February - March 2008
castle & cooke: lana'i green initiative
By Harry Saunders
Castle
& Cooke Hawai‘i was founded in 1851 and has grown into one of
the nation’s oldest and most respected developers by investing in
Hawai‘i, creating communities and delivering dreams.
Today, we’re investing in renewable energy projects on Lana‘i to help deliver the dream of Hawai‘i’s energy independence.
Castle & Cooke Chairman and CEO David H. Murdock is committed to unleashing company resources to help the State of Hawai‘i achieve its goal of meeting 20 percent of our energy needs through renewable resources by 2020. In the process, we intend for Lana‘i to become a world model for sustainability.
‘I love this island,’ said Murdock. ‘Lana‘i is uniquely positioned to move forward… and set an example for the State of Hawai‘i, the nation and the world to follow. The time to move forward with renewable energy is now.’
We know this is an ambitious goal, but we believe it is the right thing to do and the time to do it is now. To that end, we are already at work on installation of hundreds of solar panels on a 10-acre site in Lana‘i’s Palawai Basin.
Our 1.5 megawatt solar energy farm is scheduled to begin producing power in 2008 and is expected to supply up to 30 percent of Lana‘i’s daytime energy needs — all clean and emissions free. The solar farm will be Hawai‘i’s largest, and the fourth largest in the U.S.
While
installation of the solar farm proceeds, we are also exploring the commercial
viability of harnessing the natural trade winds along Lana‘i’s
north coast to generate clean, renewable electricity.
A single wind turbine can generate up to 3 megawatts of clean electricity — enough energy to power 2,600 homes. With a series of wind turbines, we could supply energy to Lana‘i as well as other islands. To determine if this is feasible, we are now gathering data about speed and direction of wind over time.
Mindful of Lana‘i’s agricultural heritage, Castle & Cooke is also examining the feasibility of growing feedstock for bio fuels.
Using bio-energy reduces global warming emissions if new plants are grown to replace those that are harvested.
Our commitment to Hawai‘i’s energy independence is matched by our commitment to good stewardship of Lana‘i’s unique environmental, cultural and historic resources. As we pursue renewable energy goals, we are also working with all appropriate local, state and federal agencies — including the state Board of Land and Natural Resources, the state Department of Forestry and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — to protect the native species that also call Lana‘i home.
Investing in Hawai‘i, creating communities and delivering dreams. For more than 150 years, Castle & Cooke has been a kama‘aina company dedicated to the islands we call home. We are proud to be sponsoring renewable energy initiatives to ensure the sustainability of our communities for the next 150 years.
Harry
A. Saunders III is president of Castle & Cooke Hawai‘i, one
of the nation’s oldest and most respected developers. Investing
in Hawai‘i since its founding in 1851, Castle & Cooke Hawai‘i
is now a diversified company with interests in real estate, community
development, agriculture, aviation and renewable energy.
