Hawaiʻi's Technology Community
HECO at home
My neighborhood board invited someone from HECO to come last month and talk about what individuals can do with solar energy. The HECO speaker promoted solar water headers (especially with the tax rebates). However, he downplayed solar voltaic. It seems like HECO doesn't really want individuals generating electricity on its grid.
I guess it doesn't make any difference to me anyway, since I live in an apartment building. The building owners association could put solar collectors on the roof, but they just got it to stop leaking a few months ago, so they probably shouldn't mess with it.
The HECO speaker also emphasized conserving energy. If you don't use it, then you don't need to generate it. That's the best way, of course, but there's still the issue of how to generate what you DO use.
I guess it doesn't make any difference to me anyway, since I live in an apartment building. The building owners association could put solar collectors on the roof, but they just got it to stop leaking a few months ago, so they probably shouldn't mess with it.
The HECO speaker also emphasized conserving energy. If you don't use it, then you don't need to generate it. That's the best way, of course, but there's still the issue of how to generate what you DO use.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Leuck on
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Interesting. Did you hear about Senate Bill 644? It will require solar thermal energy devices to be used as the primary water heating system in single-family homes built after Jan. 1, 2010. We would be the first state to enact such a law. HECO said they are not taking a position on the bill.
There are the usual complaints about cost (about $2,600 to new homeowners after the tax credit), but I think spending a little more to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel is a fair trade. We should really strive to get Hawaii completely off of fossil fuels within the next 10-15 years. I had an interesting conversation with Henk Rogers about this the other day. His Blue Planet Foundation is working hard toward this end. They may be the first group with the muscle and the right friends to make it happen. -
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Permalink Reply by J. David Beutel on
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I looked at his web site, since the URL was on this group. It looks interesting. I'm not sure I buy the idea that carbon credits make up for airplane flights to the conference, though.
New single-family homes are so expensive now, a solar water heater doesn't seem to me like a significant extra expense, especially if it saves more money than it costs. -
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Permalink Reply by David Lassner on
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I happened to be in a hearing (for an ewaste bill) when this came up. The developers were generally opposed since they think they are doing enough by either doing this already or providing options for homeowners to make their own choices in the new developments. A fair amount of inside baseball over who would create the detailed requirements. And the Gas Company was opposed, since it would likely kill the economies of scale for any new installations of natural gas and their ability to expand the delivery system. But it looks like they've accepted the inevitable and worked on the latest draft, which is now heading into Conference.
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The developers were generally opposed since they think they are doing enough by either doing this already or providing options for homeowners to make their own choices in the new developments.
Does this mean they want homeowners to have multiple solar options, or that they want homeowners to have the option of not going solar? I'm OK with the former (and I think the bill should accommodate this), but I believe the latter is a luxury we can no longer afford. -
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In general, their position was that the homebuyer would be in the best position to decide if they want solar at all. But at this point, looks like the bill is moving anyway. You can read the current version at: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/Bills/SB644_HD3_.htm
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