Editor,

Peter Goldstern's hat had better be edible. Relying on generating power only from a central location for a collection of small and mostly low lying islands spread over a vast area of ocean is the wrong model. It was the wrong model then, now and will be into the future and to quote Dr Chu as evidence in this way is being disingenuous.

The whole of Tonga need a combination of a small number of conventional power plants supplemented by personally owned and operated solar/wind technology for domestic use. That will enable and allow every Tongan family to have access to some electricity no matter which island they're on. And today the entry level to both solar and wind-generated power for domestic use is affordable, viable, sustainable and very eco-friendly.

Although most of the power consumption in Tongatapu is domestic, we will still need some conventional centralized generating capacity into the foreseeable future for the commercial and general business use around Nuku'alofa and possibly Neiafu and Pangai. But as much as possible of the domestic demand from the national grid can instead be met from personally-owned solar and wind-generated power now. Solar and wind-generated electricity like this should be the norm for lighting and light domestic use anywhere in the kingdom. This balanced approach will rationalize power generation and consumption as a model for the future in which renewable energy sources are introduced into the mix where it is most suited.

But Mr Goldstern's efforts has not entirely been futile. Renewable resources such as the saafa will be a better alternative to diesel and will also address another socio-economic issue ...– unproductive land owned by absent owners or by lazy locals. Saafa will be the new squash pumpkin. And we will have a new commercial product for the agricultural sector and all that this will bring so a hat-tip goes his way.

I draw the line however, at his suggestion of power for Tongatapu via a marine cable. Clearly, Mr Goldstern is so attached to the idea of conventional centralized power generation by any means that he is unable to see an alternative model. The very idea of windmills on the hills of 'Eua suggests that Mr Goldstern should forget about eating his hat in public. It would be more fitting to see him in full armor on a horse carrying a lance and slewing you-know-what up there.


Sefita Hao'uli