Molokai General, Punahou switch on photovoltaic power

Molokai General Hospital has turned on the island’s largest photovoltaic system. The 105-kilowatt system on the roof of the nonprofit hospital was constructed at no cost to the hospital thanks to an arrangement with Solar Power Partners, which retains ownership of the system and charges the hospital a pre-determined rate for the solar-generated electricity through a power-purchase agreement.

As a nonprofit, the hospital was unable to take advantage of federal and state tax credits. However, by entering into a power-purchase agreement Solar Power Partners took advantage of the credits while passing savings along to the hospital.

Molokai General Hospital, part of the Queen’s Health Systems, is a 15-bed critical-access hospital that provides emergency services to the island. The new system is estimated to account for 25 percent of the hospital’s energy needs.

Punahou School announced it has installed the second phase of a solar power system that will add 278 kilowatts of electrical generating capacity at the school. The system was designed by Island Pacific Energy, which had installed 458 kilowatts of generating power at the school in 2009.

"This is the largest photovoltaic installation of any K-1 private school in the nation and possibly the largest photovoltaic system on a single site on Oahu," said Joseph Saturnia, president of Island Pacific Energy.

The solar systems were installed as part of a power purchase agreement whereby Island Pacific Energy pays for, installs, maintains and operates the solar energy facility and sells the power generated with no upfront costs from Punahou School.