Political Quotes

“One of the things I would like to add is a specific technology that is happening that is trying to be developed in the State of Hawaii and which is a perfect example of the kind of partnership between the clean-energy industry and some of the more traditional companies. It is called seawater air conditioning. Even with my nonengineering background, I can understand it. It is cold water from deep within the ocean that cools air conditioning systems. Rather than using electricity to try to cool water and cool air and blow it through, you just grab the cold water and put it into the pipes and it cools systems. This makes perfect sense for Waikiki and for the physical plant of Waikiki as well as our millions and millions of visitors and our thousands and thousands of hotel rooms and our 38-cent kilowatt costs. One of the highest cost drivers--more than labor and more than our physical plant--is the cost of energy for the Waikiki hotels. We believe that having a private sector company--one that is trying to build a seawater air conditioning system which would be environmentally conscious--move into Waikiki can literally save 40 percent for all Waikiki hotels. This is an extraordinary opportunity. The Sheraton and the Royal Hawaiian and the Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Queen Kapiolani Hotel, and all of these wonderful hotels, I know their GMs, I know the work they do, I know their employees, and they are all doing great work.…”