Sempra U.S. Gas & Power has taken off the table its plan to build a $1 billion, 300-megawatt solar farm on Navy land near Hawaii's Pearl Harbor.
Vice President of Development Joe Rowley, who oversees development of San Diego-based Sempra's renewable energy and natural gas projects, told PBN the news after speaking on a panel at the 2012 Asia-Pacific Clean Energy Summit and Expo, which began Monday and runs through Wednesday at the Hawaii Convention Center.
Sempra's photovoltaic project, which would've been one of the biggest solar farms in the country, was announced at last year's conference.
Scott Crider, director of external affairs for Sempra told PBN at that time that the proposal was made, unsolicited, in response to a posting on the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific Enhanced Use Lease website that the land was being considered for development, and that Sempra wanted the Navy to be aware of what potentially could built on the land.
Crider had said last year that the solar farm could provide the Navy with electricity at no cost and that Sempra would sell power to Hawaiian Electric Co. to make up its costs.
Rowley said Sempra has no projects to announce at this year's summit, but noted that the company is still interested in Hawaii as a key player in its renewables portfolio.
