Excellent article:

From: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/11/16/news/kauai_news/doc491fd91...

"A template for Lihu‘e tomorrow"
Visiting architects offer plan for sustainable town
By Luke Shanahan and Michael Levine - The Garden Island
Published: Sunday, November 16, 2008

"Community leaders and concerned citizens this week welcomed a team of architects from around the country for a workshop on sustainable design ideas for Lihu‘e, with three days of work summed up in a presentation Friday evening at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center.

The Sustainable Design Assessment Team program, which aims to provide broad assessments to help frame future policies and sustainability solutions, featured presentations on five main areas — land use and smart growth, transportation and transit, housing affordability, economic development and renewable energy — in setting up a “template for Lihu‘e’s tomorrow.”

Over three days, SDAT members, working in conjunction with the American Institute of Architects and traveling to Kaua‘i from as far away as New York and Washington, D.C., spoke with community members to get up to speed on design and development issues particular to the island in general, and the Lihu‘e area, specifically from the Wailua River to the Tree Tunnel road.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2008/10/27/daily39.html

Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Four Hawaii cities had the highest air travel price index increases among the top 85 airport markets during the second quarter of 2008.

Kona had the highest percentage change, up 36.1 percent during the April-June period compared to the same period a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

While average airfares and air travel price indexes — ATPI — are similar, average airfares measure the actual amount airline passengers paid for tickets, including taxes and fees, while ATPI measures the rise in airfares, according to the department.

The airfare study was compiled by the Transportation Department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics, using data from the country’s largest airports.

Kahului, Maui, ranked second with an increase of 33.8 percent, followed by Lihue, Kauai, at 32.2 percent. Honolulu was fourth with an increase of 23.9 percent.

The nationwide average ATPI increased 7.2 percent during the period, according to the report.

Hawaii’s figures may reflect the price increases that occurred when two airlines, Aloha and ATA, declared bankruptcy in late March and early April, respectively.

Thursday, October 23, 2008
For all clickable links, see: http://alohaanalytics.blogspot.com/2008/10/oil-price-temporarily-low.htm...

Regarding recent posts here on the price of oil:

Looking for Good Information on Commodity Deflation
Oil Price Changing Short-term Outlook for Hawaii
KIUC Should Act on Limited Risk Hedging NOW
Why was there the Recent Run-Up and Down of Oil Prices?

Here are two more good new videos to watch on this:

Oil Seen Trading at $95 Bbl in 2009
Oil Prices Plummet

Regarding Budgetary Oil Price Floors for Individual OPEC Countries:

From: www.rgemonitor.com
"GCC Gov't Expenditure: Will Lower Oil Prices Endanger Budget Expansion?"

"2008 budgets expanded cautiously after overspending in previous oil booms led to period of underspending. Falling oil prices may cause governments to cut fiscal spending in 2009. The lowest breakeven oil price that would bring 2008-2009 budgets into balance is in Saudi Arabia ($30/bbl), followed by UAE ($40/bbl) and Qatar ($55/bbl). Therefore, that means that Saudi Arabia can maintain the current level of budget spending even if the oil price were to fall to $30/bbl. The highest breakeven is in Kuwait ($75/bbl), but that is mainly due to the one-off budget transfer of c.$20bn to capitalize the social security system in FY08/09. The average breakeven for GCC is $50/bbl (Merrill Lynch)

http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/10/20/news/kauai_news/doc48fc32a...
Water, sun and hydrogen help power Kilauea man’s van
By Michael Levine - The Garden Island
Published: Monday, October 20, 2008

KILAUEA — Most people have heard the myth of the water-powered car. While some of the principles are still more science fiction than science, a Kilauea man says he has figured out a way to get significantly improved fuel efficiency from his car with the help of water, the sun and some ingenuity.

Dan Green, whose fortuitous surname graces his Web site at www.mrgreenenergy.com, believes the technology, called HHO for the molecular elements of water, could change the way we all drive and lessen our dependence on fossil fuels.

“This is free knowledge, and knowledge is power, and power should be given to the people, especially in times like these,” Green said. “It’s our God-given right to harness solar and wind power. Water falls from the sky, that’s a God-given element as well.”

Technically, Green’s modified 1985 Volkswagen Westfalia van is not “water-powered” or “solar-powered,” but hydrogen fuel-enhanced, he explains. The process works like this:

∫ Solar panels on top of the van convert the sun’s rays into electricity, “trickle-charging” a second battery Green has installed.

∫ The electricity is run through a stainless steel electrolysis cell submerged in a small four-cup tube of water in the vehicle’s trunk.

http://www.kedb.com/energyconference.asp

Presented by Kaua`i Economic Development Board in Partnership with the United States Department of Energy, County of Kaua`i Office of Economic Development, and Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative

Friday, October 17, 2008
For all graphs and clickable links see:
http://alohaanalytics.blogspot.com/2008/10/oil-price-changing-short-term...

Editor's Note -- An ABC Video has since come out on Oct. 20, 2008 on these matters: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=10291122

"Oil Price Changing Short-term Outlook for Hawaii"

Don't blink while watching these financial markets, you might have missed the significance of what has happened to oil prices.

Of course here in Hawaii we see it at the gas pump, first time in more than a decade that gas prices don't seem to be "sticky" at high prices when the price per barrel of oil came down.

Oil was at it's all time high price per barrel this past July 11, 2008, at $147/barrel, when gas prices in much of Hawaii were about $5/gallon. The state was in real trouble at that point. Now with presumed deflationary events in the wider economy and credit markets, most consumable commodities have come down 30 to 50% in the past 3 months. Oil is at $71/barrel as of today, Oct. 17, 2008, and gasoline in Hawaii is below $4.00/gallon even on the outer islands.

Also of interest and importance, jet fuel is down 48% from its high in July 2008, now equal to the price that it was at in early Sept. 2007, when things started to go south. Marine diesel fuel (MDO) is down 30% from its high in July 2008. Other noteable commodities, such as steel and aluminium, are also off their highs.

Posted on: Sunday, October 5, 2008

Electric-car plans target Hawaii
Mainland firm devising network of stations to recharge vehicles

By Christie Wilson
Advertiser Maui Bureau

The next car you buy could be powered by electricity.
Advertisement
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Electric vehicles are expected to be available in Hawai'i's auto showrooms in 2011, and Palo Alto, Calif.-based company Better Place is planning to build a vast network of charging stations on four islands to keep them rolling.

The system would tap into the state's growing renewable energy industry and could help Hawai'i break its $7 billion-a-year addiction to fossil fuels, said Pete Cooper, in charge of global development for Better Place.

"We're really a catalyst to accelerate the move to electric vehicles and the shift away from fossil-fuel energy," he said.

The company is developing an electric recharge grid for Israel, where it will install 500,000 charging stations and 150 battery-exchange depots for cars made by Renault. The first prototypes are expected to hit the road this winter.

Officials in Denmark have agreed to a similar program.

Hawai'i is an ideal market for electric vehicles because of its geographical containment and the relatively short distances traveled by most motorists, Cooper said. Other pluses are the state's vast potential for renewable energy, such as wind, solar, ocean, geothermal and biofuels, and the determination of local leaders to reduce Hawai'i's dependence on imported oil.

http://kauaiworld.com/articles/2008/09/30/news/news07.txt
County adds new Westside bus routes

by The Garden Island

To meet the growing need for increased public transportation on the Westside on weekdays, county officials announced yesterday the addition of two new bus routes effective Oct. 1.

“The first two buses departing Kekaha at 5:27 and 6:15 a.m. on weekdays are at capacity,” said Janine Rapozo, executive on transportation, in a written statement. “So we’ve added another early morning route that leaves Kekaha at 5:57 a.m., which should provide relief to those who have had to stand and also add capacity for new riders.”
*

The afternoon routes heading out to the Westside have had high ridership, too, noted Rapozo, explaining that the 3:35 and 4:35 p.m. route 200 buses that leave Wal-Mart bound for Kekaha are also at capacity.

“To fill this demand, we’re adding a 4:05 p.m. route 200 bus,” Rapozo said.

Another recent change made to The Kaua‘i Bus schedule is the addition to route 200 of an on-call bus stop at Brydeswood located at the edge of Kalaheo.

“Hopefully, these changes will address the growing demand for bus service on Kaua‘i for now,” said Rapozo, adding that she along with the Transportation Advisory Committee are in the process of evaluating ridership on all the routes.

“If further changes need to be made, then we’ll certainly try to implement them,” said Rapozo.

In light of today’s high gas prices, Rapozo encourages residents and visitors to ride The Kaua‘i Bus.

Enhancing Kaua`i’s Public Transportation to reduce traffic and CO2 emissions will be the topic of the Kaua`i Planning & Action Alliance (KPAA) Fall Meeting from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Kaua`i Community College Cafeteria. Janine Rapozo, County Transportation Agency Executive, will share the latest plans for the Kaua`i Bus. Join the discussion about additional transit options. For more information go to KPAA’s website www.kauainetwork.org or call 632-2005.

Mahalo!

Rayne

Kaua`i Planning & Action Alliance

2959 Umi Street, Suite 201

Lihu`e, HI 96766

Tel: 808.632.2005

Fax: 808.632.2018

Website: www.kauainetwork.org

Bringing people together to create a better future for Kaua`i

'Enhancing Kauai's Public Transportation' presentation and discussion. Speaker: Janine Rapozo, County Transportation Agency executive. Sponsor: Kauai Planning & Action Alliance. Thursday, Sept. 25, 3 to 4:30pm. At Kauai Community College Cafeteria.