Ka`u News Briefs May 13, 2011

The Miss Ka`u Coffee Court will be on hand at the Ka`u Coffee Festival tomorrow at Pahala Community Center
after they parade through the town.  Photo by Anna Kailiawa

PACIFIC BUSINESS NEWS is reporting this morning on the new law that will allow the cost of developing the refinery and the biofuel farm planned for lands around Pahala to be distributed across Hawai`i Electric Industries’ customers in Maui and O`ahu counties. The new law, Senate Bill 1347, will allow the rate hikes in other counties even though the customers will not initially receive the benefits of the biofuel. The legislation was inserted into Senate Bill 1347 late in the legislative session after the Public Utilities Commission turned down approval of a contract between `Aina Koa Pono and the electric company that would raise rates across the customer base. The new bill was awaiting Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s signature as PBN went to press. PBN’s Sophie Cocke reported: “With companies investing millions of dollars in the research and development of local biofuels in recent years, the lack of a cost-sharing mechanism created a level of insecurity in the market that stood to jeopardize existing investments.”

Napier grass is being considered as
  feedstock by `Aina Koa Pono.

`AINA KOA PONO could spend up to $350 million to build its refinery and biofuel farm in Ka`u, PBN reported this morning. The story says that “the company has raised $4 to $6 million in seed money and has financing lined up for the rest of the project, according to co-founder Melvin Chiogioji.” The PBN article says that `Aina Koa Pono is exploring a range of feedstocks, including sweet sorghum on 12,900 acres of former C. Brewer sugar land it is leasing from several landowners. Michael Thieman, of `Aina Koa Pono, has been on the island this week meeting with ranchers and community members and looking at the land. He said that the preferred feedstock to be grown is a sterile cross of pearl millet crossed with napier grass that would produce no seed or pollen. He said the cross is non-GMO. 

Pearl millet would be cross-bred with
napier grass to create a non-invasive
grass for biofuel, with no seeds and
no pollen, say representatives of
`Aina Koa Pono.

`AINA KOA PONO will soon have an information packet with a detailed description of the their biofuel project, operations and estimated costs, said County Council member Brittany Smart, who met with the hui yesterday. When the information is available it will be distributed, and a public meeting and presentation to the County Council will take place, she said. 

     Representatives of the hui went to the Czech Republic to visit the microwave manufacturer and reported to Smart that they plan to have a model microwave built and tested in the Czech Republic. It is expected to be complete by February 2012.

COMPETITORS AGES 13 AND OVER can participate in a surf meet today through Sunday at Kawa. The event includes surfing and body surfing competitions for males and females.

THE THIRD ANNUAL Ka`u Coffee Festival ho`olaule`a happens tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pahala Community Center. A fun-filled day of music and dance, Ka`u Coffee tasting, a Ka`u Coffee recipe contest and more is planned. Members of the Miss Ka`u Coffee Court will be on hand after they parade through the town. The festival continues on Sunday with coffee education and farm tours.

FRIENDS OF HAWAI`I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK are sponsoring a Forest Restoration Project tomorrow. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native faya plants in the Keanakakoi Special Ecological Area. Pre-register at 985-7373 or forest@fhvnp.org. 

Miss Ka`u Coffee Brandy Shibuya with Mayor
Billy Kenoi at the Big Island Film Festival.

THE BIG ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL held at the Mauna Lani this week was opened with the assistance of Miss Ka`u Coffee Brandy Shibuya and Mayor Billy Kenoi. Kenoi gave a great speech about keeping the film festival here, “not Maui, not Kaua`i, but here in the Big Island of Hawai`i.” said the mayor. “It was an honor to meet the mayor; he is so humble and very humorous,” reported Miss Ka`u Coffee. She also met the mayor’s staff, including Desiree Cruz. “She is a very gifted and talented singer, also a former Miss Hawai`i 1988,” said Shibuya. The film festival wraps up on Sunday.

A DRAFT OF THE HONU`APO Wetlands Habitat Restoration Plan will be presented for public review on Sunday. Ka `Ohana O Honu`apo and the county Department of Parks and Recreation invite comments from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the park. The plan is the next step in implementing Honu`apo’s Resources Management Plan. It will also be available for comment at the Ka`u Coffee Festival ho`olaule`a tomorrow. For more information, call Ka `Ohana’s executive director Lehua Lopez-Mau at 929-9819.