WAIMEA — The high cost of residential electricity continues to consume many throughout North Hawaii and the state.
The current status of residential alternative energy opportunities, how they work, what the process includes, what individuals, families and businesses can do to minimize their electric bills or hedge future electric bills and ultimately reduce their carbon footprint are among questions that will be answered at Waimea Community Association’s August town meeting beginning at 5:15 p.m. this Thursday at Waimea School Cafeteria.
The downside will also be addressed.
A three-member panel comprised of HELCO’s president Jay Ignacio, Provision Solar’s president Marco Mangelsdorf and Roland Shackelford, vice president of Renewable Energy Services, will address the big picture and specifics relevant to photo voltaic for residential customers.
The panel presentation will begin with an overview of HELCO’s power generation facilities, their transmission and distribution network, typical islandwide power consumption, where power is generated and where it is consumed, and how it fluctuates throughout the day.
Ignacio will discuss fossil and non-fossil fuel sources and firm and intermittent sources, and how a residential customer can connect to the HELCO grid or be independent of their grid. He also will comment on the utility’s responsibility to provide power and the oversight and requirements of the Public Utilities Commission regarding rates and services. In addition, Ignacio will include insight into steps HELCO has taken to account for the deficit in not having access to 38 MW of geothermal power from PGV.
Mangelsdorf and Shackelford will explain the services their respective companies can provide to the residential customer, and the various programs that HELCO offers for grid connected systems, as well as those that are independent of the HELCO grid — dependent on battery storage. They will also discuss the assessment process, preliminary design, construction cost estimate, permitting, funding options, construction time required and dedication/interconnection to the HELCO grid.
In addition, they will talk about current tax credits and typical savings expected on the average residential monthly electrical bill, and touch on the future of alternative energy for Hawaii.
Also on the subject of alternative energy opportunities, but separate from the panel discussion, will be a brief update on Parker Ranch’s new Paniolo Power partnership with Innergex Renewables USA and their collaborative response to a HELCO request for proposal for a 30 MW PV project with battery storage backup.
Hawaii Wildlife Center in North Kohala will begin the meeting with a brief update on their community not-for-profit that’s dedicated to protecting, conserving and aiding in the recovery of Hawaii’s native wildlife through hands-on treatment, research, training, science education and cultural programs.
Info: Email Patti Cook at cookshi@aol.com
