A Seattle-based company has taken the first steps toward regulatory approvals of a wave energy project, possibly with an additional wind energy component, off Moloka`i that could generate up to 100 megawatts of electricity, according to the application filed in late October with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.<\/p>\n
\tThe site, about 12 to 25 miles southeast of Moloka`i, in an area known as Penguin Bank, is one of the most productive grounds for bottomfishing in waters surrounding the Main Hawaiian Islands. The area is also included in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, but, according to the FERC filing, \u201cthe proposed technology of fixed structures cannot entangle whales in cables or lines.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe application was filed with FERC because it has jurisdiction over projects on the outer continental shelf, or OCS, writes W. Burton Hamner, president of Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Company, LLC, in his cover letter to FERC Secretary Magalie Salas.<\/p>\n
\tWhether any part of submerged lands off Hawai`i could be regarded as a \u201ccontinental\u201d shelf would seem, on its face, to be a questionable assertion.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cWe also understand,\u201d Hamner continues, \u201cthat the Minerals Management Service has jurisdiction over leasing of the seabed and that FERC intends to resolve with MMS the appropriate regulatory processes. We applaud this. It is very helpful to have the FERC consultative and license application in place as it is well proven and reduces the risk for developers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe MMS \u201cis developing its final rules for leasing of OCS lands for alternative energy production,\u201d the FERC filing states. \u201cGiven that FERC has asserted its authority over offshore hydropower (wave and tidal) that leaves MMS with regulation of offshore wind power generation. The project mayt include wind turbines installed on the [wave energy] foundations, and this will require interface and collaboration between FERC and MMS to resolve jurisdictions asnd requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tHamner says his proposal is not speculative, since \u201cthe site proposed has been chosen with highly detailed information regarding its actual power potential and suitability for existing technology. The specific vendors for the major technologies and systems have already been selected.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Larger Plan<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n
The Penguin Bank site is one of seven sites for which the company is seeking permits. Others are near San Francisco and Ventura, California; near Cape Cod, Massachusetts; near Block Island in Rhode Island; near the Hamptons in Long Island, New York, and offshore of Atlantic City, New Jersey.<\/p>\n
\tAccording to the company\u2019s website, it has also been involved in developing a wave power demonstration project in Washington state since 2007, but \u201ca full-scale offshore wind\/wave project is not proposed now in Washington because the local energy cost is very low and offshore energy cannot compete with it economically.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe criteria used for siting the seven projects are listed on the company\u2019s website. They include:<\/p>\n
Fallout<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n
The proposal for Penguin Bank has not received wide notice in Hawai`i, but not so for proposals for other sites. So extensive has the negative response been that on December 8, Hamner posted an open letter on his website, extending \u201cmy apologies for surprising state and local officials and organizations in the states where we have proposed projects. The FERC acted on our applications faster than I think it has ever acted for any applicant before and, frankly, it caught us off guard. We have not had time to contact the political, energy and ocean leaders in our project areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tJosh Strickler, an energy analyst with the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, found out about the proposal only in mid-December. Since then, he told Environment Hawai`i,<\/i> he\u2019s attempted to reach Hamner, but has not had calls returned. \u201cI only know what\u2019s on the web,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\tThe FERC opened a 60-day public comment period on all seven proposals on November 28. On December 15, the Hawai`i environmental group Life of the Land submitted its request to be granted intervenor status. \u201cLife of the Land\u2019s members are concerned about energy issues, ocean issues, environmental issues, cultural issues, endangered species and increasing transparency of complex governmental procedures,\u201d wrote Henry Q. Curtis, the group\u2019s director, in the FERC filing.<\/p>\n
\tPotential competitors also have 60 days, from November 28, to make their interests known. In his open letter, Hamner says, \u201cFERC surprised us greatly by its rapid response. Our first application took FERC five months to open for comment. This time they did it in five weeks\u2026 I personally called FERC and asked them to open the public comment period in January or February, because opening it in December is rather unfair to the public \u2013 the holiday season is a big distraction and I don\u2019t think the public and agencies really get a \u2018normal\u2019 60-day comment period if it opens on November 28.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tMore information on the project is available at the FERC website: [url=http:\/\/www.ferc.gov\/industries\/hydropower\/indus-act\/hydrokinetics\/permits-pending.asp]http:\/\/www.ferc.gov\/industries\/hydropower\/indus-act\/hydrokinetics\/permits-pending.asp[\/url] The project number assigned to the Hawai`i proposal is 13307-000.<\/p>\n
\tThe Grays Harbor website is: [url=http:\/\/www.graysharboroceanenergy.com]http:\/\/www.graysharboroceanenergy.com[\/url]<\/p>\n
— Patricia Tummons<\/p>\n
Volume 19, Number 7 January 2009<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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