December 10, 2008 – Kapoho, Hawaii
Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) celebrated 15 years of producing renewable geothermal electricity on Hawaii’s Big Island today.
About 200 community representatives, supporters and PGV employees attended a special luncheon at the plant facility in Pahoa, Hawaii on Wednesday. Guests were also given the opportunity to take tours of the plant.
Puna Geothermal Venture has been in operation since 1993, and delivers 30 megawatts of renewable energy to Hawaii Electric Light Company, providing nearly 20 percent of the Big Island’s electricity needs.
PGV is the only commercial geothermal power plant in the state, and is located in the Puna District in Kilauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone.
The plant generates power by extracting steam from the earth, converting it into electricity. The extracted fluids are injected back into the Earth’s interior without exposure to the open air. As a result the plant has near zero emissions.
PGV employs about 30 people as well as routine and seasonal contractors. It is an affiliate of Ormat Technologies, In., based in Reno, Nevada.
| VIDEO: Duke Aiona on Hawaii’s renewable energy
Get
the Flash Player to see this player. Hawaii’s Lt. Governor, James “Duke” Aiona, speaks during Puna Geothermal Venture’s 15th anniversary celebration on the topic of the Big Island’s unique position in the world as a shining example of sustainability. Aiona explains that the geothermal operation is just one of Hawaii island’s many examples of clean, renewable energy production. Recently, Hawaii’s Governor Linda Lingle announced a comprehensive agreement to decisively move the state away from its dependence on fossil fuels for electricity and ground transportation. The accord mandates that 70 percent of the state’s energy use come from clean energy sources by 2030. (December 10, 2008 – Kapoho, Hawaii) |
