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+--- Thread: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? (/showthread.php?tid=1997)
Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - Guest - 03-23-2008
Hunter's Blog today mentioned the following article and I know we all love to talk about PGV.
The Puna Geothermal Venture could see its capacity expand
With results like this why wouldn't they?
Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) in Hawaii, which could add as much as $4 million, or 10%, to Ormat Technology's net profit for 2008.
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - gtill - 03-23-2008
Pardon me, but who set the price on what will be paid to the subs: HELCO, ostensibily so they won't go belly up! Pretty lame I'd say! And if one wants to expand, he'll be refused as has happened in Maui, when a wind co. wanted to expand their units!
PGV can cover the whole island without problem! HELCO doesn't want any competition, Their lines are subpar, they can't handle the load they have! But any improvments will come out of their pockets, and they live under a constant windfall!
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - Beachboy - 03-24-2008
I just don't get it. If we changed over from HELCO to PGV we'd basically be going from the most expensive electrical rates to the cheapest rates in the nation. What's wrong with that idea? I mean if a family of four pays HELCO between $225.00 to $450.00 a month today., what is that family of four gonna be paying HELCO five years from now?
It's gonna get a lot worse before it's gonna get better, especially if we let our apathy rule our daily thoughts..
_______________________________
“The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - oink - 03-24-2008
Add to that another unutilized resource in Hawaii that could be used for biodiesel and we could be energy independant. Whale oil. Just think, you could drive a blubbermobile and not send a cent to the Arabs.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - gtill - 03-24-2008
Oink, ouch, a sore subject here in Whale Love world. However mabe an Oil liposuction harpoon(painless), would work. It would be interesting to find out how much oil was actualy derived from the whale. The Lipo harpoon would be like harvesting honey from a hive. Now they're going back to oil plants (kukui nut), just like when the whales ran out!
I'm sure the whales wouldn't mind giving a few hundreds of gals per yearly visit (like giving blood). We do give them more protection than our own people, I'm sure they wouldn't mind!
I believe Norway and Japan could provide the expertise!
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - oink - 03-24-2008
Plus, there is always the untapped resourse of the fat tourist. Lipo clinic in the front, biodiesel in the back. Great for the months without whales.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - Kapohocat - 07-13-2008
I bumped this up after I had a long talk last night with a person who knows what they are talking about with the geothermal in Puna.
I was under the mistaken impression that the only thing holding this back was HELCO. It seemed reasonable that HELCO would be against it and any home owners nearby.
One of the things I learned last night was that from the beginning - the well experts in the 1970's told the then co to not build there. That with the rift zone etc - that it was the least viable place to put geothermal of almost anywhere on the island. As I understood, there were suggestions made to put it in Kawaihae and Kona. The Lyman family (as I was told - beware could be just Puna legend) lobbied for geothermal to buy their land and so it ended up located on Lyman land. (For which they got a pretty penny!)
The story continued that they have had some serious problems in the past. (I knew this part). But that other not in the news problems have surfaced such as the extreme corrosion in the piping system from the salt water which would be a problem any where - but when you put add in the seimic activity near a rift zone dooms the piping to quicker failure. From the story, it seemed that PGV is not able to provide a stable supply of power for long periods such as more than 18 months.
Thought I would share this version as maybe geothermal isn't as easy as just gettign lines converted. (not that thats easy!)
This was the first time I had heard this part mentioned. I was under the impression that the location was the optimum spot. Who knew that money was involved??
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - gtill - 07-13-2008
KC, I had heard of those problems in the past, plus leaks etc. But my understanding is they have been running sucessfully for 10 years, and without a hitch for 5. I'm not refuting your sources' info, but I belive the tech has overidden most of the problem. If you mention geothermal, the first reaction is hazardous gasses will kill us all, even though totally unsubstansiated. PGV supplied a full scale air monitoring station, which didn't detect anything. All geothermal is dirty, but they have ways of cleaning them.
Robbing that fund before running a 2 year comprehensive sampleing of the air is criminal.
Beware, a lot of people would not shine so well if this comes in. Knights on palm trees are going to revolutionise Puna, right! Vested interests in other energy forms should but out of the argument.
PGV bailed the state out of a mess they couldn't handle, and their tech doesn't require a huge workforce. However they also have a source of medium heat that is wasted right now. There is huge potential in it, but the industrialisation aspect scares many. Better we all drive daily to Kona or Hilo. No need a industrial zone.
Underground Utilities are doable on this Island. The Fed is pushing it from a survival standpoint to reduce FEMA workload. Plus if it went to Pohakuloa, Dan Inouye could probably fund it through Fed.
Propose an equal geothermal plant near Kawaehae, and put it to a vote in Kona, if they refuse they can pay to bury the lines to Kona.
Somehow though this has to incorporate the Hawaiian community into the process, this is being done (albeit late) in NZ, and I believe it could turn the tide.
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - Kapohocat - 07-13-2008
quote:
Originally posted by gtill
KC, I had heard of those problems in the past, plus leaks etc. But my understanding is they have been running sucessfully for 10 years, and without a hitch for 5. I'm not refuting your sources' info, but I belive the tech has overidden most of the problem...
Yah, I dont know. That is why i repeated this story. I was wondering where you can actually find the stats to back up or refute the amount of continuos power supplied. Although I dont doubt the issue with the purchase of the land.
(Carey - Where are we when we need you??? You always know where to find the stats!)
RE: Would Puna Geothermal Expand? - gtill - 07-13-2008
The land issue is a given, and you can be sure in collusion with state powers.
I've seen their prodution at 30 mwh, or 20% of isle supply. Planned to increase to 38mwh or mabe 28% of supply. all other intermittant alternatives are about 8 %. That's the company claim.