Hawaiʻi is the first state in the nation to set a 100% renewable energy mandate, with the goal to have a sustainable, renewables-powered electric grid by 2045.
Floating offshore wind can be a key enabling technology to make this goal a reality, providing significant amounts of clean energy to Oʻahu while preserving land resources for other valuable uses, creating jobs, supporting local communities, and increasing Hawaiʻi’s energy independence. As a committed partner in this effort, Aukahi Energy seeks to develop a flagship floating offshore wind project for Oʻahu that is grounded in community participation and energy equity. Once approved, the project will provide enough clean electricity to power approximately 300,000 households.
PROJECT SITING
Aukahi Energy’s proposed project site is 12 miles east of Makapuʻu Point, north of the Kaʻiwi Channel. This site was selected due to its strong and sustained winds, suitable water depth and seabed conditions, minimal impacts to the marine ecosystem, and compatibility with existing uses such as fishing, commercial and recreational activities, and military operations. Electricity will be collected within the project site using cables that will be positioned to minimize impact to marine mammals.
OUR
PROCESS
Our goal is to supply renewable energy into Oʻahu’s grid by 2035.
Over the next 10 years, Aukahi Energy will be working on project development, design, and engineering. Throughout this entire process, Aukahi Energy’s team will continue to engage with all interested parties, while performing due diligence in meeting specific milestones required by the government and utility systems.
Our team will continue to:
- Engage in community talk story sessions.
- Design and implement processes with communities and interested parties to explore what can and should be done during the development, construction, operation, and decommissioning of a utility-scale renewable energy project.
- Work with experts to design a project compatible with Hawai‘i’s environment and ecosystems.
- Prepare to participate in the upcoming offshore site selection and lease process administered by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and supported by the Hawai‘i State Energy Office (HSEO) and other federal and state government agencies.
- Prepare a competitive bid package to submit into the upcoming long-term renewable resources request for proposals (RFP) from Hawaiian Electric.
WHO WE ARE
Aukahi Energy is a project owned by Progression Energy and EDF Renewables North America.
The team includes Hawaiʻi residents with deep ties to communities and experience in getting projects to the finish line. Our inclusive process and dialogue with all interested parties throughout the life of the project reflects our focus on connection — to place and people — to ensure our project serves Hawaiʻi and its communities.
SEAWATCH WIND LIDAR BUOY
To better understand the wind and ocean conditions at the proposed project site, Aukahi Energy deployed a Fugro SEAWATCH® buoy in December 2022 that will collect this important data over a period of 12-24 months. The buoy uses LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to measure wind speeds at different heights above sea level, and it also includes other sensors to measure waves and currents as well as to detect the potential presence of marine wildlife in the vicinity. This data will help to optimize the project to produce the most energy while also minimizing any potential ecological impacts. Aukahi Energy is committed to working with interested local stakeholders to share this valuable environmental data in a collaborative way.
NAMING
As part of its selection process, the team considered the ancestral ties to the proposed project location and partnered with SZ Kaiao to assist with naming and branding for the project. The team was led through the papakū makawalu process, which included visiting the project location to gain a deep understanding of the history and energies within the site that are captured in chants and mele, as well as discussing the intention behind the project to view it through the multiple perspectives used within an indigenous mindset. The process resulted in an ʻOlelo Noʻeau, proverb:
Moving as one on the high billows
Our logo, inspired by the pahu, and the kaona (deeper meaning) of a drum, when activated
setting the spoke in motion, represents the many forces participating in this project.
Click through the slider to see the elements contained within our project logo.
Click through the slider to see the elements contained within our project logo.
Our logo, inspired by the pahu drum, and the kaona (deeper meaning) of a drum, when activated setting the spoke in motion, represents the many forces participating in this project.