Hawaii Welcomes Two New Solar Projects
While wind and hydroelectric projects are being held up by community and conservation concerns, two new solar projects are moving forward. One project will turn an industrial disposal site into a solar farm and the other will bring solar power to several state military sites.
On Thursday, August 18, 2011, a Hawaiian blessing was performed by senior scientist and cultural advisor for the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Dr. Samuel M. ‘Ohukani‘ōhi‘a Gon III, at a Kapolei location formerly used as an industrial waste dump. The site – described as a “brownfield” – has been chosen to be transformed into a “brightfield”. Since 1986 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered the site to be sealed under plastic and asphalt, it has been unusable for development. But given Hawaii’s limited space and great need for renewable energy, the 12-acres are being reclaimed and converted into a solar farm.
Forest City Hawaii is responsible for developing the photovoltaic (PV) project and Hoku Solar will design and install the more than 4,200 solar panels. The solar farm will provide 1.18 megawatts of solar power to Oahu, helping to alleviate the state’s dependence on fossil fuels. Once it is up and running, Hoku Corporation CEO Scott Paul says the brightfield “will produce enough electricity to power between 150 and 250 homes with clean, solar energy” and “reduce Hawaii’s dependence on oil by more than 55,000 barrels” over the next twenty years. (Source) Pending approval by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, Forest City hopes to have the Kapolei Sustainable Energy Park operational by the end of the year.
On Friday, August 19, 2011, the largest solar energy government contract in the state of Hawaii was awarded to a California company and two Honolulu companies, Island Pacific Energy and Pacific Energy Solutions. The half billion-dollar project will involve installation of Solar Power Generation Systems (SPGS) on roofs, parking shade structures and vacant pieces of land at various military sites throughout the state. Some of the facilities that will benefit from the solar power project include the Marine Corps Base, Schofield Barracks, and Tripler Army Medical Center on Oahu; the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai; and the Army Reserve Center on Maui. This massive project will take an estimated five years to complete and will greatly contribute to the state’s clean energy goals.
Both the military solar project and the “brownfield to brightfield” project are encouraging evidence of a statewide movement toward sustainability. Efficient use of renewable resources is a crucial key to decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels and cultivating a cleaner, more sustainable way of life, for ourselves and our future.
