HONOLULU — Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage, the state’s largest solar facility owned by AES Hawaiʻi, has begun to generate enough power for 27,000 homes supplying 15% of Maui’s energy needs.

What You Need To Know

  • A 25-year power purchase agreement between AES Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian Electric went into effect on May 31, 2024, providing renewable energy for Maui’s power grid at 8-cents per kilowatt hour, the lowest renewable energy cost in the state

  • The project is estimated to offset the need to import two million barrels of oil to produce electricity on Maui

  • The site is considered dual-use because AES Hawaiʻi has partnered with Hoʻoulu ʻĀina Farms in nearby Waikapu so sheep can graze on the land to support Maui’s agricultural and food production needs

  • According to AES Hawaiʻi, the construction and operation of Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage has supported nearly 300 jobs and generated roughly $68 million for Maui’s economy

Located on 450 acres in central Maui between Kūihelani Highway and Maui Veterans Highway, the facility produces 60 megawatts of renewable energy supported by a 240-megawatt-hour lithium-ion battery energy storage system, according to a news release.

A 25-year power purchase agreement between AES Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian Electric went into effect on May 31, 2024, providing renewable energy for Maui’s power grid at 8-cents per kilowatt hour, the lowest renewable energy cost in the state. The project is estimated to offset the need to import two million barrels of oil to produce electricity on Maui.

“Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage exemplifies what is possible for powering our future when you combine an exceptional renewable energy project with community-minded partners to provide an essential service for living and working in Hawaii,” said AES Hawaiʻi President Sandra Larsen in the release.

“We broke ground in July 2022, overcame challenges posed by supply chain logistics, and we are now producing much-needed clean energy for Maui’s power grid,” said Larsen.

Larsen added that throughout the development and construction process, support came from Maui County and Hawaiian Electric, as well as the wider community. According to Larsen, the end result will be Maui families and businesses benefitting from “the state-of-the-art, dual-use, renewable-energy facility that will make a substantial contribution to supporting their island’s energy demands at a very low cost over the next 25 years.”

Colton Ching, Hawaiian Electric Senior Vice President, Planning & Technology, said, “With this project, our state takes another significant step towards achieving our renewable energy goals. Adding both renewable power and energy storage will help reduce our use of fossil fuels, protect us from the effects of climate change, ensure reliable service and provide energy security for Maui.”

The site is considered dual-use because AES Hawaiʻi has partnered with Hoʻoulu ʻĀina Farms in nearby Waikapu so sheep can graze on the land to support Maui’s agricultural and food production needs.

According to AES Hawaiʻi, the construction and operation of Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage has supported nearly 300 jobs and generated roughly $68 million for Maui’s economy.

Larsen also noted that the facility is the company’s first utility-scale solar project on Maui that illustrates AES Hawaiʻi’s commitment to support the state’s 100% renewable energy and decarbonization goals of 2045. The company currently has 11 renewable projects in progress throughout the state. Either in operation or under development, once completed, these projects will together provide over 360 MW of renewable energy, enough to power 152,000 homes statewide while eliminating over 445,000 metric tons of carbon emissions and over 29 million barrels of oil consumption over their lifecycles.

Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.