The U.S. Department of Agriculture has guaranteed a $110 million loan for a Hawaiian utility cooperative that has biodiesel as part of its power generation efforts.
BusinessWeek reports the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative received the federal guarantee:
[T]he guarantee includes nearly $73 million for hydroelectric plant improvements and a 10-megawatt naphtha/biodiesel fueled combustion turbine.
[Hawaii’s Sen. Daniel] Inouye says the funds will help Kauai further harness the power of water and biofuel as part of the effort to lessen Kauai County’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. [Sen. Daniel] Akaka says the homegrown energy sources keep dollars in Hawaii while reducing air, land and water pollution.