If Larry Ellison’s Pulama Lanai truly is a “sustainability focused company” it would be concerned about how defection would impact Lanai’s electricity rates rather than simply taking a self-serving approach with its proposed micro-grid project.

Anything less is simply green-washing for the sole benefit of its uber-expensive resorts at the expense of other Lanai businesses and residents and even other Pulama Lanai entities not connected to the micro-grid.

Especially on a small island like Lanai, any incremental and piecemeal project-based approach, no matter how “green,” is the antithesis of needed transformation in a rapidly changing technological environment affecting the energy, water, telecommunications and transportation sectors.

Through Pulama Lanai’s decision to install a micro-grid, the island is being challenged by a real world prisoner’s dilemma, which can only be resolved at this time through cooperation between Hawaiian Electric Company and Pulama Lanai.

The unacceptable choice is evident: The Lanai electric grid cannot remain a relic of the 20th century, pushing out a single product (electricity) through a one way pipeline.

What is required is a clear vision and the urgency to achieve an organizational culture and operational fortitude to plan out and implement a thorough and thoughtful system wide strategy to redesign Lanai’s critical infrastructure and make wise investments to benefit the Lanai community as a whole.

Lanai should be a model for major transformation, showcasing a multi-dimensional utility smart grid incorporating energy, water, telecommunications and transportation infrastructure.

So it baffles me why the founder of one of the world’s largest computer software companies has not proposed using his company’s suite of enterprise and utility products to help solve this real world prisoner’s dilemma to manage networks and assets, improve energy efficiency to deliver essential services so the entire island of Lanai can “thrive in a sustainable, affordable energy and water future” too.