HomeMy WebLinkAboutREP FESC 007 10/07/2008 2006-2008REPORT OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOOD AND ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY
DATE: October 7, 2008
PLACE: Councilroom
Ben Franklin Building
333 Kilauea Avenue, 2"d Floor
Hilo, Hawaii
TIME: 11:36 a.m.
Council Chair and Members
Hawaii County Council
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
RE: Comm. 1460/Res.758-08
Your Committee on Food and Energy Sustainability, to which was referred Resolution 758-08,
reports as follows:
Resolution 758-08, transmitted by Council Chair Pete Hoffmann via Communication 1460, dated
September 15, 2008, requests that the Department of Environmental Management investigate the
feasibility of installing a photovoltaic system at one or more wastewater treatment plants in the
County.
The purpose of this resolution is to reduce the County's dependence on fossil fuels and to save
money by utilizing free energy produced by the sun.
According to the Hawaii County Energy Sustainability Plan, the County's wastewater treatment
plants are among the lazgest consumers of electrical energy on the island. Furthermore, the Plan
recommends that rather than purchasing and installing the solaz systems, the County would save
money by issuing a request for proposals for a private sector investor to buy, install, manage the
systems, and sell the solar-generated electricity back to the County at an agreed-to fixed price.
This resolution recommends the Department of Environmental Management to do the following:
• Conduct a feasibility analysis on the installation of a solar system to handle the energy
demands for one or more of its wastewater treatment facilities by Mazch 1, 2009
• The feasibility analysis should determine the size and type of solar system to be installed,
recommend locations for such installation, and a financial analysis for determining the
value of the County's investment in said system
• Present the results of the feasibility analysis to the County Council by May 1, 2009
• Should installation of such a solar system prove to be a sensible investment, the
Department of Environmental Management should consider issuing a request for
proposals by July I, 2009, for a private sector investor to buy, install, and manage said
system
There were no testifiers from Hilo, Waimea, or Kona.
FESC Report No. 07
Comm. 1460/Res. 7 5 8-08
October 7, 2008
Page 2
Council Member Bob Jacobson spoke in support of this resolution. He stated that solaz saves
money and is very reliable, especially if the power should go out.
Council Member Brenda Ford also spoke in support of this resolution. She emphasized that this
initiative is wise and prudent, and that the Administration should have taken the lead on this.
She also pointed out that all County swimming pools and Pazks and Recreation buildings should
have solar.
Your Committee on Food and Energy Sustainability is in accord with the purpose and intent of
Resolution 758-08 and recommends its adoption.
dwe
AYES NOES A&E EX
FORD X
HIGA X
HOFFMANN X
IKEDA X
JACOBSON X
NAEOLE X
PILAGO X
YAGONG X
YOSHIMOTO X
Respectfully submitted,
COMMITTEE ON FOOD AND ENERGY
SUSTAINABILITY
~~_.~
J YOSHIMOTO, CHAIR
FESC REPORT NO. 07
ADOPTED: OCT 2 2 2OOA