REC Solar today announced the interconnection of a 12MW AC (14.5MW DC) solar array for Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC).
Located in Anahola, Kaua'i, the 60-acre PV system will generate twenty percent of the island's annual energy needs during the daylight hours. The installation is coupled with a 6MW lithium-ion battery system designed to smooth the integration of solar power on the grid. By generating clean energy on the island, KIUC will decrease fossil fuel imports from the mainland and save nearly $250,000 a month on operating costs alone.
"This project represents a huge step toward achieving our goal of using renewable resources to generate at least half of Kauai's power needs by 2023," Bissell said. "Every megawatt we can generate using the power of the sun reduces our costs and our greenhouse gas emissions."
KIUC used project capital from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service to finance the Anahola project. The array is the second system that REC Solar has developed on Kauai. Additional REC Solar projects in Hawaii include the W.M. Keck Observatory, Turtle Bay Resort, Waimea WWTP and West Hawaii Civic Center. Most recently, REC Solar installed its fifth ground mount solar energy system for the islands' largest tourist attraction, Dole Plantation, on Oahu.
"Hawaii is at the forefront of the electric grid transformation and solar energy is in the driver's seat," said Al Bucknam, REC Solar CEO. "REC has invested in understanding Hawaii's unique market because we know commercial and utility-scale solar is an integral part of Hawaii's ambitious 100 percent renewables goal."
"REC Solar has more than eight years of experience in the Hawaii islands and we've completed more than 32 megawatts of commercial and utility projects here," said Drew Bradley, Hawaii Regional Manager at REC Solar. "This installation is a game-changer for Kaua'i and will set a precedent for utility cooperatives across the U.S."