Hawaii
Energy Policy Forum > 2003
Articles
Planned energy park for 'Ewa uses solar panels
By Jan TenBruggencate
Honolulu Advertiser
December 10, 2002
A consortium of government and utility organizations hopes
to build the state's biggest field of solar electrical panels
at a model renewable energy park to be built on Navy land
in 'Ewa.
The project will blend known alternative energy
technologies with cutting-edge hydrogen storage and fuel
cell research.
Researchers hope it will help lead Hawai'i into a new age
of increasing independence from fossil fuels for electricity.
The
energy park, on 34.5 acres next to the Hawai'i Prince Golf
Club, eventually could have a solar photovoltaic field
producing 2 to 3 megawatts, making it the biggest photovoltaic
project in the state. The initial stage to be operational
in 2005 will have 200 kilowatts. That's roughly enough to
power 60 Hawai'i homes.
Its biggest visible feature will
be the field of photovoltaic cells, which produce electricity
from sunlight. The electricity
will be hooked up to the Hawaiian Electric grid, but research
will also proceed on linking solar power with the latest
technology in storage and generation, using the solar power
to make hydrogen, improving hydrogen storage equipment, and
then using the hydrogen in fuel cells to produce electricity
again, but when the sun isn't shining.
The project will be
launched using $2.5 million in federal money, arranged through
Hawai'i's Congressional delegation
and approved by President Bush last week. The cooperating
agencies are the Office of Naval Research, Navy Region Hawaii,
Hawaiian Electric Company, and the Hawai'i Natural Energy
Institute of the University of Hawai'i's School of Ocean & Earth
Science & Technology.
An environmental assessment will
be done next year, with the initial phase of construction
to start in 2004 and to
be complete in 2005.
The project has distinct advantages for
each of the organizations involved."We need to focus
on future sources of energy, and ways in which we can integrate
intermittent sources into
our grid," said Karl Stahlkopf, Hawaiian Electric's
chief technology officer and vice president for energy solutions.
The federal money comes through the Navy, which will administer
the grant. As landlord, the Navy gets a credit against its
own power bill for any power shipped to Hawaiian Electric,
said Gary Jensen, director of the Office of Naval Research's
Greater Mid-Pacific branch office.
Additionally, the Navy
is interested in everything that has to do with new ways
of generating power. "One of the
holy grails is the all-electric ship," Jensen said. "That's
probably 20 years off, but we're looking at energy sources
that will facilitate it."
The Hawai'i Natural Energy
Institute will run and own the plant, which seeks to develop
a simple, modular design for
an environmentally friendly power source. HNEI had already
been working with the Navy on advanced fuel cell systems,
and the use of methane hydrates, which are found on the sea
floor, as fuels for the fuel cells.
"
This photovoltaic park is an excellent example of the partnerships
needed to help keep Hawai'i as a leader in furthering renewable
technology," Sen. Dan Inouye said.
Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or
(808) 245-3074.
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