The AES Corp. has chosen BayWa r.e. to construct the Waikoloa Solar + Storage Project, an integrated solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system owned and operated by AES on Hawaiʻi Island.
BayWa r.e. Power Solutions will build the 30 MW AC/43 MW DC solar and 30 MW/120 MWh storage project on approximately 300 acres of leased land near Waikoloa Village in the South Kohala district of the island.
The power generated and stored by the Waikoloa Solar + Storage Project will be bought by local utility Hawaiian Electric Co. Inc. (HECO) under the terms of a cost-competitive 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA). On completion, the project will produce enough electricity to power 13,600 households, contributing more than 7% of Hawaiʻi Island’s annual energy needs and resulting in a total avoided fuel consumption of more than 511,000 barrels of oil over its 25-year lifetime.
Permits have been secured and site preparation and construction on the project have begun, with substantial completion expected in the fourth quarter of 2022. Over the course of the project, 200 jobs will be created, and the project is expected to generate a total economic output of an estimated $47 million toward Hawaiʻi’s economy.
The solar portion of the project will feature single-axis trackers equipped with bifacial PV modules. The associated lithium-ion battery system will safely store energy during periods of low customer demand for use at peak demand periods, such as the early morning or evening hours. The batteries will also provide grid and ancillary services and enable the grid to accommodate more renewable sources while displacing conventional generation.
“We have completed several successful solar and storage projects in Hawai’i,” says Todd Lindstrom, COO at BayWa r.e. Power Solutions LLC. “We’re excited to support Hawaiʻi’s renewable energy leadership in the U.S. and about the growing relationships we have with the local community. We look forward to bringing more renewable energy solutions to the island as we grow.”
