Puakō Solar

Utility-scale solar and battery storage power plant
Development Project
Kohala Coastline

Project Overview

Puakō Solar is a thoughtfully-sited 60 MW photovoltaic facility with a 4-hour battery (240 MWh) that will provide low-cost renewable energy to the grid for 20 years at a fixed annual price. The project will make clean energy available to the grid after the sun goes down when demand for electricity peaks. 

Community Outreach

Clearway is focused on carefully informing and engaging with neighboring communities and stakeholders about the project scope, the project benefits, the development and governmental process, as well providing the community with timely information throughout all phases of the Puakō Solar project, giving the community an opportunity to engage and weigh-in on the project. Clearway plans to connect with the community through early talk story meetings with community members as well as Town Hall meetings, presentations to neighborhood boards, and other outreach channels as the project progresses.

Community Benefit Package

Investing in the Community

Community Benefit Fund

  • The community benefit funds to be spent on local projects, donated to local non-profits, and directed by the community, with a focus on education, community empowerment, and workforce development.
  • Other projects to be considered could include infrastructure improvements, enhanced educational opportunities, jobs and job training, historical and/or cultural protection, neighborhood beautification, and any other similar community benefit.

Workforce Development & Economic Investment

  • It is estimated that project construction would result in the creation of over 300 local jobs and invest millions of dollars in Hawai‘i's economy.

Lower Costs & Reliable Power

  • Providing a fixed price of power contributing to reduced rate volatility;
  • Providing battery energy storage that provides resiliency to the grid and allows the projects to continue providing solar energy to the grid after the sun goes down when loads peak.
Proposed Host Community
Puako Host Community Map

Project Site Maps

Click to enlarge images
Project Location
Clearway Puako location map
Puakō - Interconnection Route* (Proposed and conceptual)
Puako Interconnection route map
*Alternative routes are under consideration

Environmental Compliance and Permitting Plan

Puakō Solar has been designed with careful consideration of the permitting requirements related to the land use of the project site, as well as the potential environmental, biological, archeological, cultural and aesthetic impacts of the Project. The project site is well-studied and as such the current conceptual design is well informed, but adaptable. The site plan takes into account grading, drainage, civil, utilities, access, and lot coverage.

Studies/Assessments

The Project site is vacant, undeveloped land with scrub vegetation and lava rock. The project site has been the focus of previous development efforts, including a master-planned rural community and more recently as a utility-scale solar project, and therefore, has been well studied. In order to understand potential constraints of the site and permitting pathway, Clearway Energy completed a detail review of the studies completed to date to understand the potential site constraints. The previous studies, including a Phase 1 ESA, Archeological Inventory Study, land use and zoning review, and a draft notice to prepare an Environmental Impact Study.

Tangible Emissions Impact

This 60 MW Solar Project Would Replace Fossil Fuels Equivalent to

1.3B
Pounds of coal burned
2.8M
Barrels of oil consumed
3.1B
Miles driven by average gas-powered passenger vehicle
137M
Gallons of gasoline consumed
Over the 20 year PPA term of this project. Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator | US EPA

Tell us what you think

We want to hear from you. Please send questions, comments, or ideas about the Puakō Solar project.

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Puako coastline