New carports will provide shade and electricity to Kapolei Hale

KAPOLEI, Hawaii (KHON2) — A three-month project at Kapolei Hale will provide much-needed shade for parked vehicles and generate more than 1.7 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

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On Monday, September 23, the Honolulu Department of Design and Construction will begin work on the construction of solar-powered carports at the Kapolei Hale parking lot.

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According to the City and County of Honolulu, the project is at no cost due to a power purchase agreement that is part of the city’s Energy Services Agreement and the city’s Renewable Energy Climate Plan.

Projects like this will have long-term impacts, not only in reducing carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, but also by providing shade for our vehicles and energy to charge them, and by mitigating the effects of heat in a region where temperatures continue to rise.

Ben Sullivan, Chief Resilience Officer and Executive Director of the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resilience

A similar project is underway at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, where a roof consisting of more than 4,500 photovoltaic panels is being installed in the facility’s parking lot.

The first phase of the project will last approximately six weeks, with work to be performed Monday through Friday, 7am–5pm.

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Phase one will begin in the parking lot typically used by guests.

The work is scheduled to be completed by New Year’s Eve.

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