A history of accelerating the future of energy, together
From its founding and to today, AES has led lasting positive change in the energy sector based on its stakeholders’ most critical needs.
Supporting Hawaiʻi's transition to a carbon-free future
1992: Barbers Point power plant
- Began operations with a 30-year PPA to produce electricity for Hawaiian Electric’s Oʻahu grid. Operations concluded on September 1, 2022
- Invested $300 million to build the plant
- Produced 180 MW of electricity, meeting up to 20% of Oʻahu's energy needs at the lowest available cost
- Provided up to $4 billion in energy cost savings to Oʻahu consumers
- Consistently ranked among the nation’s top performing plants of comparable size and fuel source
- Supported thousands of jobs in a range of industries
- Plant decommissioned in 2022
2019: Lāwaʻi Solar + Storage project
- World's largest solar-plus-battery storage facility when commissioned in 2019
- Designed in collaboration with Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative
- Provides 11% of Kauaʻi’s energy
- Includes 20 MWac of renewable energy and 100 MWh battery energy storage
- Produces energy while also supporting agriculture
- Won the 2019 Edison Award for advancing the electric industry from the Edison Electric Institute
2020: Nā Pua Makani wind farm
- State-of-the-art wind energy facility located in Kahuku on O‘ahu’s north shore where the wind is plentiful
- Produces 24 MW of clean, renewable energy
- Delivers enough energy to power 16,000 homes
- Emits no greenhouse gases
- Reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70,000 tons by displacing power from fossil fuel combustion, which is comparable to taking 13,000 cars off the road for an entire year
2021: Kekaha Solar + Storage project
- Developed in collaboration with the US Navy and Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC)
- Features 14 MWac solar photovoltaic array and 70 MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage
- Supports mission critical activities at the Pacific Missile Range Facility as a microgrid in the event of planned or unplanned outages
- Designed with the ability to “black start” using power from its own solar array and batteries
- Reduces reliance on diesel generators
- Produces stable, low-cost power to all Kauaʻi residents islandwide
2023: Waikoloa Solar + Storage project
- Features 30 MWac solar photovoltaic array and 120 MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage
- Sited on 300 acres along Waikoloa Road
- Reduces monthly costs for customers across Hawai'i Island, an expected monthly bill savings of $5/household
- Supported 200 jobs in construction and operations
- Produces enough electricity to power 13,600 homes on Hawaiʻi Island