Hawaiian Shores -- Going Green or Seeing Green?

WATCHDOG © 2011

Aloha Watchdog Readers,

On Thursday, September 29, 2011, members gathered for a Special Board Meeting, were introduced to a proposed project currently under development. This project should it come to fruition, we are told, will provide a solar heated array of mirrors to generate power -- a half meg -- to sell to Helco. Ostensibly, they anticipate generating about 560kw and the left over 60kw will be shared between their own power needs and whatever left after that 'no charged' to the Community's own power source for the water system's operations. What we didn't get for free they would gladly sell to us at the same rate they sell to Helco. The deal 'sounds too good to be true' -- or at least that is one concern voiced by one of the directors and his intuition may just be kicking in. With a little time and effort you can maneuver through their site, one that does not inspire confidence in their 'tech savvy' persona, and find the biographies for this 18 month old start up. The claim was made that collective experience of the folks associated with this group was about 60 years in the industry -- an industry dealing with renewable energy. But looking over the biographies it is 60 years in construction, in business development, in marketing, anaerobic waste management. To be fair, it may all be related to renewable energies...or not.

When you go to their 'current projects' link it was last updated on July 14, 2011 and looks like this:

When you land on the page look at the name of the page:

HUH?

UPDATE: After posting this article -- viewed by a few folks -- guess who has gone in and changed the titles to their website pages? YEP! You guessed it. New Range Power! The current projects page now looks like this.

More friendly, no?

Of course, any new business has its fair share of growing pains but if you are selling a product and referring people to your website wouldn't it be nice to see what the product looks like? An array of mirrors that admittedly will be about 700 degrees at the surface of the mirror might be a concern to anyone living close by unless they could see the product and know they won't be experiencing hotter than usual temps as the heat radiates off the surface of the array. 


Then there is what HSCA is getting out of it. In 2007 when HSCA entered negotiations with a Cell Provider to erect a Cell Tower on the closest area of Maikoiko Street park to the forest ~.5 acre, the contract called for a monthly sum of $1000 coming as a lease payment for that Tower. Here we have 4 acres being leased out 6000 per year.

• .5 acre for 12 months $12,000
• 4 acres for 12 months $6,000
• Doing the math?

It is true, the Cell Tower met with opposition and it never came to pass so that income did not materialize. Yet, just recently we were told the new Cell Tower will come in at about $500 per month and it will likely be erected on the same .5acre. So, again, why $500 for a .5 acre for one utility and $62.50 for a .5 acre to another utility?


The Watchdog is impressed with the projected goals of this company where our local application is concerned...at least during the presentation but when looking at the website NOT SO MUCH! 


Harking back to 'if it seems too good to be true' sentiment it may well be. The good thing about this is nothing ventured nothing gained...HSCA is not putting up capital so we are not losing our own treasures should this not pan out. However, there are a number of questions that do arise that need addressing. 

• Is HSCA expecting to be 'off the grid' for the power source for the Water System?
• If so, when the company leaves will HSCA be expected to purchase the system in order to maintain the 'GREEN' power source?
• Will the technology be antiquated by then -- requiring a huge investment to either really 'green' up or simply to return to the grid via Helco? 

The liability factor? What will it be? Will our $6000 annual payment cover any liability costs? 


So many more questions. And then there is the motion the Board rushed to make...an interesting motion indeed! Hopefully we will have an update or these questions will magically be answered soon.


Watchdog is going with a cautious optimism but with the pragmatic wisdom 'if it seems to good to be true' just in the back of the mind.