DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY SERVICES, HECO & HOKU DEVISE UNIQUE SYSTEM

(Honolulu, Nov.. 8, 2010) -- When completed in December this year, the 339 kilowatt system on the roof of Diagnostic Laboratory Services’ new facility in Halawa will be one of the largest on Oahu.

It will also be one of the only systems of its kind in Hawaii, combining PV in conjunction with a one-megawatt Hawthorne generator, that allows the PV system to operate normally – both when HECO’s grid is energized, and in emergency conditions when the generator is running.

Converting the old Panasonic warehouse to a combination of laboratory and office space meant a significant addition of electrical load to the site, and Diagnostic Laboratory Services recognized early on that the site was well-suited for solar.

“We knew that a photovoltaic installation would reduce the net amount of additional electrical load at the facility and help us control our operating costs,” noted Richard Okazaki, Diagnostic Laboratory Services president. “The challenge was in ensuring that we had emergency power, so we knew we needed a generator system as well.”

The answer took the combined talents of Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Queens Medical Center, Hoku Solar, Hawaiian Electric Company, Allied Builders System, Hawthorne, Electech and Architects Hawaii.

“From a technical perspective, this meant that the PV array needed to be engineered to run in parallel with the generator during emergency power outages,” explained Ryan McCauley, general manager of Hoku Solar.

Close cooperation with Hawaiian Electric was essential because of a number of unique grid-related challenges, including a significant increase of the electric demand on the site. The solutions included a switch to a new circuit; integration of a large rooftop PV array and parallel operation of grid-connected PV with a back-up generator set.

“We're happy to support another renewable energy project coming on line in a win-win for our customer and the PV vendor,” said Scott Seu, Hawaiian Electric vice president for energy solutions.

“We hope this cooperation can be a model for others who are looking to control electricity costs, increase Hawaii’s commitment to renewable energy and in the process help reduce the state’s dependence on imported fossil fuel,” Seu said.

“Hawaiian Electric’s proactive and supportive approach to this project has been a real key to our collective success thus far,” said Scott Paul, president and CEO of Hoku Corporation. “By working closely with the utility, we’ve been able to systematically resolve these site-specific technical challenges and keep the project on track.”

“The DLS project underscores the benefits of close cooperation between clean energy stakeholders and the utility,” continued Paul. “We all have a shared problem right now in that solar and wind facilities create grid management challenges for the utilities. In order to continue advancing renewable energy in Hawaii, we’re going to have to work together to find cost effective technical solutions.”