IDG looking at three sites for a 50-MW project on Maui, Hawaii

Haleakala crater on Maui, Hawaii (source: flickr/ schmaeche, creative commons)

Alexander Richter 31 Jul 2011

In recent months geothermal has become a topic in Hawaii. Currently there is only one geothermal plant in Hawaii on the Big Island run by Puna Geothermal Venture, owned by Ormat Technologies.

The Hawaiian Electric Light Company has recently announced a call for proposals (see article) and Ormat has plans for an additional plant (see article). Now the private company Innovations Development Group (IDG), also reported on earlier here, announced plans for exploring three potential sites for a geothermal plant on Maui in Hawaii.

The Maui News now report that “IDG personnel told the audience that they’d previously worked with New Zealand’s Maori population to establish a land trust several years ago in preparation for a 50-megawatt geothermal project. It’s expected to go online in the next five years, with the first phase beginning in 2013, they said.

Through a public-private partnership, the company wants to do the same thing here with a 50-megawatt plant.

IDG CEO Patricia Brandt said that they do have a couple of unnamed New Zealand companies that might be partners. She also said the company would give millions of dollars annually to community projects.

Trask added that it would take about four years to build a plant. She also said that each test drill costs $5 million.

IDG representatives said that they are looking at two or three sites on the island for their project, all on the slopes of Haleakala either near Makena or in East Maui.

Overall, though, IDG’s representatives garnered applause for their pledges to do a better job than other energy companies of sharing the wealth and ownership with everyone. After all, they said, the properties will be on either public or ceded lands.”

Source: The Maui News, additional details on the history of geothermal development in Hawaii via Maui Time