AES Distributed Energy, a subsidiary of The AES Corporation (AES), and SunPower announced that a SunPower Oasis Power Plant platform with an innovative solar plus storage facility is under development by AES DE on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

AES DE will construct a 28-megawatt SunPower Oasis system at the site, as well as a 20-megawatt five-hour duration energy storage system. AES DE expects the project will be the largest solar-plus-utility-scale-battery system in the state of Hawaii, and one of the largest solar electricity storage systems in the world. The power generated and stored at the plant will serve customers of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC).

“As the result of a competitive bid process, SunPower Oasis Power Plant technology was selected to optimize the cost-competitive solar power generated for KIUC customers at this facility,” said Woody Rubin, president of AES DE. “The combined solution of energy storage and SunPower solar technology will provide KIUC with the flexibility and reliability to meet their peak demand.”

“We commend AES DE and KIUC for this forward-thinking, milestone project, and for using high performance SunPower technology to ensure long-term value,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “Innovation and proven performance are hallmarks of SunPower technology, which powers more than three gigawatts of solar power plants around the world today.”

The SunPower Oasis platform is a fully integrated power plant solution designed to streamline construction, reduce operations and maintenance costs and maximize value for customers. The high efficiency SunPower E-Series solar panels that will be mounted on the Oasis solar trackers at the Kauai facility produce 30% more energy than conventional solar panels in the first year of operation.

AES DE will be the long-term owner and operator of the project, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2018.