Ameresco Inc., a renewable energy company, announced the Pu`uloa Microgrid project in the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program in collaboration with the US Navy and Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO).
This initiative, supported by the DOE’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to enhance the energy resilience of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) and the island of Oahu.
The Pu`uloa Microgrid will feature a hybrid design incorporating advanced smart grid technologies.
With a planned capacity of 99 MW of firm, renewable, and dispatchable generation, this project is set to improve Oahu’s grid reliability, diversify its energy mix, and expedite the adoption of clean energy solutions.
Under normal circumstances, the microgrid will supply clean and reliable power to Oahu’s grid.
In an outage, it will automatically disconnect from the main grid and redirect power to sustain critical operations at JBPHH, ensuring national security needs are met.
Additionally, it will possess black start capabilities to reestablish power during a full island outage and offer services like frequency response and voltage support to enhance grid stability.
The microgrid will also establish new electrical infrastructure, including a 46 kV transmission backbone, to strengthen interconnections between HECO substations at JBPHH.
These advancements will be managed by control systems that improve grid resilience and energy efficiency.
Maria Robinson, Director of the DOE’s Grid Deployment Office said, “The Pu`uloa Microgrid will use an innovative, hybrid approach to microgrids and smart grid technologies to enhance grid resilience and diversify their energy mix, all while creating good paying jobs and providing affordable, clean energy to Hawaii customers.”
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The Pu`uloa Microgrid project is designed to benefit the local community by generating jobs and supporting local initiatives.
It is projected that at least 75% of the construction workforce will be recruited locally, generating approximately 40 new jobs.
Additionally, Ameresco is investing in scholarships for James Campbell High School, supporting programs at Leilehua High School, and contributing to environmental cleanup efforts in the Salt Lake community near JBPHH.
The project also aims to create good-paying, locally sourced jobs through a Project Labor Agreement with local unions and the utilisation of apprentice labour.