Dive Brief:
- Wärtsilä Corp. will supply a 50 MW smart power generation facility to Hawaiian Electric on the island of Oahu, aimed at helping to better enable the integration of more solar photovoltaic, PV magazine reported.
- The project requires approval by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, and if greenlighted could be operational in 2017.
- The plant will run on a biofuel blend, including liquid fuels and natural gas when liquefied natural gas becomes available on the island. The plant will help reduce the island’s reliance on oil and coal-based generation.
Dive Insight:
Hawaii has the highest per capita installed capacity of PV systems in the United States, says the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, with about 255 watts per person compared with the US average of just under 38 watts per person. About 12% of all single-family residential dwellings have solar panels in Hawaii.
The Wärtsilä generating facility is aimed at better integrating solar power. The plant's multiple-fuel abilities will make startup smoother as solar's contribution to the grid fluctuates.
“We need to transform our generation portfolio to be more flexible and quick-starting in order to integrate more renewable energy, especially solar power. This project is an important step in that direction,” said Jack Shriver, Hawaiian Electric senior engineer. “Internal combustion engines provide a solution to our requirements, since they are fast-reacting, efficient and capable of running on multiple fuels,” he added.
The plant will consist of six Wärtsilä 34DF engines with combined output of 50 MW. The power plant will be located on Schofield Barracks Army base, outside of Honolulu.