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NELHA
Gateway
The NELHA Gateway will be located at the entrance to the Hawaii
Ocean Science & Technology (HOST) Park of the Natural Energy
Laboratory of Hawaii. Intended to serve as a premier center
for research and development, demonstration, deployment, education,
outreach and techno-tourism, a campus setting is envisioned that
will focus on three primary topics:
1. Distributed Energy Resources (DER)
2. Ocean Sciences, Marine Bio-products, and Related Fields
3. Education, Outreach, Tourism
Distributed Energy Resources (DER)
As noted above, phase one of the NELHA Gateway shall focus on
renewable energy technologies and house the NELHA Gateway Distributed
Energy Resources Center. As an island state with no indigenous
fossil fuel resources, Hawaii has a need to encourage renewable
energy technologies. Hawaii already ranks high among states
measuring non-hydro renewable energy as a percentage of total
energy consumed. Through initial construction funding from a
grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), the NELHA
Gateway provides the opportunity and foundation for a national
test bed dedicated to development, testing, demonstration and
deployment of cutting edge distributed energy technologies.
Serving as an incubator for companies focused on renewable/distributed
energy generation and related fields, the development of industry
partnerships is a key program element. National partners will
advance market penetration overseas thereby bridging U.S. technology
with Asia-Pacific needs.
The Big Island is an ideal location for such a facility for
several reasons including:
1. Its current position as a front-runner nationally among states
utilizing renewable energy resources;
2. Its urgent need for additional, proven distributed energy
resources;
3. Ability to provide a model demonstration site for less developed
economies exclusive of the difficulties encountered with working
outside of the United States;
4. Its proximity to potential markets in the Asia-Pacific region;
5. Existing and proposed DER (both private and public sector)
projects afford partnering opportunities to maximize resources
and enhance the knowledge base;
6. Existing DER, hybrid energy projects, and community support
allow Hawaii to be a leader in the nation as a model for research,
development, demonstration and deployment of DER projects.
Simultaneously the HOST Park and Natural Energy Laboratory of
Hawaii offer the ideal specific site for the facility for numerous
reasons including:
1. NELHA's significant support infrastructure and NELHA Gateway
opportunities;
2. NELHA's successful track record in incubating technology
companies;
3. NELHA's successful track record in managing, developing and
implementing renewable energy pilot projects;
4. NELHA's proven success in development and execution of collaborative
initiatives with both public and private sector partners including
addressing applicable policy issues with policy-makers and elected
officials;
5. NELHA's recognition by USDOE, industry and academic partners,
and the general public as the "gateway" to distributed
generation for Hawaii, Pacific Islands, and Asia;
6. NELHA's positive outreach efforts and community acceptance
allows for acceleration of public acceptance of DER technologies;
7. NELHA's proven ability to utilize its unique resources to
support cutting-edge technology;
8. NELHA's strategic planning and visioning which is designed
to achieve fiscal self-sufficiency for the State facilities
at NELHA's Keahole point site, enhance the knowledge base in
numerous fields with local, national and international implications,
stimulate economic diversification and stability, and support
workforce development initiatives;
9. NELHA's proven success in developing and executing education
and outreach opportunities for K-12, post-secondary, and the
general public.
Other factors including NELHA's unique resources (access to
both deep cold and warm surface seawater), high solar insolation,
location adjacent to the Kona International Airport, and proximity
to Kailua-Kona and South Kohala resorts also lend support to
successful situating of the facility and program.
NELHA has begun developing strong partnering opportunities to
ensure maximization of resources. One such effort with New Mexico
Tech is the basis for a new initiative for an Integrated Distributed
Generation Applications and Deployment Program in a joint effort
between New Mexico and Hawaii through NELHA and New Mexico Tech.
In November 2001, Senator Daniel K. Inouye announced that the
Senate Appropriations Committee authorized $0.5million for this
effort in its Fiscal Year 2002 Departments of Energy and Water
Development Appropriations Bill. The Hawaii Natural Energy Institute
(HNEI) of the University of Hawaii has been selected by the
NELHA Board of Directors to represent NELHA's interests in conducting
research and development in this joint effort which will serve
as the "anchor" project at the NELHA Gateway Distributed
Energy Resources Center.
Additional renewable energy project collaborations with other
academic institutions, the National Laboratories, and industry
partners are currently being developed and will be announced
as they are formalized.
Ocean Sciences, Marine Bio-products, and Related
Fields
For the NELHA Gateway's second focus area, the NELHA Board of
Directors will soon be issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP)
for a "centerpiece" commercial development that will
engage primarily in various ocean-related theme activities at
its Keahole Point site. Examples of the broad areas of interest
for this Ocean Centerpiece may include and are not limited to:
• Ocean theme exhibit and aquarium facilities and associated
commercial activities;
• Marine research laboratory and support facilities; ocean
theme education and outreach facilities;
• Facilities encompassing applied research, development
and demonstration of prominent and/or emerging ocean technologies;
and
• Commercially viable enterprises that are compatible with
and enhance the theme of the proposed Ocean Centerpiece.
Efforts are already underway to "jump start" the Ocean
Centerpiece with recent discussions between NELHA, the Kohala
Center, and Cornell University Oceanography & Marine Sciences
representatives focusing on the establishment of a marine bio-diversity
center and partnering opportunities.
NELHA is also matching funds to a U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) grant received by the Oceanic Institute (OI) to develop
a Finfish Demonstration Facility in the Hawaii Ocean Science
& Technology (HOST) Park at NELHA's Keahole Point facilities.
OI's facility is currently scheduled for completion in 2002
and will include an interim exhibit and public presentation
facility for NELHA pending completion of NELHA Gateway facilities.
Discussions have also recently been held between NELHA, National
Marine Sanctuary Foundation and Hawaii Marine Sanctuary, and
others including Jean-Michel Cousteau and Ocean Futures Society
to identify partnering opportunities. A draft concept piece
entitled "Integrated Program Proposal - Hawaii Island Humpback
Whales" was developed and is currently being reviewed and
considered for implementation. The concept is to produce a suite
of video productions that will serve as an integrated awareness
program designed to serve both promotional and education purposes.
Partnering opportunities with others including the University
of Hawaii, Marine Bioengineering Center (MarBEC), National Oceanic
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), University of California Santa Barbara, and others are
also currently being explored.
Education, Outreach, Tourism
Education and outreach is being incorporated into all aspects
of the NELHA Gateway project including pre-construction planning.
Weekly public presentations have traditionally been offered
once each week to allow attendees an opportunity to learn about
the various NELHA activities. NELHA in partnership with the
University of Hawaii Sea Grant Extension Service and Hawaii
Community College has offered two sixteen-week sessions to offer
docent training to participants. The first program resulted
in seventeen individuals receiving certificates of completion
who now participate in NELHA's education and outreach program
by serving as NELHA Ambassadors. The second session is currently
underway with sixteen participants seeking to become certified
ambassadors. These efforts have allowed NELHA to develop plans
for daily public presentations to meet the requests from residents
and non-residents alike for such expansion. The efforts have
also spawned the creation of the "Friends of NELHA",
a non-profit organization formed to support ongoing education
and outreach programs at NELHA.
NELHA's education and outreach efforts are also being boosted
by the development of the NELHA Gateway facilities which will
include auditorium-style seating for presentations, exhibits
and interactive displays. An emphasis on K-12 education in addition
to university level opportunities will be incorporated into
the planning and development of the NELHA Gateway facilities
and programs. Partnerships with the State of Hawaii Department
of Education, Universities, and others are being developed to
enhance these efforts.
In all aspects of the NELHA Gateway, the intent is to allow
the public, private and academic sector partners to develop
and implement programs that will offer a higher level of success
than would be experienced by each sector independently.
For more information on the NELHA Gateway, please contact:
Ronald N. Baird
Chief Executive Officer
Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA)
73-4460 Queen Kaahumanu Highway, #101
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740-2632
Phone: (808) 329-7341
Fax: (808) 326-3262
E-mail: ronb@nelha.org
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