Commentary contributed by Rob Parsons · Ha‘iku

Maui should have locally available, sustainable energy choices, rather than import another fuel that has impacts far worse than its benefits.

In her Malama ‘Aina column, “Biodiesel,” Subashini Ganesan missed an opportunity to alert readers to concerns specific to Hawai‘i. Not all biodiesel is created equally, nor are the impacts the same. Pacific Biodiesel’s locally sustainable model utilizes recycled cooking oil and is primarily used for transportation purposes. Hawaiian Electric is proposing a far different model as a replacement for their current use of petroleum biodiesel for electrical generation. Maui Electric and BlueEarth Biodiesel are proposing to build a 120-million-gallon-per-year mega-refinery, which would then import crude palm oil from Southeast Asia for years to come. Expansion of palm oil plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia continues to cause huge environmental devastation, and there are plans to clear another 1.1 million acres of rainforest in Borneo and Sumatra.

I believe that warning Maui readers of their public utility’s ill-conceived plans would be more useful than letting them know that biodiesel might not run as well in cold weather. Then, we may collectively demand locally available and sustainable energy choices, rather than importing another fuel that has impacts far worse than its benefits.