Ameresco to build 40 MW biofuel generator for Hawaiian Electric
Following a procurement effort begun in 2022, Hawaiian Electric selected developer Ameresco Inc. to build a 40 MW biofuel-powered generator on Maui.
Hawaiian Electric began a search for proposals back in 2022 for Oahu and Maui, after announcing a similar search for Hawaii Island in 2021. This selection for Maui is one part of a round of 16 firm and variable renewable energy projects selected for the islands, with other Maui selections including three solar-plus-storage projects and a wind project.
Ameresco’s biofuel generator will be built on property owned by Hawaiian Electric near the Central Maui Landfill – Refuse and Recycling Center. It’s an example of firm energy, allowing energy deployments at all times, rather than the variable resources offered by items such as solar and wind.
Negotiations should begin soon on specific contracts, after which they will be submitted to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for review and developers will reach out to the communities in which they plan to build. Community outreach and benefit plans had to be submitted by developers alongside technical and financial criteria – a first for such proposal requests.
