Sunetric, a solar design and installation company, will install a 121-kilowatt photovoltaic system this summer at the Big Island orchard of Island Princess Macadamia Nut Co. The move will allow the gourmet food products company to add solar energy to
Sunetric, a solar design and installation company, will install a 121-kilowatt photovoltaic system this summer at the Big Island orchard of Island Princess Macadamia Nut Co. The move will allow the gourmet food products company to add solar energy to its array of sustainable farming practices, according to a news release.
Honolulu-based Island Princess will use the ground-mount system to power its macadamia nut processing facility, located on the company’s 1,100-acre orchard at Keaau.
The orchard, which encompasses 110,000 macadamia nut trees, has for years used sustainable soil management and pruning techniques, as well as recycling organic byproducts such as potting and road-surfacing material.
The photovoltaic array will generate 14,730 kilowatts of energy each month, offsetting 86 percent of the processing facility’s electricity, which is used to slow-dry, crack, sort and roast nearly 30,000 pounds of macadamia nuts each day during the peak harvesting season of August through March.
The array will result in a monthly savings to Island Princess of more than $5,100, or nearly $62,000 a year, allowing the company to recoup its investment during the third year of operation. Construction is set to be completed by August 2012.
“Agriculture is a key industry for creating a more sustainable Hawaii, and we are proud to continue a legacy of environmentally sound harvesting practices,” said Michael Purdy, president of Island Princess. “As we look to increase macadamia nut production in the coming years, this array will be essential in helping us reduce our energy consumption and environmental impact.”
