72- . Definitely; clean energy source (696 Votes)
- . Depends; mixed (252 Votes)
- . No; opposed (209 Votes)
This is not a scientific poll — results reflect only the opinions of those voting.
Big Q
Generally, do you favor more wind-power projects on Oahu?
Comments (27)
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We need to look at all alternatives. Wind may turn out to be a better energy source.
If we could just harness all the wind coming out of Honolulu Hale, Governor’s office, every government office, all the Nei’s power needs would be solved.
A hurricane has more energy than the governor’s office.
But all the “D” politicians produce enough methane gas that could be captured to power the power-plants without the need to depend on oil!
I prefer mini-nuclear power plants from needs of Island from 50 to 250 MW production. They have proved to be effective, efficient, economical, and safe over the past 50 years.
Nope… for that size an OTEC plant would be great.
Ige supports OTEC. PUC make it happen.
IRT Wiliki, fyi, the Keahole OTEC presently produces 105kW of electricity that would power 120 homes in Hawaii. As compared to an existing 40MW mini-nuclear power plant powering 48,000 homes in Hawaii at $0.08/kwh. To produce the same 40MW electricity, the Keahole OTEC plant must be 400 times its present size and capacity. And, we don’t know the what the end cost of electrical use OTEC will to the homeowner.
Complete B.S. nuclear energy costs tenfold more than polluting coal, oil or anything else out there and that’s hat’s assuming there are zero accidents. Why don’t you share with us the costs in dealing with spent nuclear fuel rods and the fact that we have no viable disposal sites anywhere in the USA. Every nuclear reactor in California is getting shutdown once their operating license expires as not a single one was cost effective to operate!
IRT DragoInWater, we are discussing Mini-Nuclear Power Plants, those similar to those in the U.S. Navy submarines, aircraft carriers, ice breakers, etc. Some 700 has been in use since 1954. We are not talking about the “Huge” 1,000+ MW California Nuclear Power Plants that cost Billions to construct. Mini-nuclear Power Plants also do not require refueling, similar to submarines and operate some 40 years without refueling with a minimum of nuclear waste. Oh, did you know they recycle nuclear fuel rods today?
Recycle where? For economic reasons, the United States does not recycle used nuclear fuel. It never has and never will. Reading the pro-nuclear energy lies is like reading daily lies about the rail being on-time and on-budget. At the end of the day you still have to pay the recycling, which does not really exist and disposal which does not really exist either because they are immensely cost prohibitive and found unsafe and not stable as once believed.
Secondly, the military needs nuclear energy as it’s the only fuel source for ships and satellites as refueling in the middle of nowhere is not an option. But don’t for a minute dream it’s cheap and clean. We all know the truth that the military loves to just dump the spend fuel rods into the ocean, I guess you can call that recycling since in 40-billion years the rods will be recycled back to non-reactive state as the half-life deteriorates to a few negligible mrem. LOL
Finally, I can somewhat trust the military more handling nuclear energy but never a private entity when profits and greed get in the way.
Wind power is good but there needs to be a sensitivity about the location and effect on that community.
Exactly. Also deadly to flying birds.
The Nei has done little to nothing for decades to reduce energy usage. Failed to establish home insulation standards decades ago, now hot homes in Ewa suck up power for aircon.
Require all new construction to be fully insulated. Tax incentives for home owners to add insulation where they can. I insulated the attic in my townhouse, just about eliminated the need for aircon in the upstairs floor. So much cooler on hot days.
Tens of thousands of energy guzzling High Pressure Sodium (HPS) other types of street and parking lot lights need to be replaced with energy sipping, long life LED lights. Make LED lights Nei standard, eliminate CFL/fluorescent and the mercury they may contain.
Nei should make Energy Star appliances standard. All others hit with an energy guzzling tax.
It is far more efficient to reduce our power needs then the cost of building additional power sources. Energy savings are low cost, low maintenance, common sense.
Exactly why our obtuse elected bureaucrats haven’t got a clue. Continue to waste taxpayer’s money.
I would like to see the numbers on all these windmills, how much tax credits and what not are subsidizing this nonsense.
Hell NO! Look at what it’s doing to the Shearwater Birds and Pueo The Hawaiian Owl, not mention it being an Eye Sore. Kauai got that one Right!
I would favor solar more than wind because solar is still there when the wind dies.
Agreed.
At nite the sun goes to sleep….
So should you! Turn off your lights and go to sleep so I don’t have to subsidize your electric bill. You ever see the satellite pictures of North Korea at night? Should be the same here!
Wind is one of the more reliable energy sources. Solar, not so much with the heavy cloud cover. There are more windy days than sunny days.
Wind is OK if the technology can be made innocuous to birds. This technology exists, we need to make sure wind power farms adopt it instead of just adding more bird blenders.
From a generic point of view …. good. But then the minuses need to be weighed … including visual intrusion, proximity to people work and home, collateral kill [bats/birds/etc]. Are tax credits too generous & /or is it subsidized by the government? The ones planned for Kahuku may be taller than Diamond head. The ones planned for off of Kaena point are a total affront to cultural practices including fishing and migration grounds. There are small scale wind turbines that may be a good choice. Also the projections are usually “blue sky” oriented and seldom realize their hypothetical potential.
Should be maximized with consideration given to noise issues and potiential bird kills. Off shore would be great except whiners complaining about the little red light that might be visible from the shore would probably doom such projects. I don’t buy into the visual complaint, beauty is in the eye of the beholder…….I prefer to look at the thirty windmills close to Haleiwa knowing that they are eliminating carbon based energy production. The vocal minority needs to be quashed when it comes to renewable energy.
You’ve missing the entire point. Not cost effective. Each windmill is ridiculously expensive up front. I personally wouldn’t have much objection to windmills if they were cheap. Unfortunately, operating and maintenance costs are also ridiculous far exceeding any benefits they provide. I’ve watched enough O&M documentaries on windmills to come to the conclusion that unless they are dirt cheap, we’re not ready to install and maintain them.
If wind power is so good… how come California is getting out of the wind turbine business, because the cost of building and maintaining windmills does not justify the cost of construction and maintenance…? In other words, it costs more than it’s worth.
hahaha, so true.
Knowing these inept “D” politicians they’ll be buying the old broken, I mean refurbished, windmills from CA at 300% more than the original cost CA paid for them. They’ll be delivered “on-time and on-budget” as Krook likes to say!
Sure, build it as long as unions aren’t involved.