HTDC Awards $1.67 Million Contract for Continued Development of Microgrid Project at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
April 8, 2025 – PRESS RELEASE
HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) announced today that its Hawai‘i Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies (HCATT) program recently awarded a $1.67 million contract for the continued development and expansion of the Pacific Energy Assurance Renewables Laboratory (PEARL) microgrid at the 154th Wing, Hawai‘i Air National Guard, on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
Hawai‘i-based engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting solutions firm Burns & McDonnell was awarded the contract, which will further enhance the capacity and capability of the microgrid and enable the integration and utilization of additional renewable energy technologies. The project supports an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) initiative using the PEARL in a multi-year project to demonstrate the reliability and resiliency of renewable energy.
Microgrids are resilient energy systems which can operate in conjunction with or independently of the main power grid by creating a cybersecure electrical infrastructure that relies on localized generation, storage and distribution of energy. This capability allows officials to continue critical missions in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director James Kunane Tokioka stated, “PEARL will foster further collaborations between the state of Hawai‘i, Department of Defense, and Hawai‘i’s private sector. It will function as a technology and business development laboratory to complement the state’s mandate to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels for energy production and transportation. Further, PEARL will provide significant benefits to Hawai‘i’s diverse communities through renewable energy jobs, higher wages and delivery of reliable, clean and affordable energy.”
“The PEARL Microgrid is a novel concept within the Department of Defense and supports the broad goals of energy security while promoting and advancing the U.S. Air Force’s ‘Mission Assurance Through Energy Assurance.’ Further, the Hawai‘i Air National Guard recognizes the importance of the PEARL microgrid and has codified it within its 2021-2031 Strategic Plan to ‘provide mission assurance to critical 154th WG facilities and emergency response operations via resilient power capabilities and integration of renewable energy resources,’” said HCATT Director David Molinaro. “We will continue to collaborate closely with AFRL, National Guard Bureau, Hawai‘i National Guard, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Hawaiian Electric Company, as well as many local companies, to complete this very unique project,” Molinaro added.
About Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation (HTDC):
HTDC is a state agency attached to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), focused on promoting and developing Hawai‘i’s technology industry. With a mission to facilitate the growth of technology and innovation, HTDC plays a key role in connecting talent with opportunities in the state. For more information, please visit htdc.org.
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Media Contacts:
Umma Berkelman, HTDC / Phone: 808-539-3839 / Email: umma.berkelman@hawaii.gov
Colleen Ching, Gray Media / Email: colleen.ching@gray.tv