SunEdison Situation Dire
Travis Hoium writing for The Motley Fool gives this SunEdison update and comments on its business strategy, which goes to the heart of the problem with the HECO contracts and concerns if SunEdison...
View ArticleMergers & Aquisitions: Putting Things Into Perspective
From the onset, the Ige Administration has put attention on the issue of "localness" regarding the HECO-NextEra merger/acquisition application. Several days ago, Ian Lind reported on the possible...
View ArticleBeware the Panacea: Energy Storage Tax Credits & Rebates
With the end of the 2016 Hawaii Legislature in sight, final versions of bills are being hammered out. Two bills, House Bill 2291, HD2, SD1 (HB 2291) and Senate Bill 2738, SD 2, HD 2 (SB 2738), offer...
View ArticleUpdates: TASC Lawsuits & SunEdison
On Wednesday, April 20, the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA) dismissed two appeals filed by The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) contesting the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC)...
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Solar Siting: The Agriculture-Rural Dilemma & Loophole
This morning someone pointed out to me Henry Curtis'blog post on House Bill 2636 and the negative reaction to the bill by Office of Planning, the Department of Agriculture and comments by former Hawaii...
View ArticlePolitics: Legislature Over & Closing Briefs Filed
In the closing days of the Legislature, StarAdvertiser reporter Kathryn Mykleseth reports Senate energy Chair Lorraine Inouye "derails two renewable energy bills." Unfortunately, what is not reported...
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IRENA Innovation Week: Highlighting KIUC as the Postcard from the Future
I arrived in Bonn Monday evening to participate as a speaker in the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) first Innovation Week. IRENA is "an intergovernmental organization that supports...
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A Toilet Evolution - Hiney Hygiene's Energetic Role
Americans are certainly beginning to notice and appreciate the comforts of an enhanced Japanese toilet seat. But today, Steve Mitnick, Editor-in-Chief of Public Utilities Fortnightly is probably the...
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Renewable Energy - Capacity vs Capacity Factor: What metrics should we focus on?
While those who chant "100% renewables" or "no-fossil fuel" or "the democratization of electricity" or threaten to go off-grid while extolling the virtues of distributed energy resources to the grid...
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Searching for Prudence
Whether you are in support or are against, a decision in the HECO/NextEra merger application will elicit strong opinions on the outcome. No other recent regulatory decision will have as much impact on...
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Hawaii's Utility Future: A Car Or A Road
In a recent television interview with KHON2's Gina Mangieri, Hawaii Public Utilities Chair, Randy Iwase used a small car (HECO) going down the road as a metaphor to ascertain whether there is a need...
View ArticlePUC "Appointment" Subverts the Law
Several weeks ago, I began my post, "Searching for Prudence" with the following:For those steeped in the regulatory realm, the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) merger decision and order will be...
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Fallout from Ige's PUC "Appointment" - An Overview of Day 2
Yesterday, the Governor's office released to the press the June 27 Attorney General letter advising him that according to the constitution he can make an interim appointment. In general, I do not...
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Hawaii PUC Fiasco: An Unfortunate But Great Opportunity For A Civics Lesson
Though unfortunate, it's got drama, intrigue, complex characters, suspense, policy, law and order - but it's not The West Wing (which I miss) but the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission's commissioner...
View ArticlePUC Merger Decision: Politics Under Guise of Illusionary Regulation
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission's (PUC) action on the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and NextEra Energy merger application, dismissing the application without prejudice and closing the docket,...
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HEI Stock Takes A Hit - Nexit: A Big Puka To Fill
Given its perverse political and regulatory climate, it should not be a surprise that NextEra Energy is exiting Hawaii. The downward decline in Hawaiian Electric Industries' stock price shown below...
View ArticleBattle Fatigue: Time to Get To Work/Put Up or Shut Up
For a long time, Governor Ige and State Representative Chris Lee have intimated that there are other parties interested in purchasing the HECO Companies. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission own...
View ArticleSolar Politics In Nevada
Utility Dive's Editor, Gavin Bade, is covering the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) conference in Nashville, Tennessee this week and writes about a speech given by...
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Hanging in Balance
Hawaii's clean energy systems is a delicate balance of power, literally and figuratively.Literally, each second of each day, Hawaii's electric utilities must carefully manage the supply of electrons...
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Trump + Energy = An Uncertain Future
Last night I could not bear to watch or listen to the presidential election results. After a sleepless night, it was time to confront my fears, a Trump presidency with a Republican congress. For the...
View Article2017 Legislative Session Opens January 18
Preceding the opening of the 2017 Hawaii Legislature on Wednesday, January 18, the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum will be holding its annual legislative briefing tomorrow, January 12, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m....
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2017 KIUC Board Election - Please Vote For Me
Last week the 2017 Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) board election ballots were mailed to members. The deadline to submit your ballot by mail or electronically is by noon, Saturday, March 18,...
View ArticleGorak Nomination: The End Justify the Means?
On Friday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection & Health heard Governor's Message No. 703, the nomination of Thomas Gorak for Hawaii Public Utilities Commissioner (PUC). As I...
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KEDB - Kauai Energy Conference, Monday June 19, 2017
Taking advantage of panelists and speakers arriving next week to participate in the VERGE Hawaii 2017: Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit in Honolulu, the Kauai EconomicDevelopment Board (KEDB) is...
View ArticleHSC Oral Arguments/Morita v Gorak, State of Hawaii
On December 7, the Hawaii Supreme Court (HSC) heard oral arguments for the lawsuit I filed challenging the interim appointment of Thomas Gorak to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission by Governor Ige...
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