The state Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaiʻi Authority is celebrating its 50th anniversary. In the coming years, the group plans on more research and support for projects to combat climate change to meet the state’s energy and food goals.
Over the weekend, NELHA commemorated the occasion at its Hawaiʻi Ocean Science and Technology Park, the Kona research facility administered by the authority.
The HOST Park supports emerging renewable, ocean-based technologies and aquaculture projects.
That includes the work done by Symbrosia, a business producing a seaweed feed additive that can be given to cows to significantly reduce their methane production. The seaweed species is native to Hawaiʻi.
The park is also home to the only off-shore aquaculture operation in the country, operated by Blue Ocean Mariculture. New tenants— such as Sea Dragon Energy, a company that wants to scale up its operations to produce jet fuel from seawater — are hoping to get space at the 870-acre park.
“ You know, climate change, conservation, and ocean conservation specifically, energy security, food security — those are all areas that we think we can play a part in. We think we can also play a part in showcasing technologies that might help Hawaiʻi get to the 2045 100% clean energy goals,” said Laurence Sombardier, NELHA’s interim executive director.
The park has about 200 acres of space left for possible tenants doing work on ocean-based technologies, Sombardier said.
NELHA is currently in the process of updating its master plan, which could drive what projects it and the HOST Park prioritize. The current plan is over a dozen years old and is due for an update, Sombardier said.
