Based on this statement, observers may believe that the state does not have a clean, renewable, proven technology for energy that is totally independent from any outside source of imported fuel. However, that is not the case.

There is an environmentally sound and renewable energy that has been used around the world to generate electricity since the 19th century when electricity was first discovered as a practical means to light bulbs, heat homes and run machinery.

In 1881, Hawaii’s King Kalakaua showed great interest in this means to generate electricity without oil, coal or whale blubber. He visited Thomas Edison in New York to investigate using electricity to replace the Kerosene lamps in Iolani Palace. He discussed with leading scientists of his day to use this fuel found in abundance in Hawaii.

This form of fuel for generating electricity currently provides over 25 percent of the Island of Hawaii’s daily needs delivered to HELCO and could easily be expanded to provide 100 percent of the Big Island’s needs and be exported to all other Islands.

What is this form of natural, renewable, cheap, non-polluting, unlimited source of electricity that our politicians seem so afraid to mention?

Geothermal.

Puna Geothermal Ventures (PGV) has produced over 25% of the Big Island’s electricity needs since the company’s first generator was powered up in 1993.

After bitter and expensive legal fights over its permit, PGV has produced over 30 mega watts of electricity each year for over 16 years.

The company’s capacity for producing electricity is only limited by our politicians who fear the community activists. These are the same community activists who while protesting the ability of PGV to produce electricity, still return to their homes to watch TV, use their computers, power their refrigerators and light their homes.

If Hawaii’s politicians would allow PGV to produce to the maximum ability, the entire Island of Hawaii could be 100 percent independent of oil and could become a net exporter of electricity. That could be done in two ways: to other islands via undersea cable (Studies in the 1990s proved the ability of undersea cables to export electricity at up to 250 mega watts); and through the creation of hydrogen fuel cells.

But the politicians become “weak kneed” when faced with the activists who claim the Hawaiian Goddess Pele does not want her volcanic heat to be used by modern day non-Hawaiians. I suspect that many of these activists actually fear that increased attention might reveal their illegal crops of marijuana in the forests nearby.

Why is the entire state held hostage by a few self-proclaimed cultural anarchists – some with very possibly illegal and ulterior motives?

If local politicians had the political will, they could easily solve the energy crisis in Hawaii without technology that is expensive, largely unproven and not likely to have an effect until long after they have moved on to higher office or retired.

But they would rather say they are for independence from oil and coal and all the while snub geothermal, a proven resource, that King Kalakaua himself had envisioned for all of Hawaii.

The right solution for Hawaii’s energy needs is literally under our feet, if only our politicians would show the courage to do what is right for all of Hawaii’s people instead of the few activists who continually hold the future hostage by claiming a solution is not “pono.”

Garry Smith is a resident of Ewa Beach who can be reached at mailto:garrypsmith@juno.com

HawaiiReporter.com reports the real news, and prints all editorials submitted, even if they do not represent the viewpoint of the editors, as long as they are written clearly. Send editorials to mailto:Malia@HawaiiReporter.com

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