Japanese developer the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization is spearheading the project, which has garnered support from the state and its main power company Hawaiian Electric.
Other corporate participants include Hewlett-Packard Japan, Ltd., Sharp Corporation, JFE Engineering Corporation and Cyber Defense Institute, Inc.
The University of Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are also supporting the project as part of a clean energy technologies action plan that was agreed to by the US and Japanese governments in late 2009.
The smart grid project on the Hawaiian island of Maui will serve to demonstrate a smart grid on Maui island, which uses 15 per cent renewable energy. It will also contribute to the development of smart grid standards and provide a low carbon infrastructure that uses renewable energy efficiently.
The participating companies are expected to produce a feasibility study within the next few months and implement the project by early 2015. They will build a system to distribute power, control load by demand and incorporate an ICT platform and electric vehicle infrastructure, together with rapid chargers.
The partners also plan to establish an electric vehicle control centre in the Kihei district of the island based on the smart grid model that will aim to eliminate the impact of renewable energy output fluctuations.
They will start by demonstrating grid stability and a control project, which will be evaluated to promote the establishment of an optimal smart grid model that can be applied to other islands.
For additional information:
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
