Energy Efficiency, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  September 28, 2018

HPU’s Oceanic Institute adds solar power

Hawai'i Pacific University has signed a 20-year PPA, which includes the construction of a 211-kilowatt photovoltaic system on four buildings at its affiliate not-for-profit, the Oceanic Institute on Oahu, Hawaii.

The PPA was signed with EnSync, Inc., which explained in a statement, "The Oceanic Institute, like other aquaculture facilities, has a large energy load to meet its mission-critical energy needs, which include constant water pumping."  EnSync performed detailed modeling of the site, the load consumption data, available energy assets and technical design options to optimize the final design and validate financial return on the photovoltaic system's production numbers.

The roof-mounted PV installation will support the Oceanic Institute's large load by generating local and clean energy to be used on-site. The solar project will reduce the facility's energy costs by lowering the aquaculture research facility's total grid-supplied energy use, reducing expensive peak demand charges and adding resiliency.

Bruce Edwards, senior vice president and CFO of HPU, said. "We're proud initiatives like this and our PV installation at Aloha Tower Marketplace are helping Hawai'i meet its clean energy goal." HPU and EnSync Energy's 660-kilowatt PV system on the rooftop of the historic Aloha Tower Marketplace is the largest solar development in downtown Honolulu. The first phase of that project is operational and supplying energy to the mixed-use university space, while the second phase is under construction.

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