KALAELOA (HawaiiNewsNow) – A 100-acre lot at the end of a private road is being eyed by an energy company to build a hydrogen-producing plant.
Eurus Energy America wants to build what it calls the Olai Green Hydrogen and Solar Project at the end of Olai Street in Campbell Industrial Park.
“It’s zoned industrial right by a refinery area, so in a perfect area for this kind of activity,” project manager Dave Tomlinson told the hydrogen-generating at its meeting Friday.
Eurus Energy said it will be the first large-scale effort in Hawaii to produce what’s called “green hydrogen.”
The company plans to use 90 acres of the land for a solar array that would supply the energy to separate hydrogen from water without producing greenhouse gases.
“So you can fuel trucks and cars and buses,” Tomlinson told the board. “You could do multiple facilities like this.”
Hydrogen cars have already been on Hawaii roads, and Hawaii Island has tested hydrogen-fueled electric buses on some of its routes. But the state still lacks the infrastructure, including companies to produce the hydrogen.
“This program, if successful, will help us be less reliant on imports?” asked BLNR member Kaiwi Yoon.
“Yes, absolutely,” replied Tomlinson.
The San Diego-based company is owned by a subsidiary of Toyota and already operates the state’s largest solar farm in Waianae.
“I’ve met with Eurus Energy America CEO and president and its local representatives over the last two years and support their efforts to development Hawaii’s first large scale green hydrogen project at Campbell Industrial Park,” Hawaii State Chief Energy Officer Mark Glick told HNN.
“The H2 produced would be an ideal green transportation fuel,” he added.
Eurus Energy would lease state land that has gone unused for three decades.
“Looking back, I recall that this particular lot was the old feed lot, right? And it just hasn’t — there hasn’t been any good use of the property. So we’re really excited to hear about this,” said BLNR member Denise Iseri-Matsubara.
Eurus Energy said once it’s operational, the project will produce between 500,000 to 800,000 kilograms of hydrogen per year, enough to offset 10,000 to 16,000 barrels of fossil fuels.
“(It) produces renewable energy locally, right? So you don’t have to import every, in this case, kilogram of hydrogen, which is roughly equivalent to a kilogram or a gallon of gasoline,” Tomlinson said.
The BLNR has approved two public hearings, which are set to be scheduled.
Eurus Energy plans to have the hydrogen-generating plant built by the end of 2027.
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