Molokai leaders urge Legislature to back floating solar pilot on agricultural reservoirs

Members of Molokai’s Clean Energy Hui, local residents and farming advocates urged the Hawaii Legislature on April 8 to encourage the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to explore co-locating community-based renewable energy projects—including floating photovoltaic arrays—with agricultural reservoirs and irrigation infrastructure.

The joint hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems and the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection voted to advance HCR 180 and HR 170, the committees’ clerk announced. The recommendation was to pass both measures unamended.

Supporters said floating photovoltaics could reduce evaporation and algae, generate electricity for farmers, and help Molokai reach its renewable-energy goals. "They discussed that it could possibly reduce evaporation'0and reduce algae," Brian Miyamoto of the Hawaii Farm Bureau said in testimony and added the Farm Bureau “is in strong support of this.”

Jennifer Kamalu Malia Yoshimura, energy director for Sustainable Molokai and a member of the Molokai Clean Energy Hui, told the committees the Molokai Community Energy Resilience Action Plan (C-RAP) identified floating PV on Kalaupapa Reservoir as one of 10 priority projects. "Floating photovoltaics on Kalaupapa Reservoir is one of 10 projects identified by the Molokai community in C-RAP and can support 50% of the island energy needs," Yoshimura said, and she noted the project team has identified up to $1.4 million in Department of Energy funding for feasibility work that expires in mid-September 2026.

Leilani Chow of the Ho'o Ahu Clean Energy Cooperative described years of community engagement: "To get to this point of strong community support for floating solar, it included 2,800 plus individual community conversations, 1,395 surveys collected, 51 plus focus groups and workshop discussions, and over 40 community events attended," she said, citing planning and outreach the Molokai Clean Energy Hui completed.

Several Molokai residents urged the committees to treat the island as a pilot site. "Our biggest barrier right now is the ability to move this project forward because of state processes," resident Kawai Punahele Eipi said, asking lawmakers to support collaboration between the department and community groups so reservoir access and feasibility work can proceed.

Nicole Shoulder Sims, who identified herself as the Molokai C-RAP administrative assistant, told the committees the exploration would be "at no cost to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity" and would rely on existing federal funding to deliver surveys and engineering designs.

Committee members recorded no opposition during the hearing. The committees moved HCR 180 and HR 170 forward with a recommendation to pass unamended; committee clerks recorded the recorded 'I' votes by the chair, vice chair and present members and noted excused absences where applicable.

Next steps: With the committee recommendation adopted, the two resolutions will be transmitted according to House rules for further consideration and any required departmental coordination. Supporters said their primary near-term constraint is the DOE funding timeline for feasibility work, which they say expires in September 2026.