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See the presentation made by Island Life Engineering, LLC in Seattle last month:

 

Island Life Engineering LLC AWWA Presentation for website

The island of Oahu in Hawaii is home to one of the largest solar farms in the Pacific. This solar farm, built by Eurus Energy America Corp, is located on 200 acres of land in west Oahu. The Waianae Solar Farm delivers 27.6MW of power to the island, enough power to serve over 4,000 homes.

The Republic of Palau is an island nation looking to reduce its reliance on conventional power production from diesel generators, and convert more of its power supply to renewable energy, such as solar power. The Palau Public Utility Corporation (PPUC) currently spends 70% of its operating budget on purchasing fuel for its diesel generators. Reducing these costs, as well as reducing the carbon footprint produced by burning of imported diesel oil to create power is a high priority for an island nation directly impacted by climate change and rising sea levels.

Mr. Kione Isechal, P.E., the general manager of the PPUC, recently teamed with ISLE to tour the Waianae Solar Farm, to better understand the potential for bringing renewable energy to Palau. Mr. Rob Davey, Plant Operator, shared his experience and passion for renewable energy and carbon footprint reduction as exemplified by the Waianae Solar Farm with Mr. Isechal and Ron Gonzales, P.E. of ISLE to help Palau determine how best to harness the free and clean power of the sun.

Mr. Isechal was impressed that the Waianae Solar Farm was so  efficient, that it required only 1 full time operator, yet produced more that twice the amount of power needed to provide all the power needs of the entire nation of Palau. The 200 acre site is only required to deliver 27.6MW of power to Oahu, but has capacity to generate 40MW.  No fuel purchases, no engines emitting pollutants to the air, no potential for oil spills, no noise pollution…. these are only some of the benefits, not even considering the lower costs of power produced for the power customers versus power costs from diesel power generation. At the conclusion of the tour, Mr. Isechal noted, “As Palau works diligently to reduce our carbon emissions and meet our Nationally Determined Contribution ( NDC) as result of the Paris Agreement, we hope to have further discussion on  renewable energy and its development in Palau.”

ISLE is encouraged by the direction that PPUC and other utility providers in the Pacific are taking in pursuing renewable and sustainable energy sources, such as solar power, a resource that is in no greater abundance than in the tropical Pacific.

 

The direct passage of Supertyphoon Haiyan in 2013 caused a storm surge that submerged the entire main island in Kayangel Atoll in the Republic of Palau, Micronesia. This event was followed in 2016 by the most severe El Nino-induced drought in many years in Palau. Kayangel Island has a marginal and limited fresh water lens aquifer which is the only fresh water supply source other than rainwater catchment. This fragile water lens has been severely impacted and is no longer capable of providing sufficient quantity or quality of fresh potable water for island residents. The drought impacts the water resources of Kayangel through increasing salinity, turbidity, and possible bacterial contamination.

In order to provide a minimum volume of potable water to the people of Kayangel State, an alternate water source needs to be provided immediately. ISLE has successfully secured a grant from the USDA to provide an alternate water source for the people of Kayangel.

The Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant (ECWAG) will provide Kayangel Island with a small, portable, solar-powered seawater desalination unit to ensure minimal access to potable water sources per the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.) (SDWA). It is estimated that approximately 3,000-5,000 gallons per day will be needed to serve the Kayangel State population of approximately 70 people. It is estimated that replenishment of the island’s fresh water lens may take 1 year or more for sufficient rains to recharge and flush the brackish water from the aquifer, and that such recharge may not be sufficient to completely rid the water lens from salinity for several years, particularly if normal rainfall patterns do not return to the region due to climate change.

It is hoped that other island communities will follow the lead of Kayangel State in Palau and pursue similar grants for backup water systems for their rural communities.

The USDA ECWAG grants are available to eligible rural island communities in the following regions:

State of Hawaii
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Republic of Palau
American Samoa
Territory of Puerto Rico
US Virgin Islands

ISLE is available to assist with applying for and implementing similar grants to these communities. For more information, please feel free to contact us at info@islandlifeengineering.com.
Follow us to see how Kayangel takes the next step to sustainable climate change adaptation.

 

ISLE is working with local environmental professionals to design a new national landfill on the island of Babeldaob in the Republic of Palau. Using a design approach perfected in Japan, ISLE is helping to create a better way to manage and minimize solid waste disposal in a more sustainable way, and to make best use of a most precious resource on an island – land!

Thanks to The Environment, Inc., for their relentless efforts to change the way solid waste is managed in this beautiful island nation.

A year has already passed since the launch of my company! It went  really fast, and yet, feels like I’m just starting. Many of the major goals set for the inaugural year in the company’s business plan were met, and some expectations were exceeded, but there is a long way still to go. I’m looking forward to an exciting second year! Our journey forward is just beginning.  Just like the early morning start of a fishing trip, the path ahead toward a new day is full of promise. Stay tuned!

2016-10-31_Lualualei Concept Civil Drawings

ISLE is working on design of a Net Zero Energy housing development for moderate income families in West Oahu. The concept will incorporate LID technology (Low Impact Development); Renewable energy components for the housing units, such as solar panels; battery power storage; LED lighting; insulated and recycled products for building materials. The homes in this project will each generate enough power for their own lighting, air conditioning, hot water heating and other power needs, but will still be connected to the island grid as backup and for use during peak power demands.  The civil design of the site will also incorporate systems to stabilize slopes and attenuate and treat off-site stormwater runoff. A major portion of the project site will be preserved as conservation land as well, to further reduce the carbon footprint of the development.

The development team for this project hopes to make this project a shining example of what can be done to create sustainable island communities not reliant on imported oil for power.

Our team are still seeking investors to fully fund development of this exciting project. We welcome all serious inquiries to make this concept a reality.

 

Portions of this blog excerpted and edited from IECA website, www.ieca.com

Jim Cantore, world renowned meteorologist with the Weather Channel was the keynote speaker at the International Erosion Control Conference in Atlanta, Georgia this past February.

Cantore discussed changes in weather patterns, predictions for the future and how these changes will affect the methodology used to control erosion and sedimentation of the built environment and construction operations. Cantore urged attendees to consider what can we do today to prepare for the weather changes over the next 50 years?

At the conference, there was a general consensus that climate change is affecting our environment in significant ways, which can be clearly measured, and is already being addressed in the fields of construction; master planning, public safety. The questions posed at workshops and seminars in the conference focused on best management practices and considerations for changes in legislation to allow for better climate change adaptation.

Some panel sessions at the workshop discussed how reports of potential changes at the US EPA under the new US administration may impact US Federal laws such as the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act forms the basis from which many of the regulations regarding protection of natural land and water resources from damaging erosion and sedimentation are enforced. Many of these laws are intended not only for support of environmental protection, but ultimately for security of human health and safety.

 

 

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