For Immediate Release: June 26, 2006
DBEDT Release News 06-18

Honolulu--The U.S. Department of Energy, through its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), has authorized technical assistance to the State and County of Hawaii to support a study of non-electric uses of geothermal heat.

"This is another important step in the broad mosaic of energy initiatives the Lingle Administration has for Hawaii," said DBEDT Director Theodore E. Liu. "The more we can develop indigenous energy resources, the more control we will have of our own energy future."

The assistance, which will involve consultations on topics such as appropriate heat exchanger design, will be provided by the Geo-Heat Center of the Oregon Institute of Technology.

A number of mostly agricultural enterprises which can use geothermal heat are being examined. The heat could be used, for instance, to warm flats of seeds in greenhouses, speeding germination, or to pasteurize growing media. Other potential uses include drying agricultural commodities such as papayas or lumber. The feasibility study is scheduled for completion in February 2007.

For more information, contact:
Dave Young
Communications
Phone: (808) 587-1212
Email: dyoung@dbedt.hawaii.gov