The lithium-ion battery project is ideally located on roughly eight acres of land in the Kapolei Harborside industrial project, where it will interconnect at a critical Hawaiian Electric substation. The project will provide load shifting and fast-frequency response services to Hawaiian Electric, enhancing grid reliability and accelerating the integration of readily available renewable energy. The June 2022 completion of the KES project will ensure that the AES coal plant – the last- remaining coal-fired generation in Hawai'i – will end operations in September 2022, supporting the state's goal of shifting from fossil fuels to 100 percent renewable energy generation.
"Plus Power is honored and excited to work with Hawaiian Electric to implement this ground-breaking project," said Bob Rudd, lead developer at Plus Power. "At 185 MW/565 MWh, the KES project will provide the scale necessary to transition away from coal and to accelerate Hawaii's path toward 100 percent renewable energy. We look forward to working closely with all stakeholders to realize this project and deliver its economic and environmental benefits to the people of Oahu."
Plus Power started work on KES in early 2019 in cooperation with the project's landowner, Kapolei Properties, an affiliate of the James Campbell Company.
"Plus Power's selection as an energy storage provider for Hawaiian Electric is a very welcome and important step in meeting the state's renewable energy needs. We're excited to have them at Harborside," said Steve Kelly, president of the Kapolei Properties Division of the James Campbell Company.
The KES project received unanimous support from the local Neighborhood Board and approval of its Conditional Use Permit-Minor from the City and County of Honolulu. Situated in I-2 (Industrial) zoning outside the Tsunami Evacuation Zone, the KES project site is an optimal location for new energy infrastructure.
Construction of the Kapolei Energy Storage facility is anticipated to start in summer 2021, subject to approval from the Hawai'i Public Utilities Commission. The project will contribute to the local tax base and create a significant number of local construction and operations jobs.
