Aiea High School is the first public school in the state of Hawaii to add a photovoltaic (solar power) system to its campus. Administrators believe that the project will save the Department of Education approximately $150,000 in electricity costs over the next 20 years and help teach students about renewable energy sources. Hawaii Pacific Solar was the company responsible for the installation, and will also be doing work on three additional public schools on Oahu as well as all 15 public schools on the island of Kauai.
The Department of Education is not paying any upfront cost to install the systems and have created a power purchase agreement to pay start off paying 17 cents per kilowatt-hour for the schools located on Kauai and 19 cents per kilowatt-hour for the schools with photovoltaic systems on Oahu. This is significantly lower then the 32.6 cents per kilowatt-hour that Oahu residents are currently playing, and the 42.6 cents per kilowatt-hour for Kauai residents. The contract does have room for modest annual price increases.
On Oahu, Waianae High School, Kahaku High School and Kahuku Intermediate are current undergoing photovoltaic solar system installations and Kaimuki High School has plans to add one later this year. Installations for all of the Kauai schools are expected to begin in 2012 and be completed by 2014.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 3-20-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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