quote:
Originally posted by knieft
You’ll have to give me a summary, and then tell me what 1988 tech has to do with anything. And _then_ we’ll talk
A Summary..
They did an extensive study of the geothermal resource in Hawaii and defined the East Rift Zone of Kilauea to be the best you can get. They mapped, test drilled and they quantify not only the resource but envisioned transmission of the power generated to Oahu.
Then they tried to drill in the Upper Rift, and the Middle Rift, and when for an entire melodrama of reasons they were unable to do either, they settled upon the only land left and moved in next door to a lot of folks that really didn't like them. And have been at a McCoy Hatfield kinda standstill ever since.
I think the point is there might be a few guys roaming around the halls of the capital that still got that itch, that saddle up them horses and let's ride John Wayne kind of desire to harness the ol' girl. After all they had their dream, packaged it up all ready to go and as yak pointed out a bunch of pesky folks and a few bedroom communities got in the way. But they identified the resource and created the sub-zones and I see no reason not to believe the permits are still there for the taking.
I imagine the technology is worlds away from where it was when all this started. Both drilling and the deep sea transmission lines that it will take to make all this worth while. For until a larger consumer can be put in place locally they'll need Oahu to consume the stuff. And you know, all told, this fits into the state's desire to create a fossil fuel free infrastructure. There’s probably more kudos going around for all this now than there ever was.
Of course this would face a large uphill battle, but I suspect those that would want that sort of thing could quickly outweigh those that don't if there really was a drive to do all the political maneuvering it will take to get it going. Maybe there’s some underlying glitch in the whole idea. Like why did they stop looking for the resource on Hualalai? If they could find the heat the location was ideal, verses the conflicts that at the time stood in their way in Lower Puna. But now that conflict, the difference between a rural bedroom community and an industrial complex, has changed. In fact, we are at a defining moment when a nudge here or there could change the direction Puna goes in all sorts of ways.
Regardless, the point is if you read the county's plan with this stuff in mind it is easy to see all sorts of possible futures. Realities born out of dreams that were had a long time ago.
