Hawaiʻi
Waikoloa Solar
Utility-scale solar and battery storage power plant
Project Details
Proposer/ Parent Company/Owner/Sponsor/Business Affiliation/etc:
Renew Development Holdco LLC, Waikoloa Solar LLC, and Clearway Energy Group (parent)
Project Capacity (MW):
30 MW
Proposed Facility Location:
Near Waikoloa Village, HI
TMK(s) of Facility Location:
(3) 6-8-0-002:016
Point of Interconnection’s Circuit:
L8200 - existing 69kV HELCO circuits
Project Description
Waikoloa Solar is a thoughtfully-sited 30 MW photovoltaic facility with a 4-hour battery (120 MWh) that will provide low-cost renewable energy to the grid for 20 - 40 years at a fixed annual price, while making clean energy available to the grid after the sun goes down, when demand for electricity peaks.
The project sells power directly to HELCO to benefit all Hawaii Island ratepayers with power prices well below HELCO’s avoided cost to procure electricity via fossil fuels. The project is conducting extensive community engagement efforts, and additionally, the project includes a community benefit package for 20 years, as required by the Power Purchase Agreement with HELCO, whereby $90,000 per year will be donated to community programs and efforts with a focus on education, workforce development, and sustainable, local agriculture.
Project Site Maps
Click to enlarge images
Project Location
Site Map - Waikoloa 30MW Project
Waikoloa - Interconnection Route
The interconnection route consists of a short line on the project site to the new HELCO switchyard location. There is a short (yellow) overhead 69kV line connection between the existing L8200 circuit and the new switchyard (~100 feet).
Community Outreach Plan
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 Waikoloa 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.
The following is a high-level schedule for Clearway’s Community Outreach Plan, which has already commenced and is due to continue after the PPA is submitted to the State Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for approval in Q4 2024, through to construction and operations. Key milestones for outreach to the community include:
- Upon Final Award
- Prior to SUP permitting application submissions to LUC and County for Plan Approval
- Prior to start of construction following receipt of land use permits and prior to issuance of building/grading permits
- During construction in order to ensure community has an opportunity to share any impacts due to construction
Each of these milestones and throughout the schedule described below, there are opportunities for Clearway to share with the community and for the community to share with Clearway. These communications will also provide opportunities for Clearway to share iterations it is making on the project, the Community Benefit Package and the Community Benefit Fund in response to community concerns that are shared.
Community Outreach Efforts
The AES Waikoloa project, a near-operational utility-scale solar plus storage project, is located on a directly adjacent parcel and received positive community support. A project on another adjacent parcel, awarded in Stage 2 to EDF and ultimately canceled, also received positive community feedback.
The team expects to kick off its broader community engagement efforts in earnest immediately upon Final Award. Clearway’s development work in Hawai`i to date has been universally non-controversial. However, we are aware that every community is unique and shares different perspectives and unique concerns. Additionally, the community had been expecting residential development in the surrounding areas, and we expect that they will prefer the reduced traffic, visual and community impacts of the solar development versus residential development, along with the many benefits that solar brings to the island.
Community Benefit Package
It is estimated that project construction would create over 160 jobs and invest millions of dollars in Hawai‘i's economy.
The price per kWh offered by the project is lower than HELCO’s avoided cost of generating electricity via fossil fuels or its current energy mix, which will result in lower ratepayer bills over time. Additionally these prices are fixed for the 20-year life of the PPA, which protects ratepayers from some of the volatility of fossil fuel prices as Hawaii reduces its dependence on imported fossil fuels.
- Job Creation and Economic Benefits
- Equivalent of 138,000 avoided barrels of oil
- Low Cost Renewables
- Community Benefit Fund
Waikoloa Community Benefit Fund Administration
As part of the Community Benefit Package, Clearway is committed to funding at least $90,000 each year for the Waikoloa Solar Community Benefit Fund in addition to other in-kind contributions to the community including local workforce development.
At present, Clearway plans for the Community Benefit Fund to be administered by a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit created by Clearway, with a Board or allocation committee thoughtfully appointed with input from the County and local associations. Funds will be spent on local community improvement projects, donated to local nonprofits with community benefits, and directed by the community to selected proposals for community projects, with a focus on education, community empowerment, community improvement projects 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.
Proposed Host Community
Environmental Compliance and Permitting Plan
Siting Plans
Waikoloa Solar has been designed with careful consideration of the permitting requirements, 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.
Clearway has met with Hawai‘i County and considered applicable zoning and permitting requirements, as well as the needs of the landowner, Waikoloa Green, in thoughtfully siting the project. The project is within the Agricultural State land use district, on lands classified by the Land Study Bureau’s Detailed Classification System as having Class E soil, the lowest rating for agricultural productivity. Per HRS §205-2(d)(6), solar projects are permitted on Class E soils with no size restrictions. The project is zoned by the County as RA-1a and Open, requiring only Plan Approval. The Hawai`i County Zoning Code (HCZC) does not specifically include solar facilities as a permitted use, however, Hawai`i County has determined that solar projects, including supporting project substations, require only Plan Approval if they are located on lands designated as Agricultural by the State; no use permit is required. Per HCZC §25-2-70, Plan Approval provides for close County review of proposed development projects to ensure that projects are developed in conformance with the County’s general plan and zoning code.
To facilitate County approval of the project’s site plan, Clearway will actively engage with potential stakeholders to solicit feedback early into our design process prior to submission of our site plan. In addition, we will incorporate best design practices from our prior solar projects (Waiawa, Mililani I, Lanikuhana, Kawailoa and Wapio) that have successfully navigated permitting processes and are currently in operation.
Best practices include but are not limited to micro siting our layout to avoid sensitive biological and cultural resources, and siting in close proximity to existing transmission infrastructure to limit the need for new overhead lines. As with our other projects, Clearway will actively engage with community stakeholders including the nearby community and village associations, to solicit feedback on our site and design and provide project information through open house meetings and informal updates at regularly scheduled district meetings. In doing so, we will proactively answer questions from the community to ensure a streamlined agency review process.
Studies/Assessments
The project site has been the focus of previous development efforts for residential housing projects, and therefore, has been well studied. In order to understand potential constraints of the site and permitting pathway, Clearway Energy retained Tetra Tech, Inc. to complete a Critical Issues Analysis (CIA) in 2019 leading up to the Stage 2 HELCO RFP.
The purpose of the CIA was to describe the existing environmental resources of the project, and to identify the regulatory requirements, issues, constraints, and limitations as they relate to the project. The CIA analysis included a review of relevant literature, Geographic Information System data, information previously collected from earlier Archaeological Inventory survey and Cultural Impact Assessment, biological resource reviews, and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared for the TMK parcel in 2007 for a previous development project on the parcel.
Under previous ownership, the project parcel had been contemplated for residential development consisting of 398 rural lots and supporting infrastructure and utilities. An EIS was prepared to support the State Land Use Commission approval of that project, and included evaluation of all resource areas including biological and cultural resources, as well as traffic. The State approved the project in 2008, however the residential project was never pursued. Any supplemental studies required to secure the County Plan Approval will be initiated after Final Award.
Based on the data obtained for this analysis, there does not appear to be any known environmentally significant resource constraint that would preclude the proposed project. However, once additional wildlife and site-specific surveys and studies are completed, Clearway will consult with agencies to assess potential project impacts, required mitigation, and design limitations of the project, as well as to refine the required permitting criteria.
Archeological and Cultural Resources
The most recent Archaeological Inventory Survey conducted for the TMK parcel was in 1990, which was then reassessed in 2006. A Cultural Impact Assessment was also conducted in 2006. The current project area is smaller than, and included within, the study area assessed in 1990 and 2006. The 1990 identified one archaeological feature an identified as Site T-1; the feature was so modest that no State Inventory of Historic Places site number was given and "no further treatment of any kind" was recommended. Otherwise there was no evidence of either pre- or post-contact use within the entire project area. This assessment and recommendation were reaffirmed in the 2006 Archaeological Inventory Survey (AIS). Based on the 2006 study, the archaeological features present within the project Study Area are likely to occur at low density, be relatively small, and be widely dispersed; no ongoing traditional cultural practices were identified within the study area. Given the amount of time elapsed since the previous AIS, Clearway will consult with an archaeologist and State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) to determine if an update to the AIS is warranted. A Preservation Plan for the project will also be submitted to SHPD for review and acceptance.
Biological Resources
A botanical and wildlife survey was conducted on the TMK parcel in 2006. The project site is smaller than the study area assessed in 2006. The 2006 study and EIS concluded that development on the parcel would not likely result in impacts to native wildlife species but adverse impacts to native plant assemblages were possible. Based on review by Tetra Tech, there is one drainage within the project area that could be considered jurisdictional by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), although no wetlands have been identified in the project area by National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), and Hawai`i Department of Aquatic Resources (DAR) data. Given the potential for change in site conditions and/or environmental law, updated biological surveys will be conducted to confirm the presence/absence of sensitive resources including wetland features, which will be used to inform site design so that sensitive resources are avoided to the extent possible, and to inform consultation with wildlife agencies.
List of Regulatory and Permit Approvals
The following are the required permits for the Waikoloa Solar project. Clearway anticipates designing the project to avoid impacts to waters under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and implementing best management practices during construction and operation to avoid adverse impacts to state and federally protected species. Clearway will consult with the appropriate state and federal agencies. However no formal approvals are anticipated to be required from USACE, USFWS, Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW).
NPDES
Permit Name: A Notice of General Permit Coverage (NGPC) for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Federal, State or Local agencies and authorities having jurisdiction over the issuance: State of Hawai`i Department of Health
State Land Use
Permit name: State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) Approval
Federal, State or Local agencies and authorities having jurisdiction over the issuance: State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD)
County Land Use
Permit name: Hawaii County Plan Approval
Federal, State or Local agencies and authorities having jurisdiction over the issuance: Hawai`i County Department of Planning
County Building and Grading Permits
Permit Name: Building and Grading Permits (PV/BESS, Substation, OH line, and COIF including Switching Station)
Federal, State or Local agencies and authorities having jurisdiction over the issuance: Hawai`i County Department of Public Works and Environmental Management
Major Events & Milestones
Waikoloa Project Timeline
Discover the key milestones in our journey towards renewable energy - for the complete timeline, view our detailed PDF here.
2023
July: Shortlisted
December: Final Award
2024
January - December: Design & Engineering
September: Submit Permitting Applications (CUP)
December: Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Executed
2025
Permit Approvals
2026 - 2028
October '26 — December '27: Construction
August 31, 2028: Commercial Operations
2028-2048+
Operations
2048+
Decommissioning
Tangible Emissions Impact
This 30MW Solar Project Would Replace Fossil Fuels Equivalent to These Common Sources
1.3B
Pounds of coal burned
2.7M
Barrels of oil consumed
3B
Miles driven by average gas-powered passenger vehicle
132M
Gallons of gasoline consumed
Over the 20 year PPA term of this project. Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator | US EPA
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