A Vision for the Future
2012 marked a turning point as NELHA positioned itself not just as a landlord but as a catalyst for Hawai‘i’s green economy. The year saw updates to the Master, Strategic, and Marketing Plans, reaffirming HOST Park’s role as a hub for innovation. Federal grants supported major facility upgrades, including a $3M renovation of the main administration building into an incubator for clean energy and biotechnology, and $400K for the first steps toward a research campus micro-grid.
OTEC research surged with Makai Ocean Engineering’s heat exchanger test facility and new negotiations with OTEC International to construct a 1 MW demonstration plant. Cyanotech thrived as a featured success story, reporting $27M in revenues while pioneering the use of cold deep seawater for algae production. Meanwhile, an independent UHERO study revealed HOST Park’s economic impact was nearly $90M annually, generating over 580 jobs statewide.
2012 also brought lease extensions through 2066, new tenants, and 20 potential projects under review, signaling long-term growth. CEROS wound down operations but left a legacy of defense-related innovation. Together, these advances set the stage for HOST Park’s next chapter as a world-class testbed for renewable energy and ocean science.
Highlights:
- Updated Master, Strategic, and Marketing Plans.
- Secured $3.0M in federal funds to renovate main administration building into an incubator for alternative energy and biotechnology.
- Secured $400,000 in federal funds for initial development of a research campus micro-grid.
- Independent UHERO Economic Impact Study found HOST Park generated $87.7M and 583 jobs statewide in 2010.
- Cyanotech featured as leading HOST Park business; ended year with $27M in revenue.
- Makai Ocean Engineering opened OTEC heat exchanger test facility; NELHA entered negotiations with OTEC International for 1 MW demonstration facility.
- Received $412K U.S. DOE/NREL grant to develop distributed energy systems and solar test bed.
- Pipeline and road infrastructure upgrades planned, including $5.3M in repairs to 40” deep seawater pipeline.
- Analytical Laboratory maintained EPA-certified standards and completed 31 years of continuous environmental monitoring.
- Master lease extended through 2066; seven new agreements signed and 20 new projects under review.
- CEROS program concluded under DARPA–NELHA cooperative agreement.
- NELHA hosted international conferences and expanded marketing and media outreach.