Holaniku at Keahole Point is the World’s first Micro-scaled Concentrating Solar Power field.  The project is located in at the Natural Energy Laboratories of Hawaii in Kona on the Island of Hawaii.

Governor George Ariyoshi a Visionary for Renewable Energy in Hawaii
During his 14 years as Governor of the State of Hawaii, Governor Ariyoshi was instrumental in developing the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii which was created by the Legislature in 1974 to research renewable energy.

Governor Ariyoshi recognized that these ecologically-friendly techniques could benefit businesses and boost the economy, and was able to develop a master plan and attain a master lease to help reduce bureaucratic red tape for potential businesses.

Hawaiians have a great deal of respect for the Sun

By Kahu Uncle Earl Regidor

La – the sun – was very important to Na Po’e Kahiko. They used the sun in many different ways. One, was using it as part of the navigational tools that helped them find their way to this land we call Hawai’i. They believed the sun was one of two elements that created life, the other was fresh water. With out one or the other there would not be life as we know it.

With the way our economy is today, we need to find better ways to use the resources that was given to us by akua. I’m confident that by trying, it can make our lives a bit easier. We have the people with Ike (knowledge) and the technology to do just that. And if we succeed, than we won’t be so dependent on fossil fuel. I’m all for alternative energy, it is the way of our ancestors.

There’s a lot of green good happening here!

By Darren T. Kimura Keahole Solar Power Company’s Founder

TALKING green is so easily done these days with the panic over record breaking oil costs, high energy costs, global warming and climate change. It seems you can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV without hearing someone TALKING big on going green. Sometimes I wonder “Where were these people a few years ago when being green wasn’t so cool? I also wonder what will come from all this green TALK?”

My green and clean energy career began with ACTION here on the Big Island in 1994. Back then I was determined to help local businesses like Big Island Federal Credit Union, Blane’s Drive Inn and KTA reduce their energy pain, making it a little easier and cheaper to bring their services to us.

It was a labor of love as the company began from my car and we struggled to get things going. In 1994 energy was cheap and people believed global warming was a myth. Still, we remained committed to help island people curb their energy costs which we knew would one day become a major problem. Over that time, we learned a lot about the energy business, met a lot of good friends who really cared about energy and stayed focused on helping our communities.

Today I am proud to break ground on the first renewable energy project at NELHA in 30 years and the first MicroCSP solar farm in the world! This project will help change the future of Kona and the Big Island for the better. We now have the home grown Hawaiian technology that can help us become independent from foreign oil. We have the intelligence here in Kona that will make us the beacon for the rest of the world when it comes to clean and green power and most important we can send a powerful message to everyone that Kona is a place where Green Talk is meaningless. Kona is home to RENEWABLE GREEN ENERGY ACTION!