United States. The University of Hawai'i (UH) announced that its Maui College campus will soon be among the first in the nation to generate 100 percent of its energy from on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) systems along with battery storage. The project is part of a partnership with Johnson Controls and Pacific Current that will also allow four UH community college campuses in O'ahu to significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption.
UH Maui College's new PV plus storage system will be able to eliminate energy use from the fossil fuel-based campus when it becomes operational in 2019. In O'ahu, by combining sun shade awnings, distributed energy storage and energy efficiency measures, Leeward Community College, Honolulu Community College, Kapi'olani Community College and Windward Community College will reduce fossil fuel use for energy by 98 percent. 97 percent, 74 percent and 70 percent, respectively.
In 2015, Hawai'i became the first state in the country to make an unprecedented commitment to reach 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. At the same time, UH and the Hawaii Legislature set a collective goal for the university system to be "net zero" by January 1, 2035, meaning the system would produce as much renewable energy as it consumes on its campuses.
Of the ten campuses, UH Maui College is on track to be the first to supply 100 percent of its energy needs through renewable energy.
The partnership between UH, Johnson Controls and Pacific Current is the second phase of a multi-year renewable energy and energy efficiency project. In the first phase, energy efficiency measures were successfully implemented at UH Maui College and O'ahu's community college campuses under energy performance contracts awarded to Johnson Controls in 2010. The second phase includes additional energy efficiency improvements and the installation of on-site photovoltaic solar panels with battery storage, allowing all five campuses to use the generated renewable energy as needed. The PV plus storage systems will be developed by Johnson Controls and will be owned by Hawai'i Pacific Current. The energy efficiency improvements will also reduce the backlog of deferred maintenance on these campuses by approximately $20 million.
"With the implementation of phase two, these five UH campuses will have reduced fossil energy consumption by ~14 GWh per year (45 percent) and add ~13 GWh of renewable energy generation," said John Morton, Vice President of UH Community Colleges. "We are proud to bring the entire University of Hawaii System closer to its net-zero energy mandate, celebrate UH Maui College's achievement, and position O'ahu's community college campuses within reach of 100 percent renewable energy generation."
After the successful implementation of energy conservation measures on campuses during phase one, the second phase will raise the total capacity at the site to 2.8 MW of solar PV and 13.2 MWh of battery energy storage at UH Maui College, and 7.7 MW of solar PV and 28.6 MWh of battery-powered distributed energy storage at the UH Community Colleges O'ahu campuses.
"Hawaii's leaders set the national example of sustainability and renewable energy standards with the UH net zero mandate by 2035, and we are proud to partner with the university to help it achieve that commitment and aim for UH Maui College to become the first U.S. campus to generate and store 100% renewable energy in the U.S. place, 16 years ahead of schedule," said Rod Rushing, president of Building Solutions North America, Johnson Controls.
Power and infrastructure improvements at the five UH campuses participating in the project are scheduled to be completed by the second quarter of 2019.
Photo: University of Hawai'i.
