Q: I’d like to put in a solar-electric system to reduce my business’ energy costs, but I’m concerned about grid saturation. How does it affect me? A: Distributed solar power energy in Hawaii has reached levels unprecedented elsewhere in the United States.…
People have joined the growing Eat Local movement for myriad reasons, including reducing their carbon footprint, supporting Hawaii businesses and keeping agricultural lands in agriculture. Grocery stores and restaurants tout their local-food credentials, and more farmers markets keep popping up…
How quickly things change. Ever since the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative was announced in 2008, the assumption has been that Hawaii’s new sources of power would come from renewable energy: wind, solar, geothermal, biofuels and others. These cleaner, local sources…
Much more than just HI-5, the economics of recycling is about fluctuating market prices for metal, glass and paper, and about jobs, electricity, carbon footprints and the cost of landfills Hawaii got a basic lesson in the economics of recycling…
SOURCES: HSWAC AND HAWAII BUSINESS RESEARCH Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning is scheduled to break ground this year on its cooling system for buildings in downtown Honolulu, says the vice chairman of HSWAC’s board, Bill Mahlum. Here’s a look at the system:…
Sustainability is all the buzz in the business community these days. It’s good for the planet, people appreciate it, and it’s a great way to cut costs and potentially reach new customer groups. Scott Cooney, adjunct professor of sustainability at…
A survey of Maui businesses found that 94 percent said they had saved money by adopting sustainable practices. The survey of 124 Valley Isle businesses was conducted between December 2011 and February 2012 byCreative Conflict Solutions for two departments at the University…
Margaret Larson has felt “range anxiety.” If you buy an electric vehicle in the near future, you will feel it, too. Larson is the electric vehicle specialist for the state Energy Office and was driving the state’s Nissan Leaf electric car back…
Next to Kona International Airport, at Keahole Point, sits a potential gold mine that is home to some of the state’s biggest exporters and groundbreaking research being done nowhere else in the world. The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority…
For a farmer, water is king. But rainfall is fickle and even irrigation systems can falter. That’s why scientists and technicians atSyngenta, a Swiss-based agricultural-technology company with seed operations on Kauai and in Kunia, have developed a new variety of…
Twenty years after the founding of Hawaii Regional Cuisine, celebrity chefs Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi are helping organize a major food festival to benefit farmers and the next generation of chefs. They aren’t just selling food but food-system values, and farmers are the stars…
When Michael Harris and his sons acquired hives for their Wao Kele Farm in Puna in 2007, the beekeeping industry was much easier. "You'd buy a colony with a queen and hopefully it turned into a productive colony," says Harris,…
Clyde Tamaru, an aquaculture specialist atUH Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, is on a mission: putting marginal land to good agricultural use with aquaponics. Along the way, Tamaru helps enhance the reputation oftilapia, a fish that many…
When Thomas Lee, owner of The Audio Visual Co. in Waimalu, decided two years ago to expand his work space – from 15,000 to 24,000 square feet – he knew his electricity bill would likely grow, too. With air conditioning…
About 40 million barrels of oil are delivered by tanker to Hawaii every year and transformed into a host of products: gasoline, jet fuel, asphalt, diesel and more. These photographs trace the process of refining oil, which – even in…
LEED-accredited architect Gerald Choi is on the cutting edge of a new trend – integrating a photovoltaic system into his home as both an energy producer and an architectural element. When he needed to replace the aging 45-foot-by-5-foot skylight running…
Problem Hawaii spends $5 billion a year on imported oil, but biofuels that can replace oil usually require a lot of agricultural land. Solution Using its library of algae strains, Kuehnle AgroSystems says it can select, analyze and optimize algae for specific…
Q. As a small-business owner, what are my options to pay for a photovoltaic system? A. Photovoltaic systems are expensive and complex to finance. A typical PV system for a small business could run anywhere from $10,000 to more than a…
Imagine finding these fine foods at your grocery store: Maui-brand olive oil, jars of savory Kula olives and antioxidant-rich olive-leaf tea grown high on Oahu’s slopes. Even better, imagine stopping on your way home to fill your car with biofuel…
Seeds Seeds are Hawaii’s fastest growing major crop. The value of seeds grown in Hawaii has almost tripled from $77.3 million in the 2005-06 season to an estimated $222.6 million in 2009-10. Harvested acreage was 6,630 – up 11 percent…
Manny Miles and Cheryse Sana were nominated for an award for “Employees that support farm owners and contribute to farm excellence” at this year’s Hawaii Agriculture Conference. Both are in their 20’s and co-managers at an organic farm in the…
When geothermal steam was first harnessed to generate electricity on the Big Island almost three decades ago, the project left many residents with a bitter taste. The technology was substandard, the community wasn’t consulted and environmental protestors became fixtures outside…
Transforming your workplace from an electricity-sucking abyss to an energy-efficient operation offers tons of benefits – it’s good for the planet, could increase employee productivity and morale, and may even win you a few new customers. But beyond the “soft”…
