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The Kukui Plaza condominium association is taking aim at rising maintenance fees with the installation of a photovoltaic system atop the 32-story mixed use complex in downtown Honolulu that will significantly reduce its electricity bill.
The Association of Owners’ board of directors estimates it will cut electricity costs by about $23,000 a year by using the 200-kilowatt PV array to provide power for common areas, including elevators and lighting.
A large part of increasing maintenance fees has been rising electricity costs, according to the association.
The installation, done by Kailua-based Sunetric, required 47 helicopter lifts to hoist the panels and other components from the ground to the rooftop.
The system is expected to produce 397,545 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, offsetting about 32 percent of the association’s power needs.
