Harnessing wind power

In the Maui Newspaper, I read about the Maui Ocean Center trying out a new way of generating renewable electricity (energy). This was a project done together by Maui Ocean Center, Maui Electric Co., and California wind turbine maker Aero Vironment Inc. The two companies both pitched in and partnered up with M.O.C. to see how this project will turn out. Maui Electric Company donated $10,000 for their research and development funds, while Aero Vironment Inc. donated both shipping and installation costs. The total costs for it all was a total of $46,029.

They are curious to find out how these 1-kilowatt wind turbines will work with generating renewable energy. They all hope that this will work out especially the general manager Kate Zolezzi, of M.O.C. She hopes and feels confident that this option will work to help with the use of electricity and to save money for the business. They use electricity on not only lighting and air conditioning, but also for the pumps that keeps the aquarium water filtered and running through. They would all like to see the turn out on how this will be in cost wise for paying. Richard Clemons, accountant manager of MECO shares that he would like to see how the turbines will work and if the relatively low-power generators will be a bviable renewable energy option (Melissa Tanji,Maui News Staff Writer). Richard states " we want to see if the techonoloy is there to make it economically feasible".

There are six 1000-watt turbines with avian copies to protect the birds, and are all 9 feet tall. If we were to compare this to Kaheawa Wind, it's turbines are 1.5-megawatts and stand over 200 feet tall. They've installed these turbines on an outside wall on one side of the Ocean Center entrance as shown in the picture above. If the wind is constant everyday, thye believe that the turbines could produce 48,880 kilowatt housr in a year. Right now, they aren't running but until then, they are putting together a touch pad monitor to read off the weather that is mounted on the top of the turbines. And visitors will be able to see the performance of this turbine now and in the long run if all goes well.

I feel that this is a great idea, because Maui Ocean Center is thinking of how to conserve and save electricity. And now that the economy is getting so high now, they are trying to find another option into saving money. And this seems to be a great idea n alternative for them. If all goes well, they will be able to generate electricity/energy through the natural trade winds that we have on the island. And according to their studies, Ma'alaea is consistently windy year around (Kate Zolezzi). If I had the time and the money, I would so go for it and try out something like this as well.

Aloha no,
Ipo

Resources:
The Maui News
September 22, 2008
Written by: Melissa Tanji

The Super Ferry and the Airlines

The cost of everything is going up and down. With the rivals of airlines going after one another, whom else can we turn to? Some say that the ferry is the best bet to getting to O’ahu, but it’s still a problem in costs. We can only travel roundtrip from Maui to Oahu. The cost of it all is $49 for each adult, and $39 for children and seniors. And the cost for each vehicle starts at $69. The advantage for the ferry is that people can drive their vehicle on the boat on their own; they can relax at their own expense, enjoy a ride for three hours, and enjoy the scenery on the ocean.

And when we come to the airlines, the prices are so high now days due to gas prices. The prices are $69 one way for both adults and child. The advantage for the airlines is that we can fly and get to Oahu within 30 minutes, enjoy the scenery of the islands at sky level, and we can travel to more than one island.

I believe that the two has their goods and their bad. The prices on the airlines are going up, with the gas, payment for your own luggage, and next thing you know they might even start charging for infants. All these rules began when the economy became so high, and all our airline companies started going in bankruptcy. And the happiness goes into the people at the Super Ferry. However, this brings more traffic onto the islands both the island of Maui and the island of O‘ahu.

I personally don’t agree with the Super ferry, because of the economy being so busy and the prices for everything might continue to just get higher. If they continue to lower their prices, the airlines might continue to have their prices of airfare and what not go higher. The airlines itself is expensive. I feel like I’m paying for two round trip tickets now, but in reality I am now paying for one roundtrip airfare. I remember how good it was before, I could pay for a roundtrip ticket for a little over $100, and now it’s like almost $300. I also don’t agree with the airlines either, because we can only rely on Hawaiian Airlines to get us there to the destination. With Go Airlines and Island Air being so minimal in passengers, we can really only rely on one Airline to fly. In the long run, I’ll have to choose between the two either the ferry or the airlines.

Eucalyptus trees for alternative electricity generator

The plans to bring up another electricity generator is in the planning. Similar to Kaheawa wind, both Kent Smith and Hilton Unemori would like to bring one to the Big Island. However, unlike Kaheawa using wind, they intend to burn out Eucalyptus Trees.

On the Big Island, they formed Hamakua Biomass Energy LLC. And they plan on creating an environmental assesment for a 30-megawatt, low-emission, renewable-fuel generating station that would sell the power to Hawaiian Electric Light Company (Harry Eager,Maui News). Kent Smith indicates that this project is costing nearly $200 million. They plan to build on an old plantation for forest products, which at one point the Hamakua Sugar Company. However, due to unsuccessful conversion from a Sugar Plantation to a Foresty Plantation, they went out of business. This land was of 13,000 acres and is now owned by Kamehameha Schools.

According to the article that I've read in the Maui News, if we were to have this 30-megawatt biomass plant, we would be able to supply more than 15% to the needs of the locals compared to the 10% that was supplied last year by the Kaheawa Wind in Maui. And it's a plus that there will be power available at all times.

No harvesting or planting is being done at the moment. They plan to begin after constructions is done hopefully in the late 2010 or early 2011. Besides this Biomass Plant, there is a Veneer mill, called Tradewinds, in O'okala. And the Hamakua Biomass group hope to sell their high quality wood to not only Tradewinds but other up coming wood companies as well.

I believe that this would be a great opportunity for not only Hawaiian Electric Light Company but the people of Big Island as well. This will help the company with providing more to their customers especially when they have no electric, this would be a back up system too. I also think its a great plan to move forward with, because they conserve our fresh air from all this polluting of sulfur and chemicals being put out from oils and gas they use. And that will help our environment, because there will be less pollution in the air and we aren't burning our native plants. Eucalyptus is found to be very efficient in burning and for use in other purposes.

Aloha no,
Ipo


Resources:
- www.mauinews.com
-September 2, 2008 article by Harry Eagar,Staff Writer