Kona Brewing Co., EnSync Inc. and its subsidiary Holu Energy recently announced a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to build a solar-plus-battery storage system at the beer company’s new brewery, under construction in Kailua Kona. The installation will consist of a 336-kW roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) system and an EnSync DER SuperModule that contains a 122-kW-hour battery system to capture and store excess solar generation.
The project also includes the Matrix Energy Management system, which interacts with the main grid to find and deliver the lowest-cost, most reliable electricity from multiple sources. The resulting solar power is projected to meet one-quarter of the brewery’s electricity needs and will allow the company to produce a peak output of 6,875 cans of sun-powered beer per hour.
“This installation offers Kona Brewing a fully integrated resource to meet its dual goals of using clean energy and reducing energy costs, which in Hawaii are the highest in the nation,” said Ted Peck, president of Holu Energy. “Integrating energy storage with PV will help the brewery reduce expensive peak demand charges, add resiliency and provide grid services, which benefits both the local utility and Kona Brewing.”
Energy storage will also enable Kona Brewing to participate in utility Hawaiian Electric’s demand response programs, which incentivize energy efficiency and stabilize the grid.
“Since it formed over 20 years ago, Kona Brewing has been committed to making locally brewed beers in an environmentally responsible way,” said Julia Person, sustainability manager of Kona Brewing. “By partnering with Holu, we are working with another Hawaiian business to reduce our imported fossil fuel use and create on-site solar energy that helps the state meet its renewable energy goals. This partnership demonstrates how we embrace innovation to maintain our commitment to the ‘Aloha spirit’ and the larger Hawaiian community.”
EnSync Energy’s tailored project development and financing support enables investors and local energy consumers to commit to clean energy cost savings while furthering Hawaii’s state goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. EnSync Energy has contracted 26 commercial projects in Hawaii, which will account for more than $40 million in electricity sales over the terms of the agreements. Construction of the brewery is underway, with installation of the solar-plus-battery storage system expected to be complete in early 2019.
