Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.
Sunny Hawaii, the travel ads say.
Solar energy advocates say the same thing, but they phrase it differently: "Hawaii has one of the best insolation rates in the nation."
One of the forms of solar energy is photovolta-
ics (PV). Its promise and some of its problems are explored in a "Guidebook on Photovoltaic Applications in Hawaii," recently released by the state Department of Planning and Economic Development. It was prepared by Ronald C. Richmond as a guide for those considering the use of photovoltaic systems in their homes or businesses.
Photovoltaics is the technology that converts sunshine directly to electricity. The state is interested in photovoltaics and other alternate energy sources as a means of getting away from expensive petroleum. Hawaii now imports more than 90 percent of its energy, in the form of petroleum.
The guidebook says, "Photovoltaics is a clean, safe, reliable, renewable energy source which consumes no fuel and creates no waste in the production of electricity."
But it’s expensive. "Pure silicon, referred to as single-crystal silicon, is the most commonly used material in the manufacture of solar cells today," the guidebook says.
It continues, "Unfortunately, single-crystal silicon does not exist in nature. It is man-made. The manufacturing process is energy intensive and costly." …
Despite the cost, "PV systems are rapidly becoming the most cost-effective source of electri-
city in remote areas," the guidebook says. Utility lines can be extended to such areas, but the cost will be high.
It is estimated that more than 300 homes on the Big Island have small PV systems. All are far from utility service. Remote residential systems are also known to be in place on other Islands, although no formal surveys have been made.
The guidebook quotes an informal survey conducted by DPED’s Energy Extension Service in 1983 that shows there are about a half dozen distributors and about a dozen dealers in photovoltaics in the state.
"Photovoltaics is an emerging industry and as commercialization becomes more widespread, career opportunities will increase," the guidebook says.
