Hawaii Army Bases to Feature 3,000 Homes with Solar Power

December 7, 2005

United Solar Ovonic will provide solar panels to power 3,000 new homes as part of a U.S. Army family housing project in Hawaii. The company signed an agreement on December 5th to provide 7 megawatts of thin-film solar modules to Actus Lend Lease for the project on Oahu, which will be the world's largest solar-powered residential community. According to United Solar Ovonic, the grid-connected solar power systems will reduce dependence on fossil fuels by 30 percent for the entire complex of 7,894 new and renovated Army homes. Actus Lend Lease announced in May that it had earned the Army contract for the project, which involves upgrading the housing and community services at seven different Army bases on the island. See the press releases from United Solar Ovonic (PDF 72 KB) and Actus Lend Lease. Download Adobe Reader.

A military base on Oahu currently features the largest federal solar power array in Hawaii. PowerLight Corporation installed a 309-kilowatt installation at Pearl Harbor in September and helped dedicate it in mid-October. The solar power system is expected to save the U.S. Navy about $40,000 per year. See the PowerLight press release.