Menu
Paeahu
Project and community benefits
A project that will bring many benefits to the surrounding communities
Construction and operation phases will create benefits in terms of new employment opportunities, as well as the use of local resources. Preference would be given to retaining local persons, consultants, businesses and contractors throughout the development of the project.
Project Benefits
Construction and operation phases will create benefits in terms of new employment opportunities, as well as the use of local resources. Preference would be given to retaining local persons, consultants, businesses and contractors throughout the development of the project.
The County of Maui’s Maui Island Plan: General Plan 2030 states: “Renewable energy development will be critical to help the State of Hawai’i and Maui County reduce energy costs, avoid the negative economic effects of volatile oil prices, reduce overdependence on oil, and increase energy security by reducing imports.”
Paeahu will contribute to Maui’s renewable energy goals as called out in the Maui Island Plan and potentially offer additional benefits such as:
Lower Cost, More Equitable, Stable-Priced Energy Feeding the Grid
The proposed price is less than Maui Electric’s current cost of generating power with fossil fuel and the price Innergex would charge per kWh will be fixed price for 25 years.
Battery Energy Storage Systems Can Reduce Curtailment
The stored power can be dispatched in the evening—when rooftop solar is not available—to help meet demands of residents returning home to deal with dinner, baths, washing, and other tasks or during emergencies.
An Opportunity for Workforce and Local Business
The project will create employment opportunities, as well as the use of local suppliers. Preference will be given to retaining local persons, consultants, businesses and contractors.
A Clean Power Future with Less Vulnerability
Knowing that the sun is a readily-available, reliable resource, Maui residents are supportive of the utility harnessing a renewable resource to improve the island’s energy stability and grid resiliency
Solar Farm as a Firebreak
One of the benefits of the project, with its planned, well-maintained buffers, is its role as a firebreak to lands in the area, given how vulnerable the West Maui region has proven to be during the most recent fires.
Community Benefits
Sponsorships
Opportunities abound within Maui’s robust non-profit sector and its year-round schedule of festivals, events, conferences, fundraisers, etc. Innergex is committed to annually evaluating sponsorships and doing its share to target support to them.
Memberships
As a member in community organizations, Innergex would have the opportunity to participate in specific programs that support the missions of the organizations and help to advance mutually-held values and goals.
For a more detailed outline of Project and Community Benefits see the 2018-2020 Community Outreach and Engagement Report.
Long-term benefits derived from this Project are expected to include the following:
- The Project will help to meet the State’s renewable energy needs by providing up to 15 MW of solar energy and 60 MWh of battery storage, which is enough to provide electricity for approximately 6,900 Maui homes. In doing so, it will directly contribute to the State’s renewable energy goals, fulfilling an average of 3.9 percent of Maui Electric’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) over the 25-year term of the PPA and 0.5 percent to Hawaiian Electric’s consolidated RPS.[2]
- The solar energy from the Project will replace a portion of electricity that is currently generated by burning fossil fuels, thus substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution that are detrimental to the environment and human health. In total, the Project is expected to reduce net lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 527,810 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents over its lifecycle.[3]
- It is estimated that the renewable energy supplied by the Project will potentially save Maui Electric, and therefore customers, millions of dollars in total avoided fuel costs over the term of the PPA based on a forecasted fuel consumption reduction of 1,342,000 fewer barrels of fuel.[4] The avoided fuel use and changes to Maui Electric’s system costs due to the addition of the Project will results in a significant reduction in the net present value (“NPV”) of revenue requirement for Maui Electric.[5] Specifically, Maui Electric presented uncontroverted evidence that the updated Company system NPV with the Project (versus without the Project), will result a reduction of Maui Electric’s revenue requirement over the 25-year contract term of $26,463,496.[6] These savings result in bill savings to the customers over the 25-year term of the PPA.
- A reduction in fossil fuel consumption due to the Project will in turn reduce the need for fuel imports, reduce fuel supply reliability risk, and increase the State of Hawaii’s and Maui County’s energy independence.
- The Project will also help to improve electric grid stability by enabling Maui Electric to utilize stored solar energy to meet peak demand.
- The Project’s long-term lease agreement with Ulupalakua Ranch will provide a valuable revenue stream for the ranch over the next 25 years or more to maintain ranch jobs, and help create sustainable, diversified uses of the less productive areas of their land in order to continue its operations and conservation efforts.