The U.S. Navy has unveiled plans to lease 25 acres of land within Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) in Hawaii for the development of clean energy infrastructure. This proposal, if implemented, would involve the demolition of three historic buildings and repurposing six others to make way for a biofuel plant and solar energy farm.
These facilities aim to provide a sustainable electricity source capable of powering over 100,000 homes, something that will contribute to Hawaii’s goal of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2045.
The initiative also addresses critical energy security concerns faced by the Navy on the base. Once completed, this power supply will reportedly ensure continuous military operations at Pearl Harbor — even in the event of a grid outage.
“The purpose of the Proposed Action is to generate and store renewable energy in order to improve energy security, strategic flexibility and energy resiliency at JBPHH,” the Naval Department wrote. “The need for the proposed action is to address the Navy’s critical energy security gaps by providing energy resiliency to the entire base in the event of a grid outage. JBPHH’s aging — average age of over 50 years — undersized infrastructure and overloaded distribution system also impact reliability.”
The buildings slated for demolition and repurposing fall within a protected National Historic Landmark District. An environmental assessment of the project has acknowledged that moving forward with this plan will alter sites deemed historically significant.
“The proposed action would result in minor, permanent and irreversible impacts to historic architectural resources,” the assessment read. “Adverse effects to historic properties would be resolved through consultation and implementation of mitigation.”
In response to these concerns, the Navy has initiated a public consultation process to gather feedback on the proposed renewable energy plan. Individuals are invited to voice their opinions on the matter to the Naval Department through May 2.