PUHI — There is green technology for now, and there is green technology still on the drawing boards. Shoppers and browsers for green technology had more than enough information as the Kaua‘i Community College, Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training,
PUHI — There is green technology for now, and there is green technology still on the drawing boards.
Shoppers and browsers for green technology had more than enough information as the Kaua‘i Community College, Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training, and Technology News Bytes opened the doors to the Green Tech Expo Tuesday afternoon at the One Stop Center at KCC.
With more than 20 vendors offering a wide range of green products, information and exhibits, shoppers could also take in a series of workshops led by several green leaders.
Bob Kaden and Gabriel Oberman of LED Ultimate Lighting had samples of LED lamps that replace T8 and T12 fluorescent technology.
Kaden, a retired Kaua‘i fire fighter and ocean rescue specialist, said the lamps are available now and are in use at places like the Lihu‘e Parrish Hall and the Lawa‘i Beach Resort.
“We have a meeting with Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. next week to discuss the savings and advantages of the LED technology,” Kaden said, noting that the energy usage of an LED tube is about half of a fluorescent light with equivalent output.
Some of the other advantages include a life of six to eight years based on 12 hours of continuous use per day, the ability to have the lamp repaired rather than replaced, and a solid state starter for reliability, Kaden said.
Additionally, people can start their own replacement programs now by placing orders as Kaua‘i Business Services on Haleko Road, or by calling them at 346-3312.
On the drawing board of Oceanit is a solar system designed to provide homeowners with both net metering capabilities as well as solar hot water.
Wetricity, as the project is called, relies on co-generation that utilizes otherwise wasted energy from making electricity to heat water.
MaryLu Kelley said this is being worked on by engineers in the Kaua‘i office and has a target date of 2010 to coincide with new legislation requiring new homes to have solar.
“I’m really proud of the work our engineers are doing in this area,” Kelley said. “When the system is ready, the initial rollout will be for new home construction and a second rollout geared for retrofitting homes.”
Once wetricity is in use, there is a projected decrease of about 66 percent on the electrical bill for a family of four.
She added that on O‘ahu, the Oceanit engineers there are working on a Smart Socket that is designed to measure energy consumption of the appliances plugged into it.
“This is a conservation measure where consumers can see how much energy an appliance draws even after being turned off,” Kelley said.
Tom Leighton of Motorcycles Period said green is working its way into the transportation industry as well, noting the popularity of mopeds that deliver up to 100 miles on a gallon of gas.
However, there is research going on in the area of a solar-powered battery recharging system that will take the moped completely off the grid, Leighton said.
Workshop speakers for the event included Andrea Dean, a Green Business coach, consultant and creative educator, Ken Stokes, a green economist who runs The Kauaian Institute, Scott Sloan who oversees the care and maintenance of infrastructure and building projects at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, and Alexander de Roode of the Sustainable Living Institute of Maui.
