Parker harnesses
power of sun, wind

Star-Bulletin staff

WAIMEA, Hawaii >> Parker Ranch will dedicate a 225-kilowatt, hybrid wind and solar power generation facility in its Waimea pastures tomorrow, the ranch announced.

The facility includes two acres of photovoltaic (solar) panels capable of producing 175 kilowatts and 5 wind turbines with a capacity of 50 kilowatts.

The plant, near the West Hawaii Concrete facility, will power most of the ranch's daytime water-pumping operations.

The system is designed to produce power from the sun most of the time, and to allow wind to take over on days when clouds blow through the area, said John Crouch, Hawaii representative for PowerLight Corp., which set up the system.

During the 30-year life of the project, the system will avoid the burning of 30,000 barrels of oil, which would produce 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide.

Parker used a $2 million loan to pay for the project, but will be able to pay off the loan by the first day of operations because of savings on utility bills, said ranch official Riley Smith.