LIHUE — A $12 million energy project is underway at Kauai schools. In the first phase, four schools will be fitted with 22 photovoltaic energy systems through a $1.2 million state initiative. “We really value this project and the opportunity
LIHUE — A $12 million energy project is underway at Kauai schools. In the first phase, four schools will be fitted with 22 photovoltaic energy systems through a $1.2 million state initiative.
“We really value this project and the opportunity to work with the Department of Education,” said Ed Nakaya, accounts executive for Kauai Island Utilities Cooperative. “It is just a good thing that we are able to do this together and we want to make it work and work well.”
The state Department of Education reports that Kauai schools spend $2.57 million annually on energy costs. After the systems are installed, the costs are expected to drop to $1.67 million and save up to $30 million over the 20-year life of the PV systems.
Work started around 18 months ago when the Department of Education contracted with Hawaii Pacific Solar to begin engineering surveys and design work. Xnergy, a subsidiary of Blue Earth Inc., is the primary contractor to install the systems.
“This is a good size project for Kauai with up to 3 megawatts of power produced in total,” said Bob Johnston, president of Hawaii Pacific Solar.
The county building permits were approved earlier this month. The first schools to be fitted include Eleele Elementary, Kapaa High School, Kapaa Middle School, and Koloa Elementary.
Work on PV systems at all 15 schools is expected to be completed by summer 2014. The schools to follow include: Hanalei Elementary, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle, Kalaheo Elementary, Kapaa Elementary, Kauai High, Kekaha Elementary, Kilauea Elementary, King Kaumualii Elementary, Waimea Canyon Elementary, Waimea High and Wilcox Elementary.
The PV systems will be installed through a Power Purchase Agreement with National Energy Partners as the owner of each PV system. Using a Net Energy Metering Agreement, the schools sell the energy produced that is not used on evenings and weekends, and then buy energy at a reduced rate during their high use hours.
The schools will pay around 17 cents per kilowatt hour. It is more cost-effective and allows more savings in the long run for the state, Johnston said.
“This doesn’t require out of pocket capital for the state or the school system,” Johnston said. “We estimate the total cost to be around $12 million for all 15 schools.”
The 2.4 megawatt PV system will generate 4 million kilowatt hours of electrical power per year, which is equal to 60 percent of 6.6 million kilowatt hours used by Kauai DOE schools annually, according to KIUC.
PV technology has been around for more than a century with major breakthroughs for commercial use in the past 60 years. The systems should still be operating at 80 percent capacity by the end of the 20-year cycle.
There are also educational ties to the project for the school and community. Photovoltaic are not thermal systems, but operate on a chemical energy process of photosynthesis to convert the sun’s energy into direct current electrical power, Johnston said
Each school will have a flat screen monitoring system to show real time power generation and usage for each inverter. It measures how the carbon credits are accumulated and where power is being used or saved.
There are also electric safety programs for the elementary and intermediate school levels, along with sun safety to include skin protection. There will be community workshops and orientations on the monitors that will be accessible to community and students in the administrative offices, computer labs or libraries.
“The kids end up knowing more about the monitoring system than the adults, Johnston said.
KIUC Accounts Executive Ed Nakaya said the effort goes back several years and pre-dates the smart meter technology. KIUC presented the Department of Education with detailed load profiles of energy use at all school meters and multiple sub-accounts.
This led to discussion of making Kauai a pilot project that got the go-ahead with the Net Metering Agreement once a guaranteed rate of 20 cents per kW hour was reached regardless of KIUC energy costs month to month, he said. The contract was finalized with the third party vender agreement.
“Every kilowatt hour of energy that these systems provide displaces something that was provided to the school from currently largely fossil fuel-based fuels,” he said. “The contribution of solar to the grid is growing pretty quickly and there is a lot of activity with placement.”
• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0424 or by emailing tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.
