Kalaeloa Partners delivers up to 208 megawatts of power to Hawaiian Electric.
Committed to Delivering Efficient Energy to Oahu
Kalaeloa Partners envisions a reliable, sustainable energy future for the people of Hawaii.
Kalaeloa Partners operates a 208-megawatt, combined-cycle co-generation plant that combusts low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO)—fuel with only 1% sulfur—to produce electricity and steam. By producing electricity and steam, Kalaeloa serves a dual purpose.
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Kalaeloa supplies the power it produces to Hawaii’s electrical utility, Hawaiian Electric (HE), for use on Oahu’s power grid.
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In addition, Kalaeloa supplies process steam energy to the nearby PAR Hawaii refinery. Kalaeloa receives fuel from PAR every week, which we combust to produce electricity and steam. Steam energy is sent back to PAR to supply half of the energy the refinery needs to power its operations.
Kalaeloa is committed to using renewable fuels as they become available to support the state’s goal of 100 percent renewable energy on the grid by 2045.
2045
Benefits to Hawaii
Energy Efficiency
As one of the cleanest and most efficient power plants in the state, Kalaeloa Partners generates more energy, while producing less emissions. The plant also offers the flexibility of generating power from diverse fuels including gas, diesel, and when available, a variety of renewable fuels, in addition to LSFO.
Protecting the Environment
Kalaeloa is committed to Hawaii’s renewable portfolio standard and is currently employing co-generation technology to minimize emissions while maintaining power output.
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We’re also working to preserve Hawaii’s limited water resources. By using reverse osmosis (RO) water to recycle wastewater produced in our operations, we save half a million gallons of drinking water every day.
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The ARPPA also provides an option for HE to trigger a process for KPLP to explore alternative fuel options including biofuels, that would support the state’s transition to 100% renewable energy. Any such fuel conversion is subject to HE and PUC approval.
Reliability
Kalaeloa Partners reliably provides up to 20% of the electric demand for Oahu. Combined-cycle co-generation, which produces electricity and process heating in a single operation, marks an important step toward a sustainable energy future for the people of Hawaii.
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Kalaeloa Partners utilizes “fast ramping” technology supporting fast response to grid fluctuations, so additional power is there when needed.
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With an overall efficiency as high as 50 percent and system reliability of 99%, Kalaeloa is a proven power producer that is reducing costs while maximizing output.
What is Combined Cycle Co-Generation?
The most efficient way to generate energy with a combustion turbine is to utilize combined-cycle co-generation technology. This allows the production of power and heat from the same fuel source.
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Kalaeloa Partners takes a waste product of oil that has been refined at a neighboring refinery and with combined cycle technology, first produces electrical energy, then captures additional energy trapped in the exhaust of the turbines to produce thermal energy (steam), which is used to operate a steam turbine. The output of the steam turbine produces sufficient electrical energy for approximately 70,000 homes without any additional lsfo and thus completely pollution free.
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Cogeneration is a more efficient use of fuel because the energy trapped in the exhaust is recovered for electrical use at no additional cost.
Kalaeloa Partners is located in the James Campbell Industrial Park (JCIP) in Kapolei on the Island of Oahu, 25 miles west of downtown Honolulu.
