Ormat picked for new eastside geothermal plant

[ironyak]

- See more at: http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/loc...icks-ormat

Hawaii Electric Light Co. announced Tuesday that Ormat Technologies was selected to provide an additional 25 megawatts of geothermal power to the utility.

But where that power will be produced remained a secret.

After confirming the expansion would involve a new power plant and a new location, representatives of HELCO and Ormat, which operates Puna Geothermal Venture — the state’s only geothermal power plant — refused to release any further information to the Tribune-Herald.

Citing a non-disclosure agreement, HELCO President Jay Ignacio declined to say where the plant would be located, other than that it would be built in East Hawaii, prior to Ormat making its own announcement.

Ormat, which currently supplies up to 38 megawatts of geothermal power at its Pohoiki plant, was one of six bidders for the new contract, all of which proposed projects in the Puna region.

Mike Kaleikini, Ormat’s senior director of Hawaiian affairs, also said he was not authorized to comment prior to the company issuing its own statement but acknowledged the expansion will involve a new power plant.

“We’re putting together what our response would be, if any,” he said, after being pressed on the matter.

“I don’t have any further information I can share with you at the moment.”

The expansion, which requires negotiations between HELCO and Ormat and approval from the state Public Utilities Commission, is intended to help the utility replace its oil-burning power plants with geothermal energy.

[VancouverIslander]

I hope they find a spot that is less controversial than the current PGV location. If you review the options for power generation here, there are few options that are better than geothermal from an environmental and economic point of view.

The current use of diesel generators is awful. It's expensive and contributes to global warming. There are no real options for conventional hydroelectric projects here. Wind power is possible in places, but limited by locations with adequate wind and like geothermal is also limited by NIMBYism. Nuclear has become unpopular despite having the possibility from a scientific standpoint of being the cheap safe alternative. The big down sides for nuclear are the huge infrastructure cost, the short cuts that get taken to save money that make them unsafe, safe disposal of spent fuel rods, and the earthquake and tsunami risks that need to be considered. Photovoltaic is not a bad option for individual houses, but has the downside of being expensive even with the cheaper Chinese manufacturing that comes with environmental destruction in it's place of manufacture. Other down sides for solar are the huge battery requirement for the times you need electricity the most and the resultant environmental impact of all the heavy metals used in them.

In the end, I think a combination of solar, geothermal and wind are a good long term solution for the BI.

Just call me Mike

[kalakoa]

Quick -- someone figure out where the new geothermal plant is going, so we can build a few houses right next door, and start complaining about symptoms before they even break ground.

The current use of diesel generators is awful.

The devil you know...

[kalakoa]

Clean renewables are so awesome that the industry is working to make them impractical.

http://www.computerworld.com/article/288...power.html

[snorkle]

ORMAT has asked me to come onboard and consult with them about a suitable location for their new plant.

We currently feel that putting it just on the North side of Hawaiian Beaches near the ocean, will give us the maximum impact on existing subdivisions.

The prevailing trade winds should carry both benificial noise and gasses over Hawaiian Beaches, Hawaiian Shores, Pahoa, Nanawale, Leilani Estates, Black Sands, and Kalapana. We are hoping that air currents on the leeward side of the rift will also carry the emitants to Seaview Estates and possibly Kapoho. Unfortunatly, Pohoiki may be left out of the pattern and another plant might have to be built there later.

We are working closely with the public on this, and encourage input from residents who feel left out of the flow of things.

Thank you, H2Snorkle

[VancouverIslander]

snorkle: please consider adding another site around Eden Roc so HA, FA, ER and FF aren't left out!

Just call me Mike

[kalakoa]

Punchline from article:

Ignacio said the proposed expansion was cut in half when none of the bidders offered to build plants in West Hawaii, where power use is highest.

Really? Nobody wanted to sink a geothermal well on the west side?

[Obie]

Do you think the reason they want to build on the east side could be because they have found a proven resource here?

Don't forget that Hawaii County has an ordinance that requires a full blown impact statement for exploratory drilling. Previously an EA was all that was required for a test well.

Ormat doesn't have to follow the night time drilling ban because of their existing legal permits but they would have to follow new rules for exploratory wells.

[rainyjim]

Great article thanks kalakoa.

[pahoated]

Interesting development, since the first round of bids was rejected because they were all in a fairly small area of Pohoiki, Ormat included. It seems doubtful they would build another plant down there, although the the plant can be designed to dismantle fairly quickly and we know these slow flows can give a couple weeks notice. The giant drill rigs are already designed to be taken down to two containers and the containers used as the control station. HELCO and Ormat must have already agreed on the location. That will be the big news when that has to be disclosed. Since all the permitting is at the state level now, that might not be revealed for awhile.

"Mahalo nui Pele, 'ae noho ia moku 'aina" - kakahiaka oli