Hawaii’s Clean Energy Leaders
The 40 renewable energy projects cited on this web page are demonstrating progress in becoming commercial enterprises that have potential in assisting the State of Hawaii achieve its collective goals under the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative. If your efforts to develop clean energy projects are as dynamic as theirs, you could join them as a Hawaii Clean Energy Leader.
Learn about current renewable energy projects in Hawaii with the Island Clean Energy Projects interactive maps.
| Project Developer | Island | Resource | Project Description |
Proposed Projection Capacity |
|
| 1 (1)* |
First Wind | Oahu | Wind | First Wind plans its fourth wind farm in Hawaii with a capacity of up to 70 MW on former sugar cane land, owned by Kamehameha Schools northeast of Haleiwa. It would produce enough energy to supply 14,500 homes, based on estimated wind output figures. Owner: First Wind | 70 MW |
| 2 (5)* |
Puna Geothermal Venture/Ormat | Hawaii | Geothermal | Expansion of existing 30 MW facility, in operation since 1993, would add 8 MW of dispatchable power. Currently PGV supplies up to 31% of the state’s renewable energy resources and 20% of the electricity used on the Big Island. Owner operator: Ormat | 8 MW |
| 3 (2)* |
HPOWER Expansion | Oahu | Waste-to-Energy | The City & County of Honolulu’s garbage-to energy plant, in operation since 1990, is adding a third boiler to increase its capacity to burn garbage from 600,000 to 900,000 tons per year. H-Power’s 46 MW facility at Campbell Industrial Park can increase production from 4.5% to 6% of Oahu’s electricity. Currently, the plant reduces the volume of refuse going to landfill by 90%; an estimated 500 acres have been saved from landfill use. Owner: City & County of Honolulu. Operator: Covanta Energy. | 30 MW |
| 4 (3)* |
Sempra Energy (Auwahi Project) | Maui | Wind | Integrated wind 21MW and 12 MW battery energy storage project to be built at Ulupalakua Ranch can produce enough power for 10,000 homes. Owner: Sempra Generation | 21 MW |
| 5 (4)* |
First Wind | Maui | Wind | Phase 2 of Kaheawa Wind will add 21 MW to the existing 30 MW wind facility which has been operating above Maalaea since 2006 and is the largest commercial scaled wind project in Hawaii. Currently, Kaheawa Wind I’s 20 turbines can produce 9% of Maui’s electricity needs, enough power for 11,000 homes. In five years of operation, it has saved some 900,000 barrels of oil. The 14-turbine expansion will power 20,000 homes and will include a 10 MW of battery storage. Owner: First Wind | 21 MW |
| 6 (6)* |
Honua Technologies | Oahu | Waste-to-Energy | Biomass combustion system that will burn construction debris, creating a synthetic gas to turn a turbine to create electricity. For its first phase, Honua plans to convert 350+ tons/day of construction debris, saving 100,000 tons of waste from landfill. Owner: Honua Technologies | 6 MW |
| 7 (9)* |
Green Energy Hawaii | Kauai | Biomass | Biomass fired generation anticipated to provide power to 8,500 homes on Kauai. | 7 MW |
| 8 (15)* |
Honeywell UOP | Oahu | Biofuel | Honeywell UOP is conducting a pilot project to convert various biomass resources for green gasoline for transportation. The Integrated Biorefinery, funded by a $25 million US Department of Energy grant, is a project by UOP, a subsidiary of Honeywell. If successful, a 50 million-gallon facility could be built with the potential to create 1,000 jobs in production and refinary operations. Owner: Honeywell UOP. Operator: Honeywell UOP | 50 million gallons by 2014 |
| 9 (8)* |
Hu Honua Bioenergy | Hawaii | Biomass | The Hilo Coast Power Company in Pepe’ekeo will be upgraded to run on 100% locally grown eucalyptus trees and other biomass that would normally be thrown into landfills. What was once an old sugar plantation power plant will be transformed into a modern biofuel facility that will provide enough power for 18,000 homes, about 7 to 10% of the Big Island’s total electricity needs. Owner: MMA Renewable Ventures | 25 MW |
| 10 (10)* |
Castle & Cooke | Oahu | Photovoltaic | Four 5 MW solar farms to be built at about 120 acres at Mililani Agricultural Park will generate up to 20 MW, enough to power 6,000 homes. Land owner: Castle & Cooke, Developers/operators to be determined. | 20 MW (4 x 5 MW) |
| 11 (11)* |
Phycal Pilot Facility | Oahu | Biofuel (algae) | Phycal will supply up to 150,000 gallons of algae-base biofuel to HECO’s Kahe Generating Station. This is part of a pilot project based in a 34-acre facility near Wahiawa, to be followed with demonstation project that aims to produce up to 3 million gallons of algae biofuel. Owner: Phycal Inc. | 150,000 gallons per year up to 3 million gallons per year |
| 12 (12)* |
Pacific Biodiesel | Hawaii | Biofuel | The Big Island Biodiesel refinery plant, Hawaii’s newest and most advanced biodiesel processing facility by the state’s first commercial biofuel producer, will process used cooking oil, trap grease, and locally grown crops into fuel for vehicles and equipment with diesel engines. Owner: Pacific Biodiesel, Inc. | 2.6 million gallons per year |
| 13 (13)* |
Kalaeloa Solar Two, LLC (SunPower)/ Dept of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) | Oahu | Photovoltaic | Kalaeloa Solar Two is a 5 MW photovoltaic power plant being developed by SunPower on a DHHL parcel adjacent to Kalaeloa Solar One (Keahole Solar Power). The two power plants – Kalaeloa Solar One and Two – will provide 10 MW of energy; enough to power 2,500 homes. | 5 MW |
| 14 (7)* |
Aina Koa Pono | Hawaii | Biomass, Biofuel | Aina Koa Pono would produce between 3,000 and 5,000 gallons of liquid fuel per acre per year suitable as a substitute for petroleum fuels in power plants or transportation. | 2.7 MW; 24 million gallons per year |
| 15 (14)* |
Castle & Cooke | Lanai | Wind | The planned 200 MW wind farm will utilize of some of the best wind in the world blowing over 12,800 acres in northwest Lana’i. Power will be transmitted to O’ahu via a proposed undersea interisland cable. Owner: Castle & Cooke | 200 MW |
| 16 (new) | A&B/McBryde Port Allen Solar Facility | Kauai | Solar | This 6 MW facility is to be built on 20 acres of industrial land next to KIUC’s Port allen Station Power plant. Construction is expected to be completed at the end of 2012 pending permitting and regulatory approvals. | 6 MW |
| 17 (16)* |
Honolulu Sea Water Air Conditioning (HSWAC) | Oahu | Sea Water A/C | Cold, deep seawater will provide cooling for about 12.5 million square feet in some 40 buildings in downtown Honolulu. The 25,000-ton system is estimated to cut electricity consumption for air conditioning by 75% (air conditioning represents 35%-45% of a building’s energy use), and reduce potable water and chemical use. Owner: Renewable Energy Innovations/Ever-Green Energy LLC | 25,000 ton cooling load |
| 18 (17)* |
Scatec/Hunt Development | Oahu | Solar | Proposed 21,000 module system on a Marine Corps WW2 battlefield. Scatec Solar North America and Hunt ELP are partnering on the solar farm, which would use 20 acres of land. A 5-megawatt array would provide enough power for up to 5,000 homes. | 5.9 MW |
| 19 (19)* |
Gen-X (Northern Power) | Hawaii | Wind | Big Island Beef. Gen-X Energy Development, LLC is a Hawaii based energy development firm. | 100-200 kW |
| 20 (19)* |
Gen-X (Northern Power) | Hawaii | Wind | Hawaii Water Service Co. (Waikoloa Village). Gen-X Energy Development, LLC is a Hawaii based energy development firm. | 100-200 kW |
| 21 (22)* |
West Wind Works – Na Pua Makani | Oahu | Wind | Oregon-based company plans a 10-turbine wind farm near the Kahuku Agricultural Park, east of the existing First Wind wind farm. Owner: West Wind Works | 25 MW |
| 22 (23)* |
BioEnergy Hawaii | Hawaii | Waste-to-Energy | Proposed solid waste conversion facility at NELHA would also create biofuel from algae. Solid waste diverted from the Puuanalulu landfill will be used to generate electricity and the carbon dioxide created at the plant will feed algae beds; the algae will be converted into biofuel for transportation. Owner: BioEnergy Hawaii | 11 MW |
| 23 (24)* |
AES (Cogeneration) | Oahu | Biomass-Coal Cogeneration | AES plans to add an additional 5MW of renewable energy per year, with the potential to increase up to 20MWs per year by burning eucalyptus if final testing is successful. This would augment the exisiting 180-megawatt operation that produces 18 percent of Oahu’s electricity. | 5 MW |
| 24 (25)* |
Clean River Power 16, LLC (Free Flow Power Corp.) (Kitano Water Power Project) | Kauai | Hydro | Project plans to use Kokee irrigation system exisiting Puu Lua reservoir. | 7.7 MW |
| 25(26)* | Clean River Power 15, LLC (Wailua River Hydroelectric Project) | Kauai | Hydro | This project plans to use intake 1000ft above Wailua Falls. The diversion will create a new reservoir of approx 35 acres. | 6.6 MW |
| 26(27)* | Kahawai Power 2, LLC (Free Flow Power Corp.) (Makaweli River Water Power Project) | Kauai | Hydro | Proposed project plans to use several diversions and intakes on tributaries to Makaweli River. | 6.6 MW |
| 27(28)* | Konohiki Hydro Power, LLC (Pacific Light & Power) (Puu Lua Project) | Kauai | Hydro | The Kokee Ditch will serve as the source for a modern, efficient pressurized irrigation system that will service over 6,000 acres of agricultural lands. The power generated at hydro facilities in Upper and Lower Puu Lua will be sold to the Kekaha Agricultural Association (KAA) and its members; the excess electricity will be made available to the island of Kauai. Owner: Konohiki Hydro Power, LLC/Pacific Light & Power. | 5.3 MW |
| 28 (29)* |
Kahawai Power 1, LLC (Hanalei River Hydroelectric Project) | Kauai | Hydro | Proposed project plans to use weirs and intakes on several tributaries on Hanalei River. | 3.5 MW |
| 29(30)* | Cellana/ClearFuels/Alexander & Baldwin | Maui | Biofuel (Algae) | From its six-acre demonstration facility on the Big Island’s Natural Energy Laboratory (NELHA), Cellana (formerly HR BioPetroleum) is developing microalgae strains in preparation for a planned commercial-scale algae biomass plant that will help fuel Maui Electric’s Maalaea Power Plant. Owner: Cellana LLC | 1.26 million gallons per year |
| 30(31)* | Kalaeloa Solar One, LLC (Keahole Solar Power)/Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands | Oahu | Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) | Kalaeloa Solar One is a 5 MW micro-CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) power plant being developed by Keahole Solar Power on a DHHL parcel adjacent to Kalaeloa Solar Two (SunPower). The two power plants – Kalaeloa Solar One and Two – will provide 10 MW of energy; enough to power 2,500 homes. | 5 MW |
| 31(32)* | IC Sunshine/Sun Edison | Oahu | Photovoltaic | This fixed-tilt, utility-scale project, the largest to achieve a power purchase agreement in Hawaii, will be built on a 20-acre solar farm in Campbell Industrial Park. Owner: Axio Power Holdings, LLC. | 5 MW |
| 32(33)* | Kikialoa Solar (Pacific Energy Partners) | Kauai | Photovoltaic | A solar farm is planned on 20 acres of former sugar land in Kekaha. When completed it is expected power up to 1000 homes Kauai homes. Owner: Pacific Energy Partners | 5 MW |
| 33 (34)* |
Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC)/Poipu Solar, LLC/AES Solar Power, LLC/Knudsen Trust Land | Kauai | Photovoltaic | Renewable energy to power more than 850 homes. The 3 MW polycrystalline panel facility will be integrated with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) installed by KIUC at the point of interconnection to the grid. | 3 MW |
| 34(35)* | Big Island Carbon | Hawaii | Biomass (Macadamia Nut Shell) | Macadamia nut shells discarded by Big Island growers will be transformed into granulated activated carbon used for air, water, and chemical purification. The shells can also be converted into biofuels that can be mixed with diesel to power the company’s facility, located in four-acres of Hawaiian Home Lands in Kawaihae. Owner: Big Island Carbon; Denham Capital Management | 1,000 tons granular activated carbon |
| 35 (new) | KIUC/ KRS One LLC, Anahola Solar | Kauai | Solar | Developed by California based REC solar, the project is being undertaken by the Homestead Community development corporation in Partnership with the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. The $50 million dollar project which is expects to create 100 jobs and be completed by the end of 2013. | 12 MW |
| 36 (36)* |
Molokai | Wind | Molokai Renewables is exploring the opportunity of installing 200 MW of wind on Molokai, with the electricity generation to be transmitted to Oahu via an undersea interisland cable. Owner: Pattern Energy and Bio-Logical Capital | 200 MW | |
| 37 (37)* |
Pacific West Energy | Kauai | Biofuel | The Company will convert existing and former sugar cane lands and woody biomass lands on the island of Kauai into an energy plantation by first constructing an approximately 20 megawatt (MW) capacity biomass power plant (Phase 1). In a subsequent phase, the Company intends to integrate biofuel (including ethanol) production (Phase 2). | 20 MW |
| 38 (38)* |
Wailua Reservoir | Kauai | Hydro | Project plans to use flow from existing 1400ft earthfill dam on Wailua reservoir, owned and operated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. | 2 MW |
| 39 (39)* |
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion | Oahu | Ocean | Makai Ocean Engineering has been deeply involved with Lockheed Martin and the US Navy in focusing on the commercial development of 100MW OTEC plants for island communities like Hawai’i and Guam. They have significant programs in heat exchanger design and testing, plume modeling, power module design, plant layout, cold water pipe handling and deployment, a pilot plant design, analyzing the power cable to shore, and bioplume modeling. | 100 MW |
| 40 (40)* |
Oceanlinx | Maui | Wave | Australia-based high-tech company, formally announced plans to provide electricity to Maui Electric Company from Hawaii’s first wave energy project.The project aims to provide up to 2.7 megawatts from two to three floating platforms located one-half to three-quarters of a mile due north of Pauwela Point on the northeast coast of Maui. | 500 kw |
Congratulations! The following Energy Leaders are now operational. |
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| The Gas Company November 2, 2011 ranking: 21 Island: Oahu Resource: Synthetic Natural Gas Production: 5 million gallons per year |
The Gas Company is now producing renewable natural gas (RNG) from processing locally sourced feedstock into bio-methane, renewable diesel and similar products. The plant, located in Campbell Industrial Park on Oahu, is designed to process 1 million gallons per years of fats, oils and grease. The Gas Company continually aims to increase the renewable components of its gas supply and owns the only SNG plant in the United States. This new operating facility has moved from #21 on our Top 40 list of Hawaii’s Clean Energy Leaders to our Map of existing clean energy projects in Hawaii. | ||||
|
Forest City |
Forest City in collaboration with Hoku solar as part of the Kapolei Sustainable Energy Park received its approval from the Public Utilities Commission in November of 2011 to begin operating its 1MW AC (1.18 MW DC) facility in Campbell Industrial Park on Oahu. This new operating facility has moved from #14 on our Top 40 list of Hawaii’s Clean Energy Leaders to our Map of existing clean energy projects in Hawaii. | ||||
Last updated: January 13, 2012
*Previous ranking (November 3, 2011)
Collection of Data, Dlsclaimers and Descriptions
Energy leaders have been identified based on public information about (a) their projected size, (b) status of permitting, (c) status of power or fuel off-take agreement, and (d) site control.* Pertinent data comes from a variety of media including company press releases, company websites, newspaper articles, Internet publications, agency notices, and filings with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commisison.
This project list is not all inclusive – nor is it complete. In fact, we expect it will change continuously as additional public information becomes available and project status changes. The data we gather from public resources is assumed to be correct. Financial information is not included as part of the listing criteria as this information is often closely held and not readily available utilizing public resources. Attempts have been made by the Hawaii State Energy Office to call the respective project personnel and verify that the information has been publically reported, but the Energy Office cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of all data. This list does not represent an endorsement of any specific project or company. Finally, we are aware that some proposed renewable energy projects in Hawaii may be missing from the list simply because little or no public information is available at this time.
*Category descriptions:
1) Size is an important component as it indicates a projects overall potential renewable energy/fuel contribution to the State of Hawaii’s aggressive goals set forth by the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative of 70% clean energy by 2030. Despite its importance, however, size is just one of the four categories considered in this listing as smaller scale projects are also demonstrating that they are advancing towards commercialization. Projected size is reported in megawatts (MW), kilowatt s ( kW) or gallons of fuel produced, based on the production capacity of each facility.
2) A power purchase agreement or contract to purchase an energy resource represents a future revenue stream for the specific project as well as validation that the energy resource is acceptable to the respective utility. The stages of the off-take agreement process range from ongoing negotiations with the utilities to executed terms sheets between utilities and projects, and finally, approval of the contract by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.
3) Permitting for projects is a necessary component before construction of a project can commence. This is a long and often arduous process, but is very indicative of a project’s progress towards commercialization.
4) A project’s control over the site of operations either through a long term lease or land acquisition demonstrates an important component to long term commercial sustainability and production.
Send project updates to John Myrdal at john.w.myrdal@dbedt.hawaii.gov or Cameron Black at cameron.b.black@dbedt.hawaii.gov.
Our island environment is not only the basis for our quality of life, it is also the lifeblood of our economy. We look at environmental issues with future generations in mind, and as we explore Hawaii’s boundless, clean energy potential, we trust they will benefit from our stewardship.