KAPA‘A — The largest photovoltaic system in the state, located in Kapa‘a, is ready to go. The solar farm will be able to generate 1.21 MW of electricity.
“It’s a step forward in balancing the energy needs of the island, and a small step toward self-sufficiency,” Kurt Bosshard said at a county Planning Commission in October.
Kurt Bosshard, president and sole member of Kapa‘a Solar LLC, entered into an agreement to sell to Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative power generated from the solar farm for no less than 20 years, a press release states.
REC Solar, the company contracted to instal the system, took 140 days to build the solar farm, finishing it on Dec. 30, according the release.
Bosshard said he would have to finish the construction before the year’s end, in order to take advantage of government incentives that would fund approximately 50 percent of the construction costs.
“The project itself would generate millions of dollars in state and federal contributions,” Bosshard said in October.
This would allow KIUC to purchase power from the facility at a reasonable rate, he said.
The project spreads over five acres of a 165-acre property, and has 5,376 solar panels mounted on posts and piers. The panels average about 12 feet off the ground.
The solar farm sits on a gently sloped hill by Olohena Road, and is visible from the top of the Sleeping Giant mountain.
Other REC solar installation contracts include Costco, in Lihu‘e (680 KW), Longs Drugs at Kukui Grove (111 KW), Pioneer Hi-Bred, Waimea (280 KW), and the Kaua‘i Community College, in Puhi (84 KW).
REC is also under contract to build a 125 KW ground-mounted system for the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The Kapa‘a solar farm may soon loose the claim to the largest farm in the state, as a South Shore project would more than double the capacity of the Kapa‘a farm.
AES Solar is planning to develop a 3 MW photovoltaic farm in Koloa.
AES has signed in October a power purchase agreement with KIUC, and the agreement is pending review and approval by the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
