Will the new flow put an end to more geothermal?

[kander]

There might not be natural gas, but we do have a huge amount of Biowaste that can be harvested for the methane. In fact some places put pipes in the ground around old dumps to pump the methane from the rotting waste/trash. Someone could setup places to accept green waste and then cook them down for woodgas, much faster than letting it decay on its own.

[leilanidude]

The electrical grid distribution system is not obsolete and has become even more efficient over the last 20 years or so. Many mainland electrical customers can pay as little as 6 cents per KWH and have virtually unlimited electricity. Try that with a "micro-grid" or home solar systems. I will grant you that the grid system on Big Island isn't up to standards, but that is another story.

[snorkle]

So what you're saying is that it wouldn't pay to unhook on the mainland, but it would here?

I agree.

[leilanidude]

If the feds and state stop the massive tax credits, solar has a very tough time justifying the expense and modification of one's use patterns. I just do not agree that dealing with batteries and generators (and their replacement costs) is a better option than being on the grid in the 1st place. Grid-tied, sure, it makes sense.

[pander75]

Can anyone confirm or deny the rumor that I heard recently - that PGV doesn't actually directly supply Lower Puna with power? That the power from PGV goes back into the larger grid on all of the eastside, and areas of Lower Puna that are connected (even Leilani Estates) get their power from the larger grid too? So basically as things are wired now, electricity from PGV would have to cross the lava, then electricity coming back to consumers would have to cross the lava again? Umm, doesn't sound like a good situation!!

The effort of wiring PGV directly to Lower Puna might be more than we know... I have to imagine that there will be transformers that need to be added and other grid infrastructure issues. I'm sure this was set up years ago for economic reasons (and maximized profits) but it sure does seem like the typical lack of planning that is being exposed as this lava flow continues.

If this is true, it supports Snorkle's idea that a large grid is just not a good idea, especially in an area that is prone to natural disasters.

[Obie]

[quote]Originally posted by pander75

Can anyone confirm or deny the rumor that I heard recently - that PGV doesn't actually directly supply Lower Puna with power? (quote]

I can confirm that it is a rumor.

[Justin]

I hate to waffle here, but it depends on what you mean by "directly." The whole point of a grid is that everything is connected, and all of the sources (PGV, grid-tied solar, big power plants) put electricity onto the grid, and all the destinations (houses, businesses, etc.) take electricity off of the grid. So no single source powers any single destination. Indeed, a grid-tied solar system doesn't power that given house - directly. Instead, all of the power generated during the day is put onto the grid, and power used at night (for TV, internet, water heater, etc.) comes off of the grid, no matter who supplied it.

My understanding is that they are looking into having PGV be on a "separate" grid for lower Puna, if lower Puna gets separated from the rest of the grid. That is not as easy as it sounds, both in terms of PGV having sufficient electricity for starting up its operations (which right now get electricity from the grid, from other sources), and also in terms of storing excess electricity on the grid (since it can't simply ship that electricity out to HOVE or Hawi or Kona or wherever).

[pahoated]

Heading into town, the poles on your left are from the Puna oil burning electric plant up by Shipman. The poles on your right are coming out of PGV. The power lines from the Puna oil burning electric plant were there many years before PGV. That line goes down Hwy 132 and is what powers the Kapoho substation. There is the capability of PGV powering the Kapoho substation but it just goes by it for right now. That power line comes out of PGV and bypasses Pahoa. It does provide power for the police and fire station, but doesn't come back any farther than that. Going into Hilo, there are drops into HPP, then all the way into town. The width of the front may be too great for the Puna plant wires to span. Then PGV could power up the side that is cut off. The Puna plant would be powering everything north of the flow and the PGV plant would be powering everything on the south side of the lava wall. It is going to take many months, if ever to get down to Poihoiki, so there would be power until the last few weeks to decide to stay or leave.

"We come in peace!" - First thing said by missionaries and extraterrestrials

[leilanidude]

Helco has had crews just outside PGV apparently stringing additional lines for the last few days. Whether it is still storm related or for some sort of business continuity function if the lava does do harm to lines on 130 is anyone's guess.

[Justin]

It may be related to adding lines towards Beach Road (as opposed to the 130), so there is redundancy. It would make sense to have multiple points of ingress/egress for the power lines, just like the roads, so if one set of lines goes down, there is a backup.