Saturday, July 13, 2013
HECO Speak
by Henry Curtis
On July 12, 2013 the 5th Annual
Hawai`i Clean Energy Day was held in Honolulu.
HECO’s Executive Vice President Robbie Alm stated: “I appreciated
the Big Bad Utility intro from Ben[Sullivan].
We most certainly are that.” He then discussed the inter-island cable,
NIMBYism, ratepayer impacts, and renewable energy penetration levels.
Inter-island Cable
DBEDT Energy Administrator Mark Glick (July 12, 2013):
“DBEDT has long understood the potential to significantly increase
the State’s amount of renewable energy and to create economic benefits for
ratepayers through coordinated joint efforts and operations of an O`ahu-Maui
Grid. This could be achieved by exporting more efficiently produced Oahu
generation to displace more expensively Maui generation.
And through the PUC’s newly released dockets today, the market has
a chance to inform us on how to minimize risk, make best use of existing
infrastructure and establish the most efficient and cost effective grid for the
21st century.
Failure to act on this front isn’t an option.
We’re not going to accept that.
We will not allow our engine for economic transformation to hit a
brick wall. Without interconnection, grid modernization and more efficient
power plants using cheaper cleaner fuels, our renewable energy dreams will
literally be curtailed.” [ ]
“There’re broader policy reasons why the State has determined that
interconnection makes sense. You know ultimately our long term goal is to has a
lot to do with geothermal and firm power, firm renewable energy. And an
Oahu-Maui grid tie is a first step in providing that linkage and there’s also
the whole notion of how that will stabilize and create a broader grid.”
Robbie Alm (July 12, 2013):
"What we said is that under certain scenarios we don’t need the
cable. We also said, that you should do the cable bid, back to the cost
equation. Because I think that was Mina’s point earlier, we
could get to 100% renewable if we don’t care what the cost is.
I mean, you know just, you could biofuel everything is sight and
you would get 100% renewable and the bills would go through the roof. So it
comes down to cost. What we said in the IRP was, do the cable bids, because,
lets see what energy comes to us through the cable. And let’s
look at the cost of that. And then let’s look at the cost of generating on
Oahu. And then let’s compare. [ ]
It’s not a cable or no cable. And I think in the end the
differences between us and DBEDT are not really very high because we both want
to see the cable bids go out, we both want to see a comparison of energy."
NIMBYism
Robbie Alm (January 22, 2011): "I
like to suggest we all watch out for two things. One is NIMBYism. Everybody love renewable energy until it comes to
them next door"
Robbie Alm (May 2, 2011): "Adoption
vs. NIMBYISM"
Robbie Alm (July 12, 2013): “You know
at some point we have to stop saying, discussing hard problems means you’re
against renewable energy. GIVE ME A BREAK!
Hawai`i is so far down the path to
renewable energy, we need to be able to freely discuss the problems of
resources and options and costs in a very open matter. Not making people feel
like they shouldn’t discuss those.”
Renewable Energy Penetration Levels
Robbie
Alm (July 12, 2013): “The folks
on the Big Island would undoubtedly want you to know at today they are at 46.7% renewable.
So Big Island is up way ahead not just in the State but in the United States of
America. I don’t think you will find another place that is operating today at
45% renewable.”
U.S.
Energy Information Administration: “In 2011, half
of Maine's net electricity generation came
from renewable energy resources, with 25 percent from hydroelectricity, 21
percent from wood, and 4.5 percent from wind.
Ratepayer Costs
HECO IRP (June 28, 2013): Rates
will rise until liquefied natural gas (LNG) is imported in 2018.
Robbie Alm (July 12, 2013): “We’ll
reduce bills by 20% by year 2020. I mean that’s our goal. That’s the one we’ve
talked about. That’s what we are going to try to get to. But that means being
very selective in the renewables you get based on price.”
# # #
Comments:
Hey HECO...tell me again about the Aina Koa Pono deal. Let's see...we price the energy based on oil at $200/barrel. Then we promote the concept although the technology has never been proven on the scale proposed. Then we require rate payers on all islands to pay the bill for he energy that goes to the Big Island. Then we....oh come on...you don't really think we believe a word you say, do you?
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Hey HECO...tell me again about the Aina Koa Pono deal. Let's see...we price the energy based on oil at $200/barrel. Then we promote the concept although the technology has never been proven on the scale proposed. Then we require rate payers on all islands to pay the bill for he energy that goes to the Big Island. Then we....oh come on...you don't really think we believe a word you say, do you?
# posted by
: July 13, 2013 at 7:48:00 PM HST
: July 13, 2013 at 7:48:00 PM HST << Home
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