tranding t1_iraupfg wrote
What is still strange to me is that coal was preferred to geothermal power due to religious reasons
JungleBoyJeremy t1_iraw6kp wrote
Geothermal is only possible on one of the islands. They do not all have active volcanos.
tranding t1_irawjgi wrote
Possible geothermal energy resources may exist in West Hawaii and on the island of Maui. - source: Hawaiian electric. Hawaii Island purchases 38 MW of power from the Puna Geothermal Venture plant. PGV has permits allowing it to expand another 22 MW in the future at its current location.
JungleBoyJeremy t1_iraxi6d wrote
So it’s currently still only possible on big island, and MAY be possible on Maui.
It’s definitely not possible on Oahu where these batteries are being set up
tranding t1_irazfkv wrote
It is possible especially with an interisland cable which has been studied since the 1970s.
What types of renewable energy could an interisland cable deliver? Geothermal Hydropower Solar Wind Bioenergy
Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) issued a 335-page Request for Proposal for Geothermal/Interisland Transmission Project on May 1, 1989 to install up to 500MW of geothermal energy in Puna and to send the energy to O`ahu.
One-Inch-Punch t1_irchjp5 wrote
Such a cable would have to traverse some complex seafloor topography and sensitive marine sanctuaries to get here from there. Other renewable projects, like offshore wind on the Penguin Banks, have run afoul of the same complications.
Religion aside, geothermal on an active volcano carries some other risks. PGV was lucky to only lose three wells and a substation in the 2018 eruption.
JungleBoyJeremy t1_irb0mff wrote
And yet the cable was never built. So once again geothermal has never been an option on Oahu
geroldf t1_ircm0x4 wrote
Solar and wind are the obvious solutions for power in Hawaii.
Leprechan_Sushi t1_ircyz08 wrote
Except the one island with the volcano on it. There geothermal is probably quite good.
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