Energy and fish demos on Big Island science tour

A new tour has started at the Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology Park at the Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii (NELHA) on the Kona coast of the Big Island. The tour starts with a short presentation of how warm surface seawater and cold, deep ocean water are used to do everything from making electricity and growing wine grapes to cultivating the tender “ezo”abalone. The tour continues to a working Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Plant, then to the Kampachi Farms where guests will see Kampachi (Amber Jack) and other fish including gigantic grouper. The tour culminates at the Big Island Abalone farm, where farmers show how four million cold water abalone are hatched, cultivated, graded and shipped. A tasting of both smoked Kampachi and grilled abalone are served during the tours. This tour is offered each Friday morning. (http://www.energyfuturehawaii.org)