KIUC's Energy Wise Guys - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

KIUC Completes & Energizes
Photovoltaic Project at Port Allen
32 KIUC CURRENTS
“Through projects like this one, KIUC continues to investigate and
evaluate various alternative power sources that allow us to utilize
existing assets and help us continue to deliver reliable, affordable and
clean electricity to our members.”
Randy Hee ­ KIUC President and CEO
KIUC & PETRA Solar Join Forces
A Petra Solar employee
develops new solar
conversion
technologies.
KIUC and New Jersey­based
clean energy company Petra
Solar have teamed up to
launch the first utility pole ­
mounted photovoltaic (PV)
system in Hawai‘i. This
landmark solar demonstration
project features Petra Solar’s
SunWave systems mounted
on Ahukini Road in Līhu‘e.
Petra Solar, founded in 2006
by Dr. Shihab Kuran, is the
pioneer of the SunWave UP
Series—a grid­tied, pole­mounted, distributed solar
generation system. Less than three years since the
founding, Petra Solar shifted rapidly from “start­up
to ramp­up” status after signing its first commercial
contract for $200 million with New Jersey’s largest
utility, PSE&G, last July.
In February’s Currents you saw the beginning of
our 68­kilowatt photovoltaic project for KIUC’s
Photo by Cameron Kruse
The SunWave systems not only turn street light
and utility poles into solar generators, but provide
smart grid communications and electric grid
enhancement functions, offering unique and
compelling solutions for utilities. A traditional,
string, inverter is designed to convert power from
several solar panels connected to one another. In
contrast, Petra Solar’s Smart Energy Module, which
includes an inverter, is designed to work with a
single solar panel. This one­to­one relationship
between the inverter and the solar panel provides
several benefits, such as avoiding the shutdown of
all modules connected to a single inverter when a
single module ceases to generate, increased system
efficiency and simplicity of installation.
warehouse roof at the Port Allen facility. The
project was completed and energized on February
12. Beachside Solar Technologies (Beachside
Roofing) recently completed the installation of the
Building Integrated Photovoltaic system (BIPV).
78 individual solar­integrated BIPV modules were
mounted on the warehouse roof. The project also
included installation of 18 Solatube 21­inch
tubular daylights, increasing natural lighting
during the day. Transmission and distribution
crews upgraded the single­phase line so the
warehouse can export power onto the grid
whenever there is surplus power. Employee
Cameron Kruse shot this photo immediately
following completion of the project.