This summer, Sunetric will install a 121-kilowatt photovoltaic system (PV) at the Island Princess Macadamia Nut orchard on the island of Hawaii. Already a very sustainable farm and business, this new solar energy system will help Island Princess become an even greener operation.
Source Island Princess
The Hawaii island orchard consists of some 110,000 macadamia nut trees on 1,100 acres. For many years Island Princess has used sustainable soil management and pruning techniques as well as recycled by-products such as potting and road surfacing materials to make their operations as sustainable as possible.
The new PV-system will offset 86% of the electricity used at their processing facility, where they slow-dry, crack, sort and roast some 30,000 pounds of macadamia nuts every day during the peak harvesting season of August through March.
The monthly savings? More than $5,100–that’s nearly $62,000 a year! Which means their system will be paid off in just 3 years of operation. And the solar energy will replace more than 288 barrels of oil a year that would otherwise have been imported to Hawaii to provide energy to the plant.
“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 Dr. Michael Prudy, president of Island Princess.
To learn more about the company and how they are participating in Hawaii’s solar revolution, visit the Island Princess website.
