12-03-2008, 04:23 PM
A few random thoughts:
Part of the problem with Helco is the history of power generation on the island: When sugar cane was a big industry lots of the power was generated co-gen from the mills. When the sugar industry collapsed they were totally unprepared for the rapid switch to oil.
The major cost of a solar system is the parts (panels, inverter, batteries) and not the labor. I just put a 12 panel (2,100 watt) system on our house and the material was $13,000. (Labor was free, since I'm a contractor, but would be one or two thousand, unless you put in a big complicated system.)
Two companies want to generate power using bio fuels. Helco will only buy power from one of them because they do not want to shut down any of their oil burning plants.
Solar and wind alone on a mass scale cannot replace oil--the power supply would be too little at night. But combined with geothermal and bio-fuels and the Big Island could have a good power supply and burn no oil.
Jerry
Art and Orchids B&B
http://www.artandorchids.com
Part of the problem with Helco is the history of power generation on the island: When sugar cane was a big industry lots of the power was generated co-gen from the mills. When the sugar industry collapsed they were totally unprepared for the rapid switch to oil.
The major cost of a solar system is the parts (panels, inverter, batteries) and not the labor. I just put a 12 panel (2,100 watt) system on our house and the material was $13,000. (Labor was free, since I'm a contractor, but would be one or two thousand, unless you put in a big complicated system.)
Two companies want to generate power using bio fuels. Helco will only buy power from one of them because they do not want to shut down any of their oil burning plants.
Solar and wind alone on a mass scale cannot replace oil--the power supply would be too little at night. But combined with geothermal and bio-fuels and the Big Island could have a good power supply and burn no oil.
Jerry
Art and Orchids B&B
http://www.artandorchids.com