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5A Rent-A-Space completes Level 2 electric car charging station

By Staff | Mar 1, 2012

A Level 2 electric car charging station is almost ready for use at 5A Rent-A-Space in Honokowai.

HONOKOWAI – 5A Rent-A-Space has installed a Level 2 electric car charging station. The station is being tested and will be ready for public use within two to three weeks.

5A’s new solar panels are producing enough energy for its storage facility and retail center next door. The company will sell remaining power to MECO for 220 average homes in the West Maui area.

5A recently installed a 1,938-panel, 600-kilowatt photovoltaic system that will feed 2,880 kilowatt-hours into Maui’s electric grid each day.

According to 5A, the system will prevent 1.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being released in the atmosphere of Maui – the equivalent of planting 29,350 trees and taking 243 autos permanently off the island’s roads.

The result is potential annual savings in electrical costs exceeding $284,000.

Abercrombie

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said, “Hawaii’s goals are ambitious; we are striving to be 70 percent energy independent by 2030.”

Maui Electric Company President Ed Reinhardt commented, “Maui Electric is pleased to partner with 5A Rent-A-Space in embracing renewable energy and bringing our state closer to realizing our clean energy goals.

“We recognize that weaning our state from imported oil will require a diverse portfolio of clean energy sources, and this project is yet another step in the right direction for Maui.”

5A Rent-A-Space co-owner Michael Knuppe said, “Our family has done business in the Maui community

for almost three decades. We feel we have an obligation to be good stewards of the island and take the role of being positive, progressive members of the community very seriously.

“This project provides clean, quantifiable benefits to our center’s merchants, our community and Hawaii as a whole.”