The Palace Theater is about to go solar.
The Palace Theater is about to go solar.
Thanks to a $25,000 donation from Hawaii County, the iconic Hilo theater is now within reach of its fundraising goal to install 81 photovoltaic panels, said Palace Theater Executive Director Morgen Bahurinsky.
“All we’re waiting on at this point is the permit from the county to move forward,” she said.
The panels are expected to cost $138,600, and Bahurinsky said the theater has raised nearly all of that through donations.
In addition to essentially eliminating the building’s electrical bill, the solar panels will make the installation of an air-conditioning system affordable. That’s something everyone can appreciate.
“It’s the most requested improvement that we can make,” she said. “Followed by new seats, and that’s coming down the line.”
Currently, the 90-year-old building’s electrical bill ranges from $1,100 to $1,500 per month, Bahurinsky said.
That’s lower than it used to be, but still too high to justify adding an air-conditioning system, she said.
“We couldn’t afford to run the air conditioning until we have the solar on,” Bahurinsky said.
She said an air-conditioning system was offered as a donation, and she hopes to have it installed within the next two years.
Installation of the solar panels might begin as soon as April, Bahurinsky said.
The County Council approved the donation from council member Aaron Chung’s contingency fund.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.