Groundbreaking begins in Kapolei for state’s largest stand-alone battery system

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Crews broke ground in west Oahu on Wednesday on what will be the state’s largest stand-alone battery system.

Independent developer, Plus Power, said the Kapolei Energy Storage facility will eventually take over the power load from the AES coal plant, providing a more environmentally friendly source for electricity.

The 185 mega-watt lithium-ion battery will be tied into the grid to provide solar and wind power energy at night to Hawaiian Electric customers.

“It’s gonna provide all sorts of reliability services for the grid, combo of load shifting, fast frequency response, grid forming services, as well as black start capability in the event of an island-wide outage,” said Bob Rudd, head of Origination and Commercial Transactions at Plus Power.

The battery storage facility is part of a plan to help the state reach its goal of shifting to 100% renewable energy generation by 2045.

“This project is an important step to further reduce the state’s dependence on imported fossil fuels and increase the use of renewable energy,” said Scott Seu, Hawaiian Electric president and CEO.

“KES will displace 277 million gallons of oil over 20 years, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower our customers’ exposure to changing oil costs. It’ll also be a critical resource that will add reliability and resilience to Oahu’s energy system.”

Plus Power previously built a smaller solar battery facility on Kauai.

The Kapolei Energy Storage facility is expected to be completed sometime next year.

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