Land Resources for Renewable Energy
Renewable EnerGIS Mapping Tool
Siting projects in areas with limited and coveted land such as Hawaii can be challenging. Renewable EnerGIS supports the appropriate siting of renewable energy projects in Hawaii by providing energy resource and physical site information for sites selected by the user. EnerGIS also enables users to search for Hawaii sites with certain desired attributes and supports project permitting by providing information on site zoning, soil type, and the presence of sensitive or regulated resources.
Commercial Realtors
This website lists of some of the local commercial realtors in Hawaii.
Government Land
Federal, state, and county agencies own approximately half of the land in the state of Hawaii.* These parcels represent large tracks of land used for a multitude of purposes to include: agriculture, industrial, residential, commercial, cultural, aviation, landfill, and municipal waste facilities.
Many of these parcels are underdeveloped and occasionally vacant, providing an opportunity for renewable energy companies to explore long term lease arrangements. Fortunately, renewable energy can be a desired use of public lands in Hawaii. Each agency may have specific processes for submitting lease applications; therefore, contact the specific agency for greater details. Please note that this listing is provided for informational purposes only and the availability of land to lease per agency is subject to change without notice.
Important:
Tip #1 Every developer beginning their due diligence on leasing government land must first be aware of the statutory requirement pertaining to conducting mandatory environmental assessments and, if required, environmental impact statements. See the Office of Environmental Quality Control for more information on the Hawaii environmental review process.
Tip #2 Some State of Hawaii agencies are permitted under certain conditions to lease public land to renewable energy producers without requiring a public auction under HRS 171-95. Please review the statute for further information.
Tip #3 Decommissioning of the renewable energy project and returning the land to its original condition must be considered during project financing and design, particularly for projects on publicly owned land. Project decommissioning assurances are a priority for local landowners, permitting agencies, and communities.
1) State Land
Some of the State agencies that have expressed interest in leasing land for renewable energy in Hawaii include:
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
Department of Land and Natural Resources
Hawaii Community Development Authority
For more information on leasing State of Hawaii lands for renewable energy development, the State Agency Land Leases Report summarizes the instruments, policies, and practices by which public land has been leased for renewable energy developments in Hawaii.
2) Federal Land
Developers interested in leasing land from the Department of Defense or near DOD installations in Hawaii should contact the DOD Siting Clearninghouse, which works with industry to overcome risks to national security while promoting compatible domestic energy development.
Private Land
Private land ownership in Hawaii comprises approximately 37% of land in the state.* Exploring the availability of land to lease with large private landowners is an avenue that many renewable energy companies are pursuing. A full listing of landowners by island and sector can found at the State of Hawaii Office of Planning Hawaii GIS Program.
1) Top private land holders by island.
| Island | Owner | Acreage |
| Kauai | Robinson Family | 50,670.60 |
| Grove Farm | 36,138.50 | |
| Alexander & Baldwin | 20,239.70 | |
| Kamehameha Schools | 10,876.00 | |
| Princeville Dev LLC | 4,562.40 | |
| Hawaii | Kamehameha Schools | 297,109.00 |
| Parker Ranch | 106,883.00 | |
| Yee Hop | 21,637.00 | |
| W.H. Shipman | 16,808.20 | |
| Kahuku Aina Properties | 16,423.20 | |
| Lanai | Lawrence Ellison | 89,188.00 |
| Hawaiian Electric Co | 5.2 | |
| Roman Catholic Church | 1.1 | |
| Hawaii Conf. Foundation | 0.5 | |
| Maui | Alexander & Baldwin | 92,864.80 |
| Haleakala Ranch | 29,159.90 | |
| Maui Land & Pine | 22,800.00 | |
| Ulupalakua Ranch | 18,476.20 | |
| Wailuku Water | 10,041.20 | |
| Molokai | Molokai Ranch | 58,417.60 |
| Puu O Hoku Ranch | 13,098.20 | |
| Kawela Plantation | 5,523.50 | |
| Kamehameha Schools | 4,936.70 | |
| George Brown | 4,590.40 | |
| Oahu | Kamehameha Schools | 47,918.20 |
| Castle & Cooke | 29,437.50 | |
| Kualoa Ranch | 3,691.80 | |
| Dillingham Ranch Aina LLC | 2,737.80 | |
| James Campbell Estate | 2,534.60 | |
| Robinson Kunia Land LLC | 2,427.00 |
*Estimates tabulated through DBEDT large landowner table via State of Hawaii Office of Planning Hawaii GIS Program
2) Hawaii Commercial Leasing Web Tools
These web pages are samples of online resources that provide timely and up to date listings of public and private vacant land and lots with site maps and photos for commercial development needs. Online membership may be required for full service.
The Commercial Investment Multiple Listing Service
Important Notice:
These resources are advisory and for informational purposes only and may not be relied upon to determine regulatory or interconnection requirements for any project. Contact the appropriate agencies directly for siting information. The listings, associations, and contacts herein are provided for informational purposes only and are not meant to be all inclusive. The Hawaii State Energy Office does not endorse or certify the individuals, firms ,or businesses on these lists. If you are a firm that engages in the specialization of commercial scale renewable energy project development, finance, consulting or investment services and wish be to added to the content found in these following summary pages, we welcome you to contact us and provide your information for listing.
For comments or questions about the Developer & Investor Center, please contact the Hawaii State Energy Office.