Ohana grid would take care of neighbors
Hawaiian Electric Company’s (HECO) “grid supply” solar program has reached its limit on the Big Isle. Evidently, HECO cannot turn down their non-renewable energy supply; nor store it economically. They credited 15 cents a kwh for solar owners who supply it to them. They turned around and sold it to their power grid customers for 32 cents a kwh. In short, excess energy cannot be shared, but only sold.
Now is the time to create a series of “Ohana Supply Grids” to share and to reciprocate our excess solar energy supply.
If solar owners pooled their excess supply with their neighbors, and the local public schools, libraries, and government offices, they could create a large self-sufficient energy grid. By networking neighborhood grids, all excess supply could be shared. Then, like cellphones, all other utilities should and could be made rechargeable. From our toasters to our transportation; from our refrigeration to our water heaters; from our TV to our LED lighting would become a shared benefit of living in a sharing and caring society again. Therefore, do not purchase, nor replace any electrical convenience that does not contain within it the storage capacity to operate off line, and be recharged on line.
No government funds should subsidize the next natural disaster by replacing and restoring the status quo, either. Thus, life can become sustainable again, The world becomes our home again.
America, Russia, China, Germany, et al. could lead the world again, not because we’re great, but because we exceed our national limits and actually care for each other again.
Robert Tellander
Honolulu
County kudos for growing field
County agencies work together to keep the field at Old Kona Airport Park safe for youth athletic programs. Responding to concerns from parents and coaches that the five fields at the old airport were becoming unsafe due to lack of grass.
Council members Dru Kanuha and Karen Eoff facilitated an arrangement between County Parks and Rec Department, the Department of Water Supply and Public Works to use county water trucks to fill up south of town and spray the fields three days a week until the water emergency is lifted. Working together with the community volunteers, the grass is visibly regrowing and Parks and Rec began issuing permits last week to the many organizations who rely on this one park Kona youth athletics has to use.
Thank you again to the county and Kieth Okamoto of the water department, who personally got involved to ensure the youth of West Hawaii are able to play safely despite the challenges of the ongoing water emergency. Mahalo!
Matt Cintas, Coach
Kailua-Kona