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A $14-million investment is set to transform the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu through the design and construction of a large-scale photovoltaic (PV) system paired with battery storage. This major renewable energy initiative will significantly expand the campus’s sustainability efforts while securing its energy future.
The project will feature solar panel canopies installed over existing parking areas, transforming them into dual-use infrastructure that generates clean energy while providing shaded parking for the campus community. Planning and design are currently underway, with construction anticipated to begin in August 2026.
Once completed, the system is projected to produce approximately 2.38 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power the equivalent of about 270 Hawaiʻi homes each year. The project is expected to support the UH System’s broader net-zero energy goals, contributing to both systemwide sustainability targets and supplying an estimated 50% of the net-zero energy needed to power the UH West Oʻahu campus. The next phase of the university’s efforts to become fully net-zero is the replacement of its chillers with new high efficiency units and control systems. That upgrade is planned for fiscal year 2027.
The solar canopy will span multiple parking lots across campus and include an industrial-scale battery storage system designed to enhance operational resilience. In the event of a power outage, the system will be capable of supporting critical campus functions, an especially important feature within Hawaiʻi’s isolated island electrical grid.
“The new PV system is designed to offset 100% of the campus cooling load, significantly reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels while lowering greenhouse gas emissions,” said Miles Topping, director of energy management for the UH System. “Producing clean energy while providing shade just makes sense, it’s the right thing to do, and it also strengthens our resilience as a community.”
All campus buildings at UH West Oʻahu are LEED-certified and incorporate energy-efficient systems, each supported by approximately 100-kilowatt solar installations. The campus also utilizes rainwater catchment systems for irrigation and benefits from proximity to public transportation, including on-campus bus and rail service.
The project is being delivered through a combination of funding sources, including roughly one-third campus funding, one-third state capital improvement program funds, and one-third federal tax incentives.
Project management is led by the UH Office of Project Delivery and the UH West Oʻahu Office of Planning and Design. The team also includes local industry partners Elite Pacific Construction and RevoluSun.
UH Alumna and Designer Heading Back to Merrie Monarch
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