AES LAWAI SOLAR Hybrid — United States of America

AES LAWAI SOLAR Hybrid is a 40 MW storage power plant in Hawaii, United States of America. It is operated by AES LAWAI SOLAR LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 38 GWh, it can supply roughly 11k homes. It ranks #3933 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2019, it is around 7 years old — recently built. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0061068.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 40 MW, AES LAWAI SOLAR Hybrid is well above the median storage plant in United States of America (4 MW). This facility converts its energy source into electricity for the grid; its capacity, fuel type and location determine its role in the national power mix.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

11%, from 38 GWh of reported generation; the median for 12 storage plants in United States of America that report generation is 4%

Share of United States of America storage capacity

4.9% of 815 MW across 104 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

70 of 104 dated storage plants in United States of America are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by AES LAWAI SOLAR LLC.

Local climate & thermal context

This storage plant stores and releases electricity (pumped-hydro or batteries) to balance the grid. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen As) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 21.9°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt corrosion the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #1 largest storage power plant of 104 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 104 storage power plants in this dataset, together about 815 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• KRS II Koloa Solar · Solar · 12 MW · Hawaii
• Kalaheo Hydro · Hydro · 2 MW · Hawaii
• Biomass to Energy Facility Kauai · Waste · 10.3 MW · Hawaii
• Port Allen Solar · Solar · 6 MW · Hawaii
• Port Allen (HI) · Oil · 99.5 MW · Hawaii
• Gay Robinson · Hydro · 8.7 MW · Hawaii

Location

Coordinates 21.9082, -159.492 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions