EDITORIAL: Kauai green energy efforts show promise

Oct 19, 2009 (The Honolulu Advertiser - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- PAWEF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- In the vast and growing industry of renewable energy, even the smaller efforts can hold big promise.

Such is the case with a cluster of renewable energy projects advancing on Kauai. Pacific West Energy's plan for a biomass-to-electricity plant would use sugar cane, a dwindling Island industry that can surely use a boost. But the overarching goal, of course, would be helping to wean the Islands from their heavy reliance on fossil fuel -- that's a goal we should all get behind.

Add this to the company's plan to become the first ethanol supplier in the state, again using sugar cane, and Kauai is making bold moves toward going green.

The news comes at an opportune time. Kauai's Gay & Robinson recently announced plans to shutter its operations -- ending 117 years in the sugar business -- and is wrapping up its final harvest in the coming weeks. Pacific West's announcement raises optimism that the project could help keep the 200 Gay & Robinson workers employed.

Another point to consider: Hawaii currently imports roughly 40 million gallons of ethanol to use as a fuel additive. These efforts could help keep those precious dollars here at home.

"The hardest nut for us to crack is going to be bioenergy -- this helps significantly. It's a huge move forward for the state. This is also putting money back into the people and businesses of Hawaii," said Ted Peck, energy administrator for the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

That's no small matter in these tight economic times. That makes it even more important for state and county leaders to do their part to bring the project to fruition. This includes helping to expedite permitting, where possible. The company will soon have to navigate its way through the process to acquire the nearly 30 federal, state and county permits needed in the next year and a half. Streamlining that process could make a huge difference.

Pacific West, which is working to secure some of the stimulus funding around renewable energy, also must lease the lands needed to grow its sugar cane and woody biomass crops to fuel its planned 20-megawatt power plant. The state, which owns some of the land targeted for the project, can also help in this regard.

Early signs point to a wise investment. While water is always a key concern in sugar production, Rep. Hermina Morita, D-14th (Kapaa, Hanalei), said the numbers behind sugar as a biomass crop make sense; sugar is far more efficient in terms of energy return than corn.

"We have an asset in the boiler of the sugar mill and we shouldn't forego that. In essence it's a power plant that is already built," says Morita, also chairwoman of the House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection. "This is a project that can come up quickly that supports both agriculture and energy... We shouldn't lose this opportunity."

She's right. That will take state and county leaders working with the private sector, to see the project through , while protecting the public interest.

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