By completing six solar energy systems for Hawaii’s historic Dole Plantation and W.M. Keck Observatory, REC Solar expands its footprint in the state to 27MW. In 2014, REC Solar has a total of 19MW of projects in Hawaii completed or under construction.
REC Solar was selected to design and install four ground-mount systems at the Dole Plantation, located on Oahu, Hawaii. Dole Plantation is one of Oahu’s most popular visitor attractions and welcomes more than one million visitors a year.
“We needed a contractor that would minimize the impact on daily operations at Dole Plantation during construction. REC Solar made the installation process easy and efficient by working openly with our team,” said Michael Moon, Director of Operations for Dole Plantation. “Now, we use the Hawaii sun to not only support agricultural activities, but also to help us reduce our impact on the planet. It also provides us a historical connection by harnessing the sun to harvest a new crop: renewable energy!”
REC Solar also installed two solar roof-mount projects at the Headquarters and Visiting Scientist Quarters of the W.M. Keck Observatory, located in Kamuela, Hawaii. The solar electric systems are lowering the facility’s operational costs to support the world’s two largest optical and infrared telescopes, the ten-meter Keck I and Keck II.
Hawaii is a rapidly growing solar market that benefits from abundant sunshine and a renewable mandate to obtain 40 percent of its power from local renewable generation by 2030. REC Solar has completed a 1.2 MW utility-scale project with Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC). In June 2014, REC Solar began construction of an additional 14.53 MW DC solar project for KIUC Anahola, a utility system that will be the largest PV system in Hawaii upon completion.