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Geothermal EnergyHarnessing Hawaii's Energy Future

The Importance ofGeothermal Energy

Hawaii has long recognized the importance ofdeveloping its geothermal energy resource. Tappingthe heat energy stored deep underground has beenan integral part of the state's planning for more thana decade, and generating electricity from geothermalresources is a keystone of Hawaii's Energy FunctionalPlan.

Alone among the 50 States, Hawaii is 90 percentdependent upon imported oil for producingelectricity; more than any other state, we are subjectto the instability of the world oil market. Fortunately,we are blessed with a large geothermal energyresource which may eventually supply half of Hawaii'selectricity needs, and provide jobs to numerous smallbusinesses who can use the heat directly.

Geothermal has proven beneficial in decades ofuse around the world. Because emissions fromgeothermal power facilities are far lower than fromcomparable oil- or coal-fueled power plants,geothermal is particularly appealing for Hawaii'sunique environment. Oil-generating facilities emit 13times as many gasses and particulates by weight asgeothermal plants and coal plants emit 40 times asmany as geothermal.

This pamphlet looks at many facets of Hawaii'spromising geothermal future and shows how we areworking to develop it now. Thank you for yourinterest and support.

S??~t1 .Roger A. ';iveling 9Director

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~eothermal E••ergy

What is Geothermal Energy?

"Geo;' meaning "earth;' and "thermal;' referring to"heat;' geothermal energy is heat stored deep below theearth's surface. By drilling wells, this heat can be broughtto the earth's surface in the form of steam or hot fluids.Like the heat created by burning fuel oil or coal,geothermal heat can be converted into electricity to servethe everyday needs of home and office. Used directly, theheat can also be used in a variety of agricultural andindustrial processes, such as drying fruit or sterilizing.

Why is Geothermal EnergyImportant to Hawaii?

Approximately 90 percent of Hawaii's electricity isproduced by oil-burning power plants, making the statealmost completely dependent upon imported oil. Isolatedfrom its nearest state by 2,500 miles of ocean andpossessing no fossil fuel resources of its own, Hawaii isenergy-dependent on overseas oil.

But Hawaii has an abundant supply of geothermalenergy stored deep underground. According to someestimates, this energy could supply as much as one-halfthe state's electricity needs. Using the geothermalresource to produce electricity would:

• Free Hawaii from its critical dependence uponimported oil;

• Improve Hawaii's air quality by limiting the burningof oil or coal for energy; and

• Add as much as $300 million to the local economyeach year which presently goes out of state to payfor the imported oil.

Is Geothermal Energya new technology?

Because the commercial development of geothermalenergy is just getting underway in Hawaii, some peoplethink it is a new technology. Actually, geothermal energy isa commonly used resource around the world.

For as long as humans have lived in geothermalregions, this energy has been used for cooking, bathingand other similar purposes.

The earliest use of geothermal energy to produceelectricity was in Italy in 1904. Today, the largestgeothermal electric field in the world is at The Geysers, inNorthern California.

The first commercial geothermal power plant at theGeysers began providing electricity in 1960. Today the

for Hawaii

Geysers provide approximately 2,000 Megawatts ofgeothermal produced electricity - four times the eventualtotal production envisioned for Hawaii.

From the Philippines to Iceland, New Zealand toJapan and California, geothermal resources generateelectricity, heat homes and swimming pools, and servemany other uses as well.

In Hawaii, geothermal energy was first used byancient Hawaiians who used the steam vents near theactive volcanoes of the Big Island to cook food. Whilegeothermal exploration has been going on in Hawaii since1955, the use of the resource to generate electricity wasactually first proposed by King David Kalakaua more than100 years ago.

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STATE OF HAWAIIDHawaii geothermal resource subzones.

What are theEnvironmental Impactsof Geothermal?

Decades of experience in producing electricity fromgeothermal energy have shown that the process is one ofthe most environmentally acceptable methods ofgenerating power on a large scale.

Both the U.S. Department of Energy and theCalifornia Energy Commission consider the production ofelectricity from geothermal resources to beenvironmentally safer, especially concerning the criticalissue of air quality, than production from oil or other fossilfuel resources.

The most significant emissions from geothermalpower plants are small amounts of sulfur dioxide, and

power to 2,500 or 3,000 homes. Thiselectricity is sold to Hawaii ElectricLight Company, which saves morethan 30,650 barrels of oil each yearby using this small geothermalfacility.

HGP-A will be used for long-termtesting on another well drilled nearbyfor Puna Geothermal Venture. Thatcompany has an agreement to supply25 Megawatts of electricity to the BigIsland utility before 1994; anothercompany, True/Mid-PacificGeothermal Venture, has secured itspermit to explore for up to 100Megawatts and develop 25 Megawattsfrom geothermal resources.

Peter Allen of Fbpaya Products Hawaii usesgeothermal brine to provide heat toproduce green papaya powder.

HGP-A produces more than 18million kilowatt-hours of electricityeach year - enough to provide

Ahalf-hour's drive from Hilothrough the lush green Puna rainforest at a place called Pohoiki, asmall geothermal power plant hasbeen steadily providing electricity formore than six years.

Properly known as the HawaiiGeothermal Project-Abbott andcommonly known as HGP-A, thisfacility began operating in 1981 as atwo-year project to demonstrategeothermal energy's potential forHawaii. Although designed as a24-month demonstration facility,HGP-A continues to produceelectricity 24 hours a day as part ofthe island's electrical system.

HGP-A:A Hawaii Geothermal Success Story

I I'

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large amounts of harmless water vapor. The facilities aredesigned to minimize emissions. For example, even if 500Megawatts of electricity were developed from geothermalon the Big Island, total sulfur dioxide emissions fromgenerating plants would be just over one-half metric tonper day. By comparison, the natural emission of hydrogensulfide from fissures and volcanic activity in the arearanges from 1,200 to 1,600 metric tons per day, accordingto the U.S. Geological Survey.

Both oil and coal generating facilities send greateramounts of emissions into the air than comparablegeothermal facilities.

For brief periods when geothermal wells are firstcompleted, they produce a loud noise when steam isreleased - or "flashed" - into the air. After theinstallation of mufflers, no further noise of anysignificance is produced beyond the generator building.(However, the wells do have to be flashed every so often tobe cleaned.)

The visual impact of geothermal development isminimal, and decentralized. Generating plants and wellsare generally scattered, low-rise facilities, notconcentrated into large industrial facilities. The electrictransmission lines and poles associated with such facilitiesare generally similar to power lines already common inHawaii.

Do the people ofHawaii supportGeothermal Development?

Several surveys have shown that the people of Hawaiioverwhelmingly support geothermal energy development.In the most recent (1987) poll, 84 percent of the State'sresidents said they favored geothermal energydevelopment. On the Big Island, where most of thedevelopment is anticipated, fully 77 percent of theresidents said they were in favor of geothermaldevelopment.

What is thescope of geothermaldevelopment envisioned?

Hawaii's first geothermal power plant has beencontributing electricity to the Big Island's power systemfor about six years. Over the next several years more wellsand power plants are expected to come on line, firstproviding 25 Megawatts to residents of the Big Island, andeventually perhaps providing as much as 500 Megawatts.This electricity, which far exceeds the electricity needs ofthe Big Island, may then be transported to Maui andOahu via an underwater cable.

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September 25, 1proposes geothe

Although modem geothermal exploration in Hawaiibegan in 1955, the first proposal to tum the Big Island'sgeothermal energy into electricity - and to share it withothers via undersea cable - was actually made more than100 years ago. The occasion was a meeting betweenHawaiian monarch King David Kalakaua and the inventorof the light bulb, Thomas Edison.

AMonday, September 26, 1881 report in the NewYork newspaper The Sun, was headlined "Kalakaua VisitsEdison, The King in Search of a Means to Light UpHonolulu. The Hawaiian Attorney-General's Proposal toProvide Edison with Power from a Volcano:'

Part of the HGPA Well now producing electricity in Puna on the Big Island.

The following account is taken from The Sun:

"King Kalakaua was introduced to Mr. Thomas A.Edison at the latter's headquarters in Fifth Avenue, at 9o'clock last night.

"'I have heard about you, Mr. Edison; said hisMajesty, 'and I have wished to see you and your wonderfulinventions:

"Edison exhibited his lighLThe King was interested.Attorney-General Armstrong says that his Majesty isespecially interested in the electric light, because hiscapital, Honolulu, must be lighted soon by somethingsuperior to the kerosene now employed there.

"'Can you lay your wires in submarine cables?'Attorney-General Armstrong asked. 'Because you mightcome over to the Sandwich Islands: the King's advisorsaid, 'where we have a volcano that bums a thousandmillion tons of coal a day, and you could put your boilerson top of the volcano and get power enough to supply thiscountry:

,tl.. .we build great hopes on that volcano:"

81: Kalakauarmal electricity, undersea cable

King David Kalakaua and inventor Thomas Edison.. .progressive men who lit Honolulu with hopesof geothermal energy in Hawaii's future.

the atmosphere-sensitive grapes andgeothermal wells co-exist without anycomplications.

In addition, The Geysers isresponsible for a sizeablecontribution to the economy of Lakeand Sonoma counties, throughproperty taxes, purchases by thevarious geothermal companies andemployee payrolls.

geothermal project in the world.While geothermal wells and

specially insulated pipelines whichcarry the steam to electricalgenerating plants dot the Geysers,special attention has been paid toprotect the environment.

The geothermal production areais located near many of the finevineyards of Northern California, and

The world's largest and mostsuccessful geothermal development isThe Geysers, located about 90 milesnorth of San Francisco.

More than 250 geothermal wellsdrilled there produce 2,000Megawatts, enough to meet theneeds of a city of more than twomillion people.

Situated in Lake and Sonomacounties, The Geysers area has beenknown for geothermal activity sincethe mid-1800's.

Geothermal steam was initiallydiscovered in commercial quantitiesin The Geysers in 1955, and the firstelectrical generating plant was builtby Pacific Gas and Electric Companyin 1960. Initial progress at TheGeysers was slow, but in the late1960s and early 1970s additionaldevelopment made it the largest

The Geysers: California's GeothermalSuccess Story

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Geothermal E••ergy: A prove••resource used around the world

CONVECTING MAGMA

Diagram ofa geothermal reservoir. Source: "Sourcebook onthe Production of Electricity From Geothermal Energy" Us.Deportment of Energy

The geothennal power story started in 1904 inLardarello, Italy, with the first power generation from ageothennal field. Today, from Greece to California, fromthe Philippines to Kenya, geothennal energy is reducingman's dependence on fossil fuel.

Geothennal projects are actively producing electricityin use in more than 15 countries around the world, andexploration for geothermal energy is under way in manyother locations.

As technology has advanced during the past decade,the amount of power generated worldwide throughgeothennal projects has tripled.

Island countries such as the Azores, Iceland,Guadeloupe, New Zealand and Japan, generate electricityfrom geothennal fields, as do continental countries suchas the Soviet Union, China, Mexico and EI Salvador.Within the United States, geothennal wells are producingelectricity in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah,as well as in Hawaii.

The Hawaii Deep Water CableProgramConnecting Oahu and Maui tothe Big Island's geothermal resource

Two extensive undersea surveys were made - inOctoberlNovember 1985 and July 1986. This representsthe most detailed mapping of the ocean floor ever done inHawaii. As a result, the HDWC program has been able toidentify a preferred path for the undersea cable whichappears feasible even through the 1,200-meter depths ofthe Alenuihaha Channel.

The conceptual layout for the proposed cable-layingvessel has been developed. At-sea testing of thetechniques proposed for laying and retrieving the cablewill be conducted in the Alenuihaha Channel with a fivemile-long surrogate cable in late 1989.

The first beneficiary of the technology and techniquesdeveloped by the HDWC program will be the State ofHawaii, which will be able to realize its goal of greaterenergy self-sufficiency. But many others will benefit fromthe project. Cable manufacturers, research laboratories,oceanographers, the scientific community, the U.S.

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Geological Survey - all will benefit from the transfer ofHDWC-related technology. The project has already drawnthe attention of:

- Southern California Edison, which is planningan undersea transmission cable from thePacific Northwest to California.

- The Nova Scotia Power Corporation, whichhopes to transmit up to 1,200 Megawatts toPlymouth, Massachusetts via undersea cable.

- Icelandic power authorities hoping to exporthydro-power electricity to Great Britain via anundersea cable linking Iceland, Scotland andGreat Britain.

The work of the Hawaii Deep Water Cable programpromises to connect the electrical power systems ofHawaii's major islands together for the first time. This willnot only pennit the transmission of geothennal-produced

electricity from the Big Island to Maui and Oahu, but willalso mark the first time that shortages or outages on oneisland could be helped by power generated on anotherisland. In the process, Hawaii will be taking a position ofworld leadership in this important technology.

The largest demand for electrical power in Hawaii ison Oahu, which accounts for over 80 percent of theState's total electrical consumption. But the geothennalresources of the Puna area of the Big Island are separatedfrom the islands' major market for electrical power by 130miles of ocean. For the geothennal resources of the BigIsland to be developed to their potential, and for the Stateto take its single most important step toward energy self­sufficiency, the Big island resource and its Oahu marketmust be brought together.

This is the goal of the Hawaii Deep Water Cable(HOWC) program. HOWC is a federal and State of Hawaiifunded research and development project aimed atdeveloping and providing the technology needed to lay,operate and maintain a submarine cable powertransmission system between Kohala on the Big Islandand Makapuu on Oahu. The system will be designed toperform for at least 30 years.

The HOWC research project is a significant one.Sending geothermal-produced power to Oahu from theBig Island will require a submarine cable that travels fourtimes as deep and twice as long as the current state-of-the­art deepwater cable. The successful completion of thisresearch effort, expected in 1990, will place Hawaii on theworld forefront of undersea cable technology.

The HOWC program has two major challenges:• First, to design and develop a cable that will

withstand the depth, pressure and stresses ofocean currents necessary to operate betweenthe Big Island and Oahu.

• Second, to find a preferred route for the cableand develop the techniques necessary to

System for extracting energy from a dry geothermal reservoir.Source: los Alamos National Laboratory

deploy and retrieve the cable.The HOWC program has already been successful in

several important ways.The cable design and fabrication are well under way.

From a field of 251 possible designs, HOWC selected themost promising cable design and has had a prototypebuilt by Pirelli Cable Corporation of Italy (there are nomajor American deep sea cable manufacturers). Alaboratory testing program began in the Spring of 1988with 6,000 feet of cable.

The Governor's Advisory CommitteeOn August 7, 1987, Governor John Waihee

established the Governor's Advisory Board on theUnderwater Cable Transmission Project. Members of theboard include William F. Quinn (Chainnan), Roger A.Ulveling (Vice Chairman), John O. Bellinger, Mayor DanteK. Carpenter, Paul Finazzo, Sheridan C.F. lng, FujioMatsuda, Russell K. Okata, William W. Paty, Jr. andHoward Tasaka.

The purpose of the board is to advise the Governoron the technical, economic, financial and social feasibilityof the construction of geothennal power facilities and anunderwater cable transmission system to transmitelectricity from geothennal energy on the Big Island to

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Maui and Oahu. The board also advises on theappropriate role of State government in the project.

The board has concluded that the overall project istechnically, socially, economically, and financially feasible.The board has recommended that the State take a strongleadership role in providing for and facilitating thecoordinated development of geothennal resources and thesubmarine cable system.

The board has recommended that the State establisha goal of providing at least fifty percent of its electricityneeds through geothermal or other indigenous andrenewable energy sources by the year 2010.

----Geothermal Energy---

KILOMETERS

o 100 200

MILES

GEOTHERMAL GRADIENT

o 20 30 50 70°C/km

o 200 400

For further infonnation contact:

• Energy DivisionState of Hawaii Department ofBusiness & Economic Development335 Merchant Street, Room 110Honolulu, HI 96813

or call the Energy Hotline: (808) 548-4080(neighbor islands ask Operator for Enterprise 8016)

• Hawaii Energy Extension ServiceHilo Lagoon Centre Annex Building, #214101 Aupuni StreetHilo, HI 96720

or call: (808) 961-7558

Geothermal gradient mop of the United States based on gradients measured wherethe terrestrial heat flow is by conduction through the rock.Source: Los Alamos Notional Laboratory

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dbeCiDEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS 1;f1'

AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

250 South King Street, 7th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813