{"id":3136,"date":"2010-11-05T20:16:18","date_gmt":"2010-11-06T00:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.energyrefuge.com\/blog\/?p=3136"},"modified":"2017-09-05T17:51:06","modified_gmt":"2017-09-05T21:51:06","slug":"ngo-raises-concerns-over-palm-oil-supply-to-hawaii-utility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.energyrefuge.com\/blog\/ngo-raises-concerns-over-palm-oil-supply-to-hawaii-utility\/","title":{"rendered":"NGO Raises Concerns Over Palm Oil Supply to Hawaii Utility"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Via Flickr\/angela7dreams<\/figcaption><\/figure>Rainforest Rescue, a Germany-based organization focused on rainforest protection, has issued a statement<\/a> saying that HECO, Hawaii\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s largest electricity generator, is on the way to becoming one of the U.S. largest importers of palm oil as the company this summer got permission to burn 2.56 million gallons in two power stations.
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Palm oil has become a sore spot on the biofuel landscape as it has caused deforestation and habitat loss in south-east Asia and West Africa.<\/p>\n

Expansion<\/strong><\/p>\n

HECO will be getting its palm oil from Sime Darby, which Rainforest Rescue says is one of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s largest palm oil companies, with huge plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia and expansion plans to Indonesia and West Africa. <\/p>\n

According to information on Sime Darby\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s website, the company owns 530,987 hectares planted with palm oil in Malaysia and Indonesia and has \u00e2\u20ac\u0153acquired a 63-year concession in Liberia to develop 220,000 hectares of land into oil palm and rubber estates\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

The company supports the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an initiative started in 2004 to promote \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

But it will be a steep climb for Sime Darby to convince environmentalists that it has cleaned up its act. A report published by Greenpeace in 2007 accuses the company of being directly involved in the destruction of rainforests and peatlands, including orang-utan habitat for palm oil. Greenpeace also accused the company of illegal forest clearing and breach of human rights<\/p>\n

Rainforest Rescue says that despite all this, the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) has allowed HECO to classify palm oil from Sime Darby as sustainable. The NGO adds: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Regardless of where HECO gets their palm oil from, more demand will, directly or indirectly, mean more plantation expansion and thus more deforestation, land conflicts and evictions.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Energy Refuge could not reach NRDC with a request for comment on the issue.<\/p>\n

HECO versus Solar
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HECO recently lost a battle it was fighting against solar companies in Hawaii as the company opposed to a newly-approved feed-in tariff program for solar projects of up to 500 kilowatts to sell power back to the grid. HECO had argued that added distributed resources could destabilize the islands\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 power grids. Hawaii has the most ambitious clean energy mandate in the U.S. with a target of 40% by 2030.<\/p>\n

Video<\/strong><\/p>\n

Watch a CNN report on palm oil and its attempt to clean up its image broadcast this week. Sincere efforts to be sustainable or just greenwashing? Share your view!<\/p>\n

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