Ka`u News Briefs May 3, 2011

The company that owns the wind farm near South Point is concerned that other proposals for alternative energy could seriously damage its business.  Photo by Peter Anderson

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES is not just interested in biofuels being grown and manufactured in a refinery near Pahala to send up the coast to its power plant near the airport in Kona. It wants biofuel to blend with fossil fuel to make electricity on O`ahu. The fossil fuel blended with the biofuel would be low in sulfur. The request for proposals is open to Hawaiian and offshore biofuel producers and calls for as much as 42 million gallons a year. The deadline for bids is July 29, and Hawaiian Electric wants to start using the biofuel mix in mid-2014. A number of contracts could be awarded. 

     Hawaiian Electric recently tested imported palm oil in one of its generators from a Malaysian producer, Sime Darby. Hawaiian Electric also plans to use biofuel at its power plant at Campbell Industrial Park.

THE COMPANY THAT OWNS the wind farm near South Point is concerned that other proposals for alternative energy could seriously damage its business, as Hawaiian Electric Light Company would be less likely to buy more wind energy. In filings with the Public Utilities Commission, the windmill company said the biofuels farm planned for Pahala and the eight-megawatt expansion of geothermal in Puna could limit the wind energy purchased by the electric company. Sustainable Business Oregon reported the concern about competing alternative energies becoming a problem, quoting the owner of the windmills saying the geothermal expansion could cause “severe economic damage to the company.” The windmill company, through a sustainable energy organization, also attempted to intervene in the PUC’s rate case concerning the local biofuels farm with the same plea, but was rejected.

Pete Licata holds his award for U.S.
Barista Champion that he won using
Rusty's Hawaiian 100% Ka`u Coffee.

Bull Kailiawa holds his award for
Best of Origin USA/Hawai`i.
Photos by Julia Neal

RUSTY’S HAWAIIAN 100 percent Ka`u Coffee carried Pete Licata, of Honolulu Coffee Company, to win the U.S. Barista championship in Houston on Sunday. He will attend the Ka`u Coffee Festival on May 14 and head for Bogota, Colombia with Rusty’s in June for the World Barista Championship. 

     Bull Kailiawa received his award as one of the top ten coffees in the world and first in Hawai`i and the U.S.A. on Sunday from the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the Roasters Guild. 

THE JOBLESS RATE in Hawai`i County was down by 0.5 percent in March as compared to the same month last year. Maui recorded the greatest decrease in unemployment, an entire one percent. The unemployment rate across the state was 5.1 percent on O`ahu, 7.8 percent in Maui county, 8.5 percent on Kaua`i, and 9.5 percent on the Big Island. The statewide average was 6.1 percent.

THREE COMPOSERS AND MUSICIANS with close ties to Ka`u are nominated for Na Hoku Hanohano awards for 2011. Ledward Kaapana, with his album The Legend and John Keawe, with his album Play with Me Papa are both nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year. Both come to Pahala each year for music workshops where local students receive scholarships and other fans and students come from around the world for classes at Pahala Plantation House. Nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year is Sistah Robi, whose mother lives in Ocean View. 

A BILL THAT ESTABLISHES an interagency task force on vog to discuss the impact of vog on the people of Hawai`i and find ways to address these issues goes for a final vote today at the state Legislature. HB 318 was introduced and championed by Ka`u’s Rep. Bob Herkes. 

THE BILL IMPOSING IMPACT FEES on new developments and construction in Hawai‘i County comes up at the County Council Planning Committee meeting today. The committee meets at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center at 3:15 p.m. The fees would be used to provide infrastructure for roads, parks, fire/EMS, police solid waste and wastewater. The impact fee on a new house is $6,387. Other fees on construction are calculated per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area. Public testimony is welcomed at the beginning of the meeting.

THE BAY CLINIC’S Mobile Dental Van is in Na`alehu today through Friday. Call 965-3073 for hours and to make an appointment.

AN UPDATE ON THE COFFEE BERRY BORER happens today at 5 p.m. at the Pahala Community Center. Dr. Elsie Burbano, a researcher at UH-Manoa, CTAHR, discusses monitoring, trapping and controlling the CBB. For more information, call 938-1719.

`O KA`U KAKOU MEETS at the Aspen Center on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The group is looking for help with the Ka`u Family Fun Fest in June that includes a half marathon, 10K and 5K races and basketball, archery, Portuguese horseshoe and Jen Ken Po tournaments. All proceeds go to the Bay Clinic building fund. Call Nadine at 928-0027 or Wayne at 937-4773 for more information.

THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES for the Ka`u Coffee Recipe Contest has been extended to this Saturday, May 7. Categories include smoke meat, pupus/appetizers, savory snacks, entrees and desserts.
     Applications are available at R&G Store in Pahala and online at www.kaucoffeefest.com. Contact Michelle Galimba at 430-4927 or mgalimba@kuahiwiranch.com for more information.