Dive Summary:

• Kaua’I Island Utility Cooperative is building a 12-megawatt utility-scale solar project on 67 acres of the island that used to be used to harvest sugar cane.
• The co-op hopes to obtain all regulatory approvals for the $40 million project by July of 2013 and is working to have the site fully operational by late 2014.
• More than 54,000 solar panels will be spread across 37 acres; the co-op has a 20-year power purchase agreement for the output from the panels.

From the article:

Kaua’i Island Utility Cooperative is building a 12-megawatt utility-scale solar project on 67 acres on the south side of its island territory. The Lihu’e-based co-op announced plans to lease the site from the Grove Farm Co., Oct. 18.

“This is a huge step toward achieving our goal of using renewable resources to generate at least half of our power needs by 2023,” said Teofilo “Phil” Tacbian, KIUC’s board chairman. ...