“We're in this together.” - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative

14 KIUC CURRENTS
By Steve Rymsha
Renewable Outlook
KIUC’s update on projects in progress and completed
KIUC believes the climate change problem and its feared effects are among the most serious of the environmental issues we
face today. As we transition away from fossil fuels, members also benefit from decoupling electricity generation costs from the
volatility in world oil supplies and price. To that end, the board and management of the co­op have updated KIUC ’s Strategic
Plan to achieve a high standard of sustainability with regard to power supply, and provide fair and competitively valued rates.
What follows is a concise recap of actions taken, and projects in progress and completed. We currently are operating at more
than 13 percent renewable, but in the next few years are taking action to surpass state and federal requirements to reduce
greenhouse gases. Kaua‘i’s seven hydroelectric power plants provide a steady flow of electricity to KIUC.
Hydro
1/12/11 KIUC signed a memorandum of
agreement with Free Flow Power Corp., which will
allow the two firms to jointly explore
development of hydroelectric energy projects on
Kaua‘i. “This is the first step in a lengthy public
process to explore the viability of several
hydroelectric projects. Our members have long
recognized the hydroelectric potential on Kaua‘i,
and we feel now we have the financial resources
and the proven developer to move forward,” said
David Bissell. The use of reservoirs to support
agriculture and to facilitate a larger percentage of
renewables for Kaua‘i is a crucial component in
the development plan to generate greater than 20
percent of Kaua‘i’s electricity needs from new
hydroelectric facilities. If successful, these
generation assets will be owned by KIUC,
providing long­term rate stability under much
more attractive terms than through a power
purchase agreement.
Green Energy Hydro LLC – 130 kW
◼ 170 homes annually
◼ Began operations in Q3 2009
Port Allen Warehouse
◼ Building integrated photovoltaic systems;
completed the first week of February
◼ Replaced roof and installed 68 kW roofintegrated
photovoltaic system—20 homes
annually
Utility Pole­Mount PV
◼ New systems have been installed on poles
near Kaua‘i Humane Society
◼ Forty­eight systems will be installed in 2011 to
further evaluate the cost effectiveness and
resource potential.
Ground­Mount PV
◼ KIUC signed two purchase power agreements
with a total capacity of 4 MW. Once online,
these projects will be the two largest solar
farms in all of Hawai‘i.
◼ 1,100 homes annually
◼ Through these installations, KIUC will
continue as a leader in the integration of
photovoltaic systems. Additionally, these
projects will help utilities around the world
better understand the physical limitations of
photovoltaics on distribution circuits.
◼ KIUC signed a contract with Xtreme Power to
provide a Battery Energy Storage System that
will be located at the substation being
supplied by the 3­MW farm. This storage
system not only will facilitate installation of
this large farm, but will provide support for
island wide photovoltaic systems.
KIUC is interested in signing additional
photovoltaic purchase power agreements in 2011.
KIUC is currently in discussions with numerous
landowners.
Biomass
◼ KIUC signed a power purchase agreement
(PPA) with Green Energy Team LLC for a
biomass­to­energy project to be located near
Koloa. This project will reduce Kaua‘i’s
dependence on fossil fuels by 3.7 million
gallons per year, and provide biomass­fired
generation to serve the energy needs of more
than 8,500 Kaua‘i households.
◼ KIUC continues to work toward the
development of a second biomass­to­energy
facility.
In March, KIUC issued an invitation to propose a
20­MW biomass­to­energy facility for parties who
have been trying to bring biomass facilities online
by the end of 2013. This process will incorporate
independent engineering analysis and, if
successful, KIUC will submit a PPA to the Hawai‘i
Public Utilities Commission by the end of May.