Energy Efficiency, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  March 20, 2018

University of Hawaii to reach 100% onsite RE

The University of Hawaii’s Maui College campus will become among the first in the nation to generate 100% percent of its energy from on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) systems coupled with battery storage. The project, part of a partnership with Johnson Controls and Pacific Current, will also allow four UH community college campuses on Oahu to significantly reduce their fossil fuel consumption.

According to a statement from Johnson Controls, the new PV plus storage systems will become operational in 2019 and will be capable of eliminating the campus' fossil fuel-based energy use through a combination of solar shade canopies, distributed energy storage and energy efficiency measures. The systems are being developed by Johnson Controls and owned by Hawaii-based Pacific Current. The energy efficiency upgrades will also reduce the deferred maintenance backlog at these campuses by approximately $20 million.

Following the successful implementation of energy conservation measures across the campuses during the first phase of the partnership, phase two will bring the total on-site capacity to 2.8 MW of solar PV and 13.2 MWh of battery distributed energy storage at UH Maui College, and 7.7 MW of solar PV and 28.6 MWh of battery distributed energy storage to the UH Community Colleges Oahu campuses.

In 2015, Hawaii became the first state in the country to commit to 100% RE by 2045. Concurrently, UH and the Hawaii Legislature established a collective goal for the university system to reach net-zero energy consumption by January 1, 2035.

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