One of the big issues with the Kaua’i Electric dilemma is the possibility of higher electric rates. Well, we don’t have to worry about that one because it seems like we are there already. On my last bill, with the
One of the big issues with the Kaua’i Electric dilemma is the possibility of higher electric rates. Well, we don’t have to worry about that one because it seems like we are there already.
On my last bill, with the so-called “energy adjustment,” our rate was nearly 26 cents per kilowatt-hour. For us, a family of two adults with solar hot water who do much of our cooking on our gas grill, that equates to $165.89 per month.
For comparison, electric rates are 6.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in Las Vegas, 12.3 cents per kilowatt-hour in Los Angeles and 10.2 cents per kilowatt-hour in Corpus Christi. I am not sure how the “energy adjustment” works, but evidently it allows Kaua’i Electric to pass on any increase in their energy costs. This would seem to preclude any incentive for them to try to find lower cost sources for their fuel.
Kaua’i Electric also mentioned exploring renewable energy resources to generate electricty. Kaua’i Electric, like others around us, seems to be pursuring the theory of wishful thinking in power generation. The only currently practible renewable alternate source would be either burning something that grows, sugar cane waste or other waste material or hydo power. This alternative seems extremely limited at present, considering the staus of sugar cane on Kaua’i.
Unfortunately, most alternate energy sources such as solar, fuel cells and wind power are not at this time economically practical or environmentally friendl, in spite of what is said. Solar is still prohibitively expensive, takes lots of land and requires a significant amount of potientially polluting materials, such as lead-acid storage batteries and other materials used in the photovotiac cells. Fuel cells are, at present, for limited low-power use and require some source of energy, such as hydrogen or propane.
Creating the hydrogen or propane requires energy from something somewhere—you don’t just get it for nothing – plus the propane or hydrogen, a highly explosive gas, must be transported to the generating cell site.
Wind power is also very land-intensive and high-maintenance. Wind farms are noisy, ugly and create a significant danger to birds.
Finally, it is my sense that any effort to create more hydro power on Kaua’i would be met with significant resistance by those in favor of saving the environment, as damming any of our rivers would certainly change in some way the environment.
John Gordon, Princeville
