When it comes to alternative energy production, the state of Hawaii has about got it all. An abundance of Sun, Wind, Waves, including both areas with strong currents predictable tides, also enormous Geothermal potential, and let us not forget about enormous feedstock potential for Biodiesel.
In the news story below it is pointed out that the land which is being used on the Big Island of Hawaii for feedstock is land that was once used in the production of sugar cane. Since almost every sugar cane plantation in Hawaii has been closed due to higher labor costs than those in Asia it may be that all of the sugar plantations have closed, at least the big commercial ones anyway. This opens up a tremendous opportunity to use the land that sits idle, to be used for the growing of sunflowers or other plant which have a high oil content and can be readily converted to the production of Biofuels. This is land where about the only thing growing is elephant grass which is a harmful invasive plant.
In the near future I will be doing several stories about the sustainability movement that is going on in Hawaii right now. This will include information about growing a good mix of Agricultural products and buying food that is grown as close to the places where people live as possible. Also Hawaii suffers from high energy costs more that any other State in the Union, making it possible for Solar Power and other forms of alternative energy to have price parity with fossil fuels sooner than that of most other places.Another interesting thing about the new biodiesel plant project is that some of the investors involved in the project are Big Island residents, in the words of Kelly King who is the wife of the company president, "We are finally moving ahead in real time with this project and I thank you all for being an early inspiration in getting our community-based biodiesel model to your island! In fact, we have at least eight B.I. residents so far who are investors in this plant, so it will truly be energy by the people, of the people and for the people".
If any of you would like to know more about this movement in Hawaii in the meantime, or would like to take an active role, please send me an email at anytime I will be happy to hear from as many of you who are interested in these topics as possible.
Biofuel expanding on the Big Island
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 8:59 AM HST
HILO -- A new biodiesel plant that will produce 2.6 million gallons a year is planned for Keaau.
A blessing of the site is scheduled this afternoon within the Shipman Industrial Park.
Now an undeveloped property, a little more than a year from now the Maui-based principals of Pacific Biodiesel and subsidiary Big Island Biodiesel hope to have the $10 million plant producing up to 8,000 gallons of biofuel a day.
"We're in the engineering and permitting phase," said Bob King, the company president. The industrial-zoned parcel was selected because all of the environmental preparation work has been completed, King said.
"Our budget timeline (for construction) is 16 months, and we'll see if we can make it any sooner than that," King said.
Initially, the company will bring used grease and vegetable oil to the Keaau facility from locations statewide, and then shift to the island's promising biofuel crops. Whether that will be sunflowers or jatropha "or what the farmers want to grow" remains to be seen, King said.
Biodiesel is a clean-burning, renewable fuel made using vegetable oils and fats. It's made through a chemical process that converts the oils and vegetables into a fuel that is refined and ready for use in any diesel engine.
The company already has biodiesel plants on Oahu and Maui. King hopes to have one on each island, and also one in West Hawaii to serve Kona's needs.
"This facility can earn its keep on used cooking oil and trap grease while we wait for biofuel crops to mature," King said.
One of those crops is adjacent to the industrial park. Hawaii Pure Plant Oil, run by the father-and-son team of Christian and James Twigg-Smith, has planted a 250-acre jatropha plantation on 1,000 leased acres of former sugar and papaya land. The company plans to crush its first crop of seeds next month.
Big Island Biodiesel isn't limited to that one crop, however. The facility will also be able to process used oils, sunflower oil, algae oil and even fish and animal fats.
Vice President Kelly King, the wife of Bob King, said Mayor Billy Kenoi and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona are among the more than 70 people who have said they'll attend the 2 p.m. blessing at the parcel, located at 16-240 Mikahala St.
In the last couple of years, the price per gallon of biodiesel was $1.50 less than regular diesel, and at other times 20 to 30 cents more expensive.
"Our (business) model is we try to price it against the cost of production," Kelly King said, adding that customers on other islands appreciated the stable prices. About a dozen permanent jobs are being created; she said the venture would indirectly create a lot more interest and jobs in agriculture.
Big Island Biodiesel has applied for a $500,000 rural agricultural grant from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has already given the company a $5 million guaranteed loan.
"Right now, we're in the engineering phase," Kelly King said. The $10 million estimate was made when prices were higher a couple years ago. It's possible that the project may come in under the original price tag, she said.
"It's just very exciting to have a project moving," she said.
