Kuihelani Solar + Storage Project

Project details

Collaboration and engagement

AES Distributed Energy is deeply committed to becoming an active, invested member in the communities we serve.

Community input

Throughout the process, AES has and will continue to engage and listen carefully to community feedback on the Project. Specific issues identified by the community thus far are actively being addressed and we continue to seek input to ensure we are responsibly examining concerns.

Traffic

AES is committed to minimizing our impacts on Maui commuters.

• Minimal Operational Vehicles and Traffic – Upon completion, only 1-2 vehicles per day will be required to operate and maintain the Project. 

• Construction Traffic Management Plan – During the construction phase, a traffic management plan will be implemented to minimize traffic impacts. 

• Traffic Impact Analysis Report (TIAR) – A full Traffic Impact Analysis Report (TIAR) is being developed for the Project. 

Fire and safety

Brushfires are a significant community concern and AES takes this issue very seriously.

• Fire Suppression – Each battery storage container is equipped with a fire suppression system that will minimize the risk of fire from Project components.
• Firebreaks – A non-vegetated firebreak will encircle the Project area as well as each battery storage area to further reduce fire risk.
• Vegetation Management – AES will actively maintain the vegetation on-site to minimize the risk of brushfires spreading through the property.

Culture and archaeology

AES recognizes we have a responsibility to respectfully address the issues and perspectives of the Native Hawaiian community early in the process. With this understanding, we started the Project by undertaking the following actions: 

• Consultation with Lineal and Cultural Descendants – One of the earliest outreach efforts we undertook was consultation with lineal and cultural descendants and the Maui Lanai Islands Burial Council to identify issues and concerns, especially those related to iwi kupuna. 

• Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) – In consultation with descendants and the Burial Council, the Kuihelani Solar + Storage Project is one of Maui’s first projects to utilize Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to identify subsurface anomalies. 

• Archaeological Inventory Survey (AIS) and Cultural Impact Assessment (CIA) – An AIS and CIA are both underway in consultation with descendants and the State Historic Preservation Division. 

Visual impacts

Community members have raised visual impacts as an important consideration.

• Sensitive Siting – As much as possible, the Project will be designed and laid out to reduce visual impacts, especially along Kuihelani Highway and Maui Veterans Highway. 

• Landscaping – Where practicable, landscaping will be incorporated to further reduce visual impacts. 

• Visual Simulations and View Planes – To better understand the visual impacts, AES is preparing renderings to simulate views of the project from various vantage points. 

• Glint and Glare –A Glint analysis will be conducted from key observation points to minimize and mitigate impacts to commuters, residents, and air traffic.