Vision for energy self sufficiency

I attended the forum for the “Delegate To U.S. Congress” to find out what the candidates where saying to get my vote. What I learned was that few of them had a “Vision” other than … How they were going to “pugei” the federal government for money! Not one of them presented a detailed plan as to how we were going to solve the electrical problems and cost for this electricity.

When I confronted a few of them on this issue all I was told was “that they were going to ask for financial help …” “Financial help for what?” I asked. Give me details, what base load power source are they going to use? Only one, after a lot of pressure from me really said … “Maybe nuclear?” But then he said “we need to ask the feds to do a study on what ways to go” Hmmmmmm.

You mean that no one here on this island has ever asked that, over these past 30 years? And if they have asked, why has nothing been done? People of the island… All the answers are out there and if we keep waiting for the federal government to do it for us …

Our economy will be so far down in the hole that by the time government actually performs, we will be in the year 2100 and a Third World government! We have to attain energy independence and we have to start NOW! We have to stop talking and start doing!

Base load—That is what the island needs. What is base load? It is 24/7 electricity. Not just when the sun shines or the wind blows. Unfortunately our island does not have the resources to give us that 24/7 power without great costs of which we have no control over.

Or do we? Remote nuclear battery power is an approach but we will still be dependent on technology that we won’t own. This approach won’t be able to be installed on the island over night either. But at least it is a direction. It can produce power 24/7 until the battery runs dead and then a new battery bought every seven years. But that battery won’t be FREE.

Mist Lift OTEC is also another approach and it can be done with technology that we can own. This approach, also, won’t be able to be installed over night either. But with this approach we will NEVER have to pay someone else for FUEL. We already have it in our possession. We just have to go down and get it. This source of energy also will provide CLEAN drinking water too. Other than the two above-mentioned approaches there is diesel generation at $0.40 kwh of which $0.27 kwh is just for the fuel!

BioDiesel won’t be all that much cheaper and we still won’t OWN that source of fuel. Now comes the really hard part. How are we going to pay for OTEC or nuclear power plants? Write a lot of RFPs? Haven’t we been doing just that and what has it brought in?

Many of the candidates were saying they want the federal government to provide this and that, but … are any of us better off than we were 30 years ago on this island? This is what happens when people get used to handouts. We have to solve our own problems right here at home and stop waiting for government to do it for us!

An island of this size has, it seems, more red tape than our federal government. Where did we learn that from? Here is an approach to getting base load power on this island and not costing us a penny up front. Let us agree to pay a flat rate for this renewable power for a period of, say, 15 years. Let’s put that rate at $0.12 kwh, or lower. This is less than half of what diesel fuel costs at $4.00/gal which is $0.27 kwh. Put this on a BIG sign, so everyone will see it. We will be beating the energy suppliers away with a stick because there is lots of profit in there for them.

We will of course have the power to select which power source we want on this island! It has to be clean energy and simple to operate. At first we will keep the amount of base load low, at first to see if their power source can deliver what it says it can. For example five or 10 Mw. Remember our island base load power needs are right now at a minimum of 40 Mw. But if this new and clean source of energy does meet expectations then we will enlarge our commitment to it at possibly a lower rate, thus finally freeing the island from ever needing to buy fuel ever again.

Now this is a vision and a plan with a time scale to it. First we need to pugi the feds to subsidize our diesel fuel cost to keep electrical cost down until we get this new power source up and running. This can be done in as short as six years if we really put our backs into it. Once the renewable power base load is installed we can stop the subsidy and be energy independent. What a beautiful vision this is. Our economy will improve and businesses will come to the islands and jobs will be created and our kids will have a place to live and provide for the next generation. So let us put the person into office that has a vision with details!