Pacific Renewables

21 comments on “Pacific Renewables ”

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1. Draco T Bastard 1

   25 March 2013 at 12:34 pm

   …I have concerns about international investors using it as an opportunity to gain leverage in, and extract profits from the Pacific region.

   It’s the extraction of profit and turning even more people into unwilling serfs that has those investors there at all.
2. joe90 2

   25 March 2013 at 12:41 pm

   Interesting proposal in Hawaii to build an ocean thermal energy conversion plant.

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_thermal_energy_conversion

   http://westhawaiitoday.com/sections/news/local-news/ocean-thermal-energy-conversion-plant-proposed.html

   http://www.makai.com/e-otec.htm
   • Colonial Viper 2.1

     25 March 2013 at 12:46 pm

     Trying to turn highly diffuse low quality energy into concentrated high quality useful forms. Nearly always a hiding to nothing.
   • joe90 2.2

     25 March 2013 at 1:50 pm

     Indeed, efficient electricity generation using thermal conversion is probably some way off but there are other uses.

     http://www.c40cities.org/c40cities/toronto/city_case_studies/lake-water-air-conditioning-reduces-energy-use-by-90

     http://www.energymanagertoday.com/interxion-uses-seawater-to-cool-stockholm-data-center-089963/

     http://www.nordicgreen.net/startups/article/swedish-seawater-cooling-company-capital-cooling-makes-major-equity-investm
3. Peter 3

   25 March 2013 at 1:10 pm

   Doug Williams (Fluidyne Gasification) did a pile of pioneering work on renewables in the Pacific in the 1970s and early 1980s, only to have a lot of it scuttled by the rapid drop in oil prices post North Slope/North Sea in the mid 1980s.

   The best option for renewables in the Pacific is likely to be robust, long-lived intermediate technology, preferably linked with existing or slightly changed agricultural systems, rather than the latest high-tech gadget that cannot be maintained or sustained over the long term. Energy is about people, and people have to understand where it comes from.

   For that, I’d be taking inspiration for the Pacific from India, and other places in rural Asia or Africa that also have these challenges.
   • joe90 3.1

     25 March 2013 at 1:55 pm

     http://artselectronic.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/india-is-building-solar-canals-to-produce-energy-while-slowing-water-loss/
     • ghostrider888 3.1.1

       25 March 2013 at 2:38 pm

       economical maintenance labour available
       • Peter 3.1.1.1

         25 March 2013 at 5:49 pm

         Yes, that’s exactly the sort of projects – kept on the right level, and creating jobs at the same time. It’s far better to build redundancy into the project than it is to be super efficient.
4. Tiresias 4

   25 March 2013 at 2:45 pm

   Would be great if New Zealand encouraged some Pacific Islands to spend some of New Zealand’s contribution on a few of New Zealand’s world-leading, employment-creating, ideal-for-these- locations, small, lightweight, easily-erectable, mains-synchronised but-struggling-to-acheive-market-penetration 500MW Windflow Turbines.

   (Disclosure: I have shares in Windflow, but I know I shouldn’t be pushing them and can see that the New Zealand Government has no business pushing a perfect-for-everyone solution either. Whew, nearly let my vested-interest coincide with common sense there.)
   • ghostrider888 4.1

     25 March 2013 at 2:48 pm

     did ya get the memo about the Mark 10 echo?
   • granted 4.2

     25 March 2013 at 4:56 pm

     There are some wind turbines in Fiji already. They had lots of issues especially dealing with cyclonic activity. The performance has been less than what was expected (no I cannot recall the actual report but read it somewhere).

     The on-going issue in the islands (as I have encountered) is that offshore suppliers underestimate how harsh the environment is (Wind, sand,salt, rain etc). Maintenance is always an ongoing issue – a generalisation is that preventative maintenance is not understood. Wait for things to break, then fix, or left broken if there is no money or its just “too hard”.

     Mechanisation in the islands requires education of the users. Just look at the state of transport buses in Fiji which is more advanced than most neighbouring islands.

     This may sound negative, but it is the current state of play and of course nothing is insurmountable…
     • MrSmith 4.2.1

       25 March 2013 at 5:36 pm

       After spending sometime in Fiji and Tonga I totally agree, there’s know point in handing out things that once broken can’t be fixed, because up there folks there’s know-one around with the knowledge or materials to fix a lot of things, once things break they just throw them out the window, fiji being the best example with there rubbish problem.

       The talk of climate change by the Minister is promising after Blinglish almost saying the word the other day, but to little to late now, this trains not going to stop before a lot of suffering by some.
     • karol 4.2.2

       25 March 2013 at 5:53 pm

       granted and MrS, you have added an important perspective.

       I fear that leaving too much of the funding/investment up to the private sector will mean they aim for cheapness over long-term effectiveness.

       I hope they are seriously examining such issues at the summit.
       • Tiresias 4.2.2.1

         25 March 2013 at 9:43 pm

         The first Windflow overseas turbine is now running in the Orkneys, which is quite a windy, salty spot I hear. However the Windflow is specially designed for windy sites.

         Frankly were I an islander I might find the intimation that me and mine weren’t long-enough out of our grass skirts to manage this kind of technology somewhat insulting, but as that might involve my having to climb out of my hammock beneath the gently waving palm-fronds I probably wouldn’t bother.
         • karol 4.2.2.1.1

           25 March 2013 at 10:04 pm

           I didn’t take the comment by granted to be regurgitating a “lazy Islander” myth. Rather that it was referring to the failure of the offshore suppliers to understand the local needs. There is likely to be a limited range of expertise in a small country in managing new technologies. Plus there is possibly a lack of will by the overseas suppliers to either contribute to upskilling some locals, or follow up on the resources they’ve helped provide.
     • insider 4.2.3

       25 March 2013 at 11:41 pm

       Fiji has quite significant hydro power but much goes to the major gold mine on the main island
5. talanoa 5

   25 March 2013 at 8:01 pm

   check out this initiative from the residents and diaspora of the northern Tongan islands of Niuatoputapu Niuafo’ou and Tafahi, as they fundraise for a prototype sailing/ cargo boat to service their communities. http://www.talanoa.org/TDP_Development_Projects.html
6. insider 6

   26 March 2013 at 12:07 am

   There is no alternative to diesel at present or on the horizon. For those islands that have major tourist industries and want 24 hr power it is just a fantasy. Diesel is reliable, is scaleable, is relatively simple and easy to maintain, and requires minimal infrastructure. The island leaders hate having to pay for fuel because it is so expensive and have been looking at options for years, but not found anything. But they know they’ll hate having no power for their govt offices, schools and hospitals more.
   I’d be concerned that islands will be come more dependent on aid and less diverse economies if they are pushed into relying on renewables. reliable electricity gives them some chance of a 21st century lifestyle, but most of the islands simply don’t have the space to provide regular power from diverse sources.
   • Colonial Viper 6.1

     26 March 2013 at 12:13 am

     This. Fossil fuels rock* and suitcase fusion generators don’t seem to have been invented yet.

     *This is not an endorsement of the concentrated energy, flexibility and on demand convenience of fossil fuels, just recognition that they rock.
7. Jenny 7

   26 March 2013 at 6:28 am

   While Pacific Island leaders worry about climate change and talk about transitioning to renewables.

   On the biggest Pacifc Island of them all. New Zealanders plan to expand fossil fuel extraction in both the public and private sector. Bathhurst is being allowed to level the Denniston Plateau for coal for the lucrative export market, Endarko wants to explore deep sea oil, and the government is contemplating bailing out failing SOE, Solid Energy at huge expense so that they can continue their rape of the climate.

   Pacific Island Nations suffering at the sharp end of climate change, should end their conference with a strong denunciation of the host nation for hypocrisy, greed, and indifference to the plight of the Pacific peoples, being ravaged by rising seas and super-charged by climate change, super storms. Particularly if after this conference, they are still to left to be held to ransom by the oil companies.

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1. The Daily Blog Watch Monday 25th March « The Daily Blog: posted on 26 March 2013 at 8:15 am

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