial use; with original plans to expand up to 50 million gallons per year of biomass-derived transportation fuel; pyrolysis oil production costs estimated at oil equivalent of $45 per barrel, although subsequent hydrotreating/upgrading will add additional cost;” 
• LS9: “demonstrated production of biodiesel by microbial fermentation in its 135,000 liter (36,000 gallon) demonstration facility; fuel production costs estimated at $1.50 per gallon;” Solazyme: “demonstrated production of algal oils and biodiesel in its demonstration/commercial-scale Peoria plant (two-million liter capacity) and in ADM’s single 500,000 liter fermenter, with delivery of -86,000 gallons of biodiesel to the military; production costs estimated at $3.44 per gallon;” 
• KiOR: “commercial scale operations and sales began in late 2012 from its 13-million-gallon per year 500 dry ton/day facility to make gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil blendstocks; production cost estimates vary from $1.80 to $2.62 per gallon at scale;” 
• Virent: “two demonstration plants provide capacity of 15,000 gallons per year; biomass-derived jet fuel delivered to U.S. Air Force for evaluation; diesel production costs estimated at $3 per gallon at high process efficiencies;” Sapphire: two demonstration algae farms in New Mexico: test facility has over 180,000 hours of year-round pilot data, and new 300-acre demonstration facility will produce one million gallons per year; claims production costs can match $85 per barrel oil;” 
• Algenol: “has produced 9,000 gallons per acre of ethanol and is scaling up its 36-acre pilot to produce 100,000 gallons per year; is incorporating diesel and jet fuel production in addition to ethanol; claims ethanol production costs of approximately $1 per gallon.” 

      More testimony will be covered in future Ka`u News Briefs. All testimony is available at puc.hawaii.gov.

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Ranger Kupono McDaniel gets ready
for his interview for The Today Show airing Monday. Photo from NPS

THE TODAY SHOW BEGINS its Great American Adventure next week in Hawai`i, when all five anchors – Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Natalie Morales, Al Roker and Willie Geist – travel together for the first time. The team will visit five U.S. destinations in a single week. 

      A segment filmed at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park last week will be featured along with others from locations throughout the state.
      Live taping takes place at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on Waikiki Beach Monday from 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. Viewers will also see Hawai`i personalities and enjoy musical performances by local artists during the special broadcast.
      The show airs locally at 7 a.m. Monday on NBC.

HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUB OF KA`U is offering financial help with college tuition for Ka`u graduates. The deadline for Civic Club scholarship applications is June 15, and preference is given to native Hawaiians. Civic Club volunteers are ready to help anyone fill out the Club’s simple scholarship application. 

      “Ka`u’s Civic Club recognizes the tough economy everybody is struggling with. Whether someone is a high school senior heading off to a university/college, vocational, or technical school, or someone older who’s working toward a degree, the Civic Club is here to kokua. Higher education can be a great new start in life,” said Civic Club member Wendy Baier. Call 929-9891 for more information and to receive an application.

KILAUEA DRAMA & ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK holds auditions for its annual summer musical Monday and Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. This summer the community theater group presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. 

      KDEN is looking for people of all ages to participate. Auditioners should be prepared to sing, dance and possibly read scenes from the script. Show dates are July 12-28. Lead characters include Prince/Beast, Belle ( the Beauty), Gaston (the antagonist), Lumiere (the valet), Mrs. Potts (the cook), Babette (the maid), Madame de la Grande Bouche (an opera singer), Cogsworth (the butler), Maurice (Belle’s father), Chip (Mrs. Potts’ son), Monsieur d’Arque (insane asylum proprietor) and Lefou (Gaston’s sidekick).
      There is also an ensemble of Silly Girls, Enchanted Objects, and Townspeople. The show, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name, features the music of Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and book by Linda Woolverton.
      For more information, call 982-7344, email kden73@aol.com or check KDEN’s Facebook page.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS AT PAHALAPLANTATIONCOTTAGES.COM AND KAUCOFFEEMILL.COM. KA`U COFFEE MILL IS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

ALSO SEE KAUCALENDAR.COM AND FACEBOOK.COM/KAUCALENDAR.