Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles The Garden Island will publish this week on candidates for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors. LIHUE — Jan TenBruggencate, candidate for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative,
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles The Garden Island will publish this week on candidates for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors.
LIHUE — Jan TenBruggencate, candidate for the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, says the main issue facing the board is how to evolve with changes in technology.
“We need to decide whether to wait for technology to advance, or to move forward immediately on the technology that is already available,” he said.
An example is how advancements in technology will effect energy storage, he said.
“Right now, batteries are expensive and short lived. But battery technology will get better and cheaper,” he said. “So do we wait and hope it will change, or jump on it now?”
TenBruggencate, a former science and environment writer for The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, was elected to the KIUC board of directors in 2010.
“I ended my writing career and was asked if I would run,” he said.
He was re-elected to the board in 2013 and was elected board chairman a year later. This year, he is seeking a third term and is one of five candidates vying for three available spots.
TenBruggencate, 68, says he wants to serve another three years because the board is making “groundbreaking energy decisions for Kauai,” and he wants to be a part of it.
He cited an agreement between SolarCity and Tesla Energy to power a solar array and energy storage system.
The system, which will be powered by batteries, will generate 13 megawatts of electricity to the grid, which will power the island at night. Since it uses battery power instead of diesel generators, it allows KIUC to reduce its use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.
“I’m on board with the agreement because it allows us to shift large quantities of daytime solar power into evening hours, when we would be normally using oil,” TenBruggencate said.
He is also looking forward to a time when the island will be fully generated by renewable energy. In 2008, KIUC made it their mission to have 50 percent of the island’s power be generated by renewable resources by 2023.
That goal will come to fruition six years early, TenBruggencate said.
“When I came to the board, the island was powered by only 8 percent of renewable energy,” he said. “Now we’re at 40 percent.”
He expects to reach the 50 percent goal by 2017 and is confident the island can be powered by 100 percent of renewable energy by 2045.
“We’re planning additional projects,” he said. “The new SolarCity and Tesla Energy will add another 5 or 6 percent (to the goal). And we’re promoting both the conservation of energy and ways to develop renewable energy in any way we can — whether we create it ourselves or purchase it from somewhere else.”
Born and raised on Molokai, TenBruggencate moved to Kauai in 1971. He lives in Lihue and owns Island Strategy, LCC, a public relations firm.
He said he got involved with KIUC because it allowed him to get more involved in the community.
“I’ve always wanted to be involved in the community, but as a reporter, you have to stay separated,” he said. “So when I left the newspaper, I looked for opportunities to serve.”
