Project Overview
This project is a community-focused approach to supporting localized energy resilience for the neighborhoods surrounding Lēʻahi (Diamond Head) and represents a neighborhood-scaled approach to grid resilience that might be replicated in other suitable locations on Oʻahu.
This project includes both energy infrastructure and capacity building components. The energy infrastructure component will complete a photovoltaic (PV) integrated microgrid at Kaimukī Middle School (KMS) by developing the ability to operate independently of the grid and adding battery back-up energy storage. KMS currently has a grid-dependent PV system with no battery back-up.
For the capacity building component, CERENE will support the development of partnerships for this and similar long-term risk reduction projects.
The $500,000 project is funded through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program, which provides a reimbursable grant for up to 75% of federal funding for eligible resilience projects.
KMS PV System Background
The PV system at KMS was installed as part of the ground-breaking Renewable Energy Generation program. The Hawaiʻi Department of Education developed the program to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The program installs energy-generating PV systems but does not include energy storage.
Schools are often designated disaster shelters for the surrounding community. This provides the opportunity to increase disaster preparedness with the addition of grid-independence and energy storage. KMS is the designated shelter for East Honolulu, one of the most densely populated areas in the state. According to the internal state disaster shelter database, KMS has up to 1,607 shelter spaces. The school has 1,080 students, faculty, and staff on-campus during operations.
In 2012, Hawaiʻi Pacific Solar, LLC completed the installation of a PV system installation at Kaimukī Middle School through the Renewable Energy Generation program. The PV system is owned by Hawaiʻi Pacific Solar for a 20-year contract term through 2035. At or before the expiration of the contract, DOE will purchase the PV system and equipment at the residual or termination value.
This project will develop the ability to operate independently of the grid and install battery back-up for the existing PV system. The battery back-up system will be owned by DOE and will service all campus buildings that may potentially be used for disaster sheltering. The system will provide 4 hours of grid-independent power, depending on conditions. Additional power needs can be met with the temporary connection of firm power generation to the microgrid system.
Center for Resilient Neighborhood (CERENE)
The Partnership Development activities will be undertaken by the Kapiʻolani Community College (KCC) Community Engagement for Resilient Neighborhoods (CERENE) Program. The mission of CERENE is to support neighborhood-level resilience planning. This will include how to best implement actions from the state and local hazard mitigation plans at the neighborhood level using the unique capabilities and resources of KCC. Through partnership development, civic engagement, student service learning, and leveraging existing resources, CERENE will support added capacity to reduce natural hazard risk and increase resiliency.
In the first three years of the project, CERENE will focus on engaging neighborhoods in dialogue to support the mission of increasing neighborhood resilience.
CERENE will use four interrelated tactics to further its mission of increasing neighborhood resilience:
- Convene Partners
- Conducting Civic and Community Engagement
- Carry out Student Service-Learning Projects
- Leverage college resources and efforts.
Kapiʻolani Community College (KCC) is uniquely situated to support community engagement and partnership development to reduce risk from natural hazards. Strategically located in the center of the neighborhoods CERENE will serve, KCC is the only institution in the State recognized as a community-engaged institute by the Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement. KCC has been Carnegie Classified as Community-Engaged since 2006. KCC’s robust service-learning program through KSSL and now also through the Resilience Corps Leadership Award Program enrolls students from the local neighborhoods to serve, engage, and learn in those same neighborhoods.
Diamond Head Post-Disaster Energy Back-up & Response
Part of the CERENE engagement will include supporting discussions with community leaders and partners supporting resilience right in our own backyard at Kapi’olani Community College. Kapiʻolani Community College itself has installed a 1.74MW PV system with co-located battery systems. Discussions will inform future policy and hazard mitigation planning for the neighborhoods and surrounding areas by incorporating findings into the City’s hazard mitigation plan.