There are two articles and one opinion piece in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin on Monday January 23, 2006 about renewable energy. As would be expected these pieces reflect an unflinching environmentalist view without any consideration of any alternative viewpoints or facts.

The first article is about ethanol and how no refineries have been built in the islands to refine ethanol, which was a major justification for passing the law in the first place. It was supposed to support the agricultural industry by providing a market for sugar cane products. The idea was that molasses from cane would then be converted to ethanol.

This process is more difficult than it appears and even on the mainland all the kinks have not been worked out of the process. Currently the only crop that actually produces enough starch to be economically worth the effort is corn. And this would not be the case without the huge federal subsidies to support the ethanol industry. Archer Daniels Midland’s lobbyists have done a great job in hoodwinking the public on that one.

Recently a growing number of researchers are beginning to question whether or not the production of ethanol doesn’t cost more energy in the form of petroleum than is harvested in the form of ethanol. By the time all the energy of planting, fertilizing, harvesting and refining is factored into the process the production of ethanol could be an energy loss.

Of course, proponents of ethanol respond that gasohol (10 percent ethanol combined with gasoline) burned by automobiles is cleaner and the environment is therefore cleaner as a result. The obvious fallacy of this assertion notwithstanding there is also some debate about how much cleaner, non-polluting ethanol actually is. The refineries produce carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at a high rate. In addition, it is still unclear whether ethanol in gasoline increases or decreases nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions in automobiles, a major component in smog.

The second article concerned the Hawaii Energy Policy Forum telling the legislature that updating the state’s energy policies would result in a “big tax cut” for residents. The amount bandied about in the article was $600 per family annually. Where was the concern for island residents when the legislature was raising the General Excise Tax (GET) on those same residents? This supposed saving was more than offset by that increase.

The fact is, the dream of becoming independent from imported oil by relying on renewable forms of energy production is just that, a dream. Germany has some 2000 wind turbines that produce, by the estimate of one of its most fervent environmentalist supporters, a mere 5.9 percent of the country’s electrical production.

Imagine that here, wind turbines everywhere the eye can see. How long would it take before the Outdoor Circle was up in arms over the visual blight? If they didn’t, then what could possibly be their objection to billboards? Which are more ugly?

On the positive side the state of Hawaii is favorably situated to make use of wave generated electricity. This technology has greatly advanced in recent years and rather than investigating outmoded and intermittent forms such as wind energy HECO should investigate this field. It is far more consistent and reliable than wind. Either way though, to avoid blackouts and brownouts during the most pressing circumstances a peak capacity backup system serviced by petroleum based generators will be necessary.

Finally the op-ed in the Star-Bulletin called for a bi-partisan effort in the legislature to foster a renewable energy plan. The editorial criticized Hawaii’s utility companies for “a mediocre start.” What editorialists fail take into account is the reality of the renewable energy world. It isn’t very effective or efficient, nor can it ever be. It is simply too diffuse.

“Renewable energy only accounts for 5 percent, lagging behind the 8 percent goal set for the end of 2005” the writers lament. What exactly is the problem? Nationally renewables account for 2 percent at best. By that standard Hawaii is way ahead of the rest. Once again, the reality is the diffuse nature of renewable energy means that it will never be a major portion of the energy generation pie.

This isn’t to say that generating electricity and creating energy alternatives should be abandoned altogether. Every option should be explored. But advocating certain solutions alone, at the expense of those that already proven, based upon a given ideology will not provide the public with cost effective options. In the final analysis the economics of the industry will ultimately determine the best, most efficient solutions as it always has.